The Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust held its AGM this month. The trust was formed in 1997 to conserve and interpret the historic bach communities on Rangitoto Island for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
The bach communities were built in the 1920s and 30s, consisting of private holiday dwellings and boatsheds as well as communal facilities such as paths, swimming pool, community hall and tennis courts. Built by families, using the scarce resources of the Depression era, the buildings demonstrate the ‘kiwi’ do-it-yourself, jack-of-all-trades attitudes of the times.
The trust has restored Bach 38 as a museum near Rangitoto Wharf, which is open by appointment. A short video on the history of the baches and their restoration is available at on Youtube The trust’s annual newsletter Rangitoto Rambling here.
