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The western end of Golden Bay is explored, and the town at its centre, Collingwood. Denis Gillooly relates the history of the town including the fire in 1904 which razed the town to the ground. Major fires also occurred in the town in 1959, 1938, 1967. A gold rush in the 1900s petered out.
Rex Wigzell talks about residents lost in the two World Wars. Alternative life-stylers party and listen to music at the Mussel Inn, and farewell local band The Gypsy Pickers. Geoff Gore from Marine Cuisine pulls up paddle crabs from pots he has set out in the sea. Back at his restaurant he prepares the food with Alison Gore.
Murray Strange talks about the history of the family dairy farm and the challenges. His son Garth “Gorse” Strange talks about inheriting the farming tradition. German immigrant Siggie Crump and Bill Crump (brother of Barry Crump) clear scrub from their property. Alternative life-stylers Rosie Little and Bruce Hamlin of Estuary Arts make pottery in their studio.
Dick Moth of Villa Karl Marx shows his ‘philosophy lane’. Paddy Gillooly of Collingwood Safari Tours takes a tour of the beach at Farewell Spit and visits the gannet colony which is at sea level. Oscar Climo of Puponga talks about his experience on British merchant ships during the war, including being torpedoed 5 times by the Germans. Betty Climo talks about the effect this experience has had on Oscar, and meeting each other in Europe. She talks about arriving to a fabulous town that wasn’t from Norfolk, England.
Anzac day preparations are carried out at the Collingwood Memorial Hall. Lorna who has been running her store and Post Office for 47 years. She talks about how business is not great. Her grandfather started the business in 1928. Murray Strange, President of the NZRFU in 1984, talks about the town history and how all the businesses closed and the rugby team suffered with low numbers.
A Dawn Ceremony is held on Anzac Day, and later a parade in the street to the memorial where wreaths are laid. Children take part in Sports Day at Collingwood Area School. John Fitzgerald, Principal, talks about the relaxed nature of the school and the appeal of the isolation of the district.