A vibrant exhibition featuring many of Central’s and Aotearoa’s loved icons - such as the Otago skink, Ophir Bridge, a carved waka and Richie McCaw - is the culmination of months of work by local students.

Nine local schools are exhibiting students’ work exploring the new Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum at Alexandra’s Central Stories, and opening day is today (Friday November 11).

The exhibition ‘Ka Mua Ka Muri’ (walking backwards into the future) centres on the idea we should look to the past to inform the future.

Dunstan Kāhui Ako (community of learning) is made up of nine local schools (Alexandra Primary, The Terrace School, St Gerard’s, Clyde, Omakau, Poolburn, St John’s Ranfurly, Millers Flat and Dunstan High School) who collaborated to create the exhibition.

Room 11 from TTS made Waka Huia (carved boxes to hold treasured items) with the help of woodwork teacher Mr Bryce

Organiser and Terrace School deputy principal Juanita Garden said installing the work went smoothly and calmly on Wednesday afternoon.

“Every kid has been timetabled to come in and visit the exhibition…It’s about connecting our young people with the museum, our community and heritage.”

Juanita said arranging this was “no mean feat” as bus services were booked for those from schools further away such as Ranfurly, Poolburn, and Clyde.

She thanked the Central Otago District Council who had covered the cost of the buses.

The schools were all given the theme ‘taonga’ and then allowed to explore whatever that meant to them and their students.

The result is varied, colourful and modern; techniques such as applique, collage, paper mache sculpting, mixed media, installation, and carving are all on display and visitors can scan QR codes for more information.

Fabric layering techniques (applique) to create images featuring the Haast eagle, moa and kiwi and Central’s lakes and rivers

Students the Central App spoke to from Poolburn School said they had enjoyed learning about geometry, 3D shapes and working together for the seven weeks it took to build their model railway.

Pippa (13) said the biggest lesson was in “perseverance” and how to “stick with it if things go wrong along the way”.

Ka Mua ka Muri includes work from each of the schools representings students' learning experiences and will be open to schools and the public to view for a week from today.

Clyde School’s year three and four installation uncovers how shelters were built in the 1850s

An engineering discovery: Ophir Bridge built by Lily Finlay at St Gerards School