Investigating history: Friends of the Whanganui River producing film on Mangapurua Valley

Friends of the Whanganui River have plans for a film about the history of Mangapurua Valley, focusing on the period following World War I.

Friends of the Whanganui River has announced plans to produce a film on the post-WWI events in Mangapurua Valley.

Friends of the Whanganui River is a non-profit organisation that aims to promote the Whanganui River in various ways – it has been running for over 37 years and boasts over 150 members.

Members of the organisation are heading to Mangapurua Valley on February 8 to investigate and gather film regarding the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act 1915, which impacted the area.

“The society [is] becoming more active in setting up and assisting with projects that seek to conserve the cultural and environmental aspects of the river,” treasurer/secretary Graeme Moffatt said.

The 1917-1943 period in the valley was a significant time in the region and New Zealand’s history.

The Bettjeman house erected in the Mangapurua Valley in 1936 was one of many short-lived homes built in the area in that period.

Land in the Mangapurua Valley was offered under the Act and around 40 soldiers who returned from war resided in the valley, along with their families.

It quickly became apparent the landscape’s remote and rugged nature was not fit for purpose, and many soldiers left after experiencing economic and physical hardship.

By 1942, three farmers and their families remained – the governmental cabinet of the day’s decision to no longer maintain the road leading to the area resulted in all the remaining families leaving the valley.

Heritage New Zealand said it was one of the last large-scale back-country pioneering development schemes in New Zealand, and was ultimately a failure.

“It’s important because if people don’t learn from it, something similar will happen again,” Moffatt said.

A maximum team of 20 can be accommodated for the trip over February 8-9.

Further information can be found on the Friends of the Whanganui River website.