Nichols Blacksmith Shop and the Brewery Hole

First there was limestone, then a special spring, then there were Maori, later came Nichol's Blacksmith Shop and now there is a community facility and tourist attraction.

All these layers of history have been etched upon the small commercial plot on the corner of the highway and Orr Street in seemingly sleepy Duntroon.

The Limestone formations and ancient fossils of this part of the wide Waitaki Valley are famed, and have recently been marketed as Elephant Rocks and the Vanished World. But there are other, more human worlds which have also come and gone, marked here upon this spot by a Heritage Listing, and fortunately restored and maintained by a local historic trust.

Since 2006 the trust have tirelessly restored Nichol's buildings and workshop facility, which had served as a smithy from 1894 until the 1960s. The name Nichol was the first name of the second owner, the first owner being Orcadian Walter John Yardley. Heritage New Zealand designated it a Category One place, recognising the trust for it's efforts, the classic red oxide exterior of the set of buildings as well as the historic chattels within;

Nicol's Blacksmith Shop is of special significance as it is a rare remaining representative example of the small-scale industry typical of small town New Zealand in the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. It is an outstanding example of the workplace of a craftsman; one that epitomises many others who collectively kept the land transport system and the farming industry working. What is preserved at Nicol's Blacksmith Shop is a visual record of a way of life now lost, and exhibits a high degree of integrity. It contains sufficient characteristics and features to demonstrate an authentic representation of the industrial processes involved.

Behind all the beautifully restored buildings is a feature that has been here longer than the rest. It is a small limestone cavern with clean running water, which was known in the past as Waikoakoa, or happy waters. Legend has it that young Wahine used it as a mirror in the days before mirrors. Early Pakeha (possibly a Mr Whitmore) apparently pounced upon the resource and set up a brewery here, but it didn't last long and nobody knows exactly when it started, but it was abandoned by 1877, though the water was useful for the blacksmith.

A century later the spring was tapped for town water using a pump, but they altered the entrance when a limestone overhang fell in. The town supply is now from the river, and the trustees here now want to make more of a feature of the spring. It is dangerous but some divers have been down for a look.

For locals, one of the most valuable features of the facility is that it is fully functional, servicing tools, sharpening tools and still creating tools. For a reasonable fee, one may attend a blacksmithing course or bring an educational group.

Image Credits: Nicol's Blacksmith Historic Trust