Tuapeka County - Otago

The area of Old Waipori is situated 59 km west of Dunedin and 30.5 km north-east of Lawrence In Tuapeka County.

Waipori was originally founded on gold in the hectic days of1861-62. The early Township is now completely submerged beneath the waters of Lake Mahinerangi on the northern shore of which is now to be seen only a village of Angles Cottages. There is very little evidence left of the mining days but dead tree tops standing above the water of the Lake indicate the position of where Homesteads once stood.

Gold was first found by a man named O'Hara and some mates after which Waipori Flat was declared to be rich in gold as were other areas, gullies and creeks around. By 1865 the population had grown to about 1000. Hardships were many because of access, isolation and the grave shortage of wood for cooking and heating. Supplies had to be hauled over the hills from either Outram at one end or from Lawrence on the Tuapeka side. Much time and energy was expended on the building of water races for sluicing gold and some of these may still be seen today.

The Lake Mahineranoi Hydroelectric Power Scheme was instigated by a private company comprised of local mean but was later bought and developed after World War I by the Dunedin City Council and its undertaking was without parallel in this country as an example of municipal enterprise. It was not until 1935 that this scheme was connected to the State electricity system. The lake was named after Mahinerangi Barnett whose father was Mayor of Dunedin in 1911.

Local Directions: Take highway I from Dunedin, branching off at Henley and continue through the native forest of the Waipori Gorge past the power stations to the dam. Cross the dam by way of the Edgar Stark Bridge and a short distance on one finds a signpost on the left as one approaches the Lake Village. Since the rising of the Lake a new road had to be formed - signposted by the A.A. Old Cemetery Road. After visiting the cemetery one can continue on the the Lake Village and beyond to join State Highway 87 at Traqair Station and so back to Outram, Mosqiel and Dunedin.

History of the Cemetery:

The Records and Plan of the Cemetery are non existant despite the endeavors of the Tuapeka Council to locate them. The council however, does have a list of the burials and dates from headstones together with a second list of names of burials which possibly took place at Waipori.

The cemetery is situated on a hillside above Lake Mahinerangi. it is by a tall pine plantation on the north side of the lake, lying peacefully on the hill, rather overgrown and surrounded on all sides by concrete walls. The headstones date from 1865 and are memorials to several well known families of the district. However, it seems likely there were burials there as early as 1861 although these have not been proven. Death Registrations did not begin at Lawrence until 1876 but some deaths were registered at West Taieri or even Dunedin.

Situated among the trees of the plantation are two Memorials.