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Historic Rooney’s Hut at Big River, inland from Reefton on the South Island’s West Coast, has recently undergone major work to protect this landmark at the mining site.
The hut, built in the 1930s as accommodation for a family at Big River, was later owned by the winding house operator at the Big River Mine, who walked off his job in 1942, leading to the mine’s closure.
After the mine closed, people began leaving Big River. The hut was later owned by the Rooneys, a couple from Reefton, who used it as a holiday house until the 1970s. Today it stands as a landmark at the historic mining site in Victoria Forest Park.
As the sole remaining domestic dwelling at Big River, Rooney’s Hut provides a glimpse of life in the isolated settlement. The hut has three rooms, one added in the 1940s. Life would have been basic, with no running water or electricity.
Department of Conservation heritage ranger Casey Rhodes worked on the hut and studied its history. He says establishing the Big River Mine in the 1880s was a major undertaking.
“Because of its location they had to build 22 kilometres of road, blasting and chipping out rock to find the best way in. Big River is a site where there was coal to operate the boilers, timber and a sawmill, and gold. Even though it was isolated, it was self-contained, which makes it quite special. They had everything they needed to get the gold out of the ground.”
Casey says they stabilised rather than restored the hut, aiming to preserve its historic character for visitors.
“We’ve removed the exterior cladding, dug out the foundation and put in drainage channels around the hut, strengthened the frame and subfloor, wrapped the entire structure in building wrap and then replaced the cladding in the same position we found it. We’ve also reinstated the veranda. This work means the hut will remain a landmark at this important site for the foreseeable future.”
People can help protect historic sites like Big River by visiting them, learning their stories, and sharing them with others.
