Central Otago Heritage Trust’s winter series of heritage talks are back and proving popular again, with the first session fully booked next week.

University of Otago honorary professor Daphne Lee is speaking on ‘Lake Manuherekia - a glimpse into our prehistoric past’ to a full house on May 29 at Alexandra’s Central Stories.

Due to high demand, she will give the talk a second time, on May 30 at the Clyde Museum.

Daphne will take the audience back to 19 -16 million years ago, when the 5,600 square km ancient lake provided a haven for many diverse life forms including fish, water birds, crocodilians, forests and ferns. 

Daphne Lee, BSc PhD (Otago) specialises in paleobotany, paleontology and paleoecology. PHOTO: University of Otago

The Heritage Talk is the first in a series about objects chosen for the Central Museums 100 project.

The Stromatolite fossil, from Lake Manuherekia, is one of the objects chosen by the team at Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery.

Entry is by koha (donation) with proceeds going to the hosting museum.

The talk runs from 6.30pm - 8.00pm, and seats need to be booked online.

Two other heritage talks are coming soon.

On June 16, ‘Love and Marriage - Polly’s wedding dress’ is in Cromwell, presented by Toitū Otago Settlers Museum’s Sean Brosnahan.

Secondly, coinciding with the Winter Stellar exhibition in Alexandra on August 20, night sky photographer Andy Davey will speak about the cultural and astronomical aspects of the night skies in the Southern Hemisphere. 

For more information on the talks go to the Whats on in The Central App.