This cache celebrates the role of Arthur Burns played in the establishment of the town of Mosgiel. The cache has been placed with permission of the home owner now on the site of the first home built by for Arthur Burns on the Taieri Plains.
ON THE TAIERI
In the 1840s Thomas Burns can to this land,
He brought his wife and family on board the Philip Laing
He had a son called Arthur, came to the Taieri Plain
And he worked the soil and he farmed the plain and he never looked back again
Song "On the Taieri" by Natalie Yule Yeoman
The words above a taken from a song "On the Taieri" by Natalie Yule Yeoman which tells the tale of the Arthur Burns, founding father of Mosgiel. Arthur, the son of Rev. Thomas Burns and great nephew of famous Scottish poet Robert Burns, arrived at Port Chalmers on the Philip Laing on 15 April 1848.
Arthur Burns was visionary, a leader of a man
So in 1871 he carried out his plan
He started up the woollen mills right here in Mosgiel Town
And he gave them jobs and he gave them homes
And they never looked back again.
Arthur was indeed a visionary man for the Mosgiel Woollen Mill became the hub of Mosgiel life and saw the town florish. In fact the mill was to continue to provide employement to locals until the 1980s when the company fell into receivership. Today the orginal building has an Historic Places Trust classification and a variety of business find their home in the former buildings with in "Mill Park" located on Factory Road.
The woollen mills grew bigger and so many people found
A place to raise a family right here in Mosgiel town
And soon the railway line was built and people came to stay
Schools went up and they worked and played and they never looked back again
Mosgiel today continues to hold the evidence of the railway line that ran to the mill. On High Street, the observant will see large plaster pillars on the factory side with an arched brick entrance to the factory buildings in the distance. A distinctive gap between houses on the other side that now forms a lane to the Taieri College sports field and curved embackment on the side field disguises the path of the former railway line.
CHORUS
On the Taieri - on the Taieri
Oh they gave them jobs and they worked them hard on the Taieri
On the Taieri - on the Taieri
Oh they spun the wool and they worked the loom and they never looked back again.
While the mill is no longer, the impact that Arthur Burns vision is without doubt. Mosgiel is now the fastest growing area in Dunedin and holds much of the prime residential land available to the city.
This cache has been placed with the consent of the property owner and is accessible from the street. There is no need to enter private property. Please use stealth and replace with care ensuring that the log is carefully stowed away. Bring your own pen. Unfortunately there is not room for trackables. Finders might also enjoy knowing that parts of this cache were custom manufactured using a 3D printer.