Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
For over a century, New Zealand wrestled with the idea of banning booze, but Southland’s moonshining McRaes were having none of it. Their story is told in the Old Hokonui Moonshine Museum & Distillery in Gore, which Frank Film paid a visit to.
Participants thanks:
Jim Geddes
Steve Nally
Thanks to:
Old Hokonui Museum & Distillery
Eastern Southland Gallery
Archive supplied by:
36945-atl - Alexander Turnbull Library Reference: A-313-1-008 by Herbert Beecroft
Group of Tuapeka Men - Misc-MS-1413/022Datec.1864 - Hocken Collections | Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
Women and Children - W F Crawford (b.1844, d.1915): Photographer
Gabriel's Gully - Harry G Gore 1862
View in Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Bay, New Zealand' RMG BHC2370.jpg - William Hodges, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
HMS Endeavour (20340350738).jpg - Archives New Zealand from New Zealand, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Barrier Reef Gold Mining Co. Ryan's freehold. Group of miners, mine manager McWilliams far right, 49117-a.jpg - Henry WinkelmannHenry Winkelmann, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
GBB·Alexander·p40b.jpg - Vonnie Alexander, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dillman Town.jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
First two town halls of Christchurch.jpg - Photographer unidentified, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
National Council of Women of New Zealand, 1901 meeting.jpg - See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
National Council of Women, Christchurch, 1896.jpg - According to the National Library of New Zealand the photographer is unidentified., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Women having tea outside the house of William and Lydia Williams in Napier, between 1888-1899 (3588480640).jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
Temperance Ladies' Brass Band, possibly in Auckland, ca 1910s (4284004630).jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
AWNS-19190501-34-2 NZ Soldiers returning - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19190501-34-2. No known copyright restrictions.
PU9736.png - Pyne, William Henry, Public Domain, Royal Museum of Greenwich
Captainjamescookportrait - Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
TO18860213.1.8-23-1763-1414-930-c256.png - Then, for Exercise, you can have a Fight with a boy bigger than yourself. (Observer, 13 February 1886). Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/3613372
TO18901206.1.6-48-4100-2089-1204-c256.png - Untitled Illustration. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/4195732
MA_I416269_TePapa_Dee-Street-Invercargill_full - Dee Street, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1906, Invercargill, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001113/01)
MA_I454805_TePapa_East-peak-group-of-Hokonui_full - East peak group of Hokonui hills ...., 29 April 1950, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.009528)
MA_I835389_TePapa_Mataura_full - Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013724)
MA_I835392_TePapa_The-bridge-Mataura_full - The bridge, Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013728)
WW1_-_Soldiers_from_New_Zealand_going_to_the_front_(14820744153) - Aussie~mobs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
MA_I835391_TePapa_MacGibbons-corner-Mataura_full - MacGibbon's corner, Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013727)
MA_I416303_TePapa_Beer-Town-Invercargill_full - Beer Town, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1906, Invercargill, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001129)
MA_I416861_TePapa_Mataura-The-Bridge_full - Mataura, The Bridge, 1905, Mataura, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001490)
Photos_169347_full - Please acknowledge Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-18991215-04-02
1862-Pigroot-Wagon-Murray-RW - P1979-008/1-591 - Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena
Nevis-Miners-Huts-RW-Murray-Slide-Collection-for-web__ScaleWidthWzc4MF0.jpg - (Public Domain) Hocken Collections | Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
Trevor Moffitt – Hokonui Moonshine Series
Director, Producer and Camera: Gerard Smyth
Second Camera: Antony Miller
Line Producers: Kirsty Cooper & Antony Miller
Editor: Sarah Grohnert
Research: Bill Morris
Colour & Online: Mike Kelland
Audio Post: Chris Sinclair
Funded by NZ On Air
For over a century, New Zealand wrestled with the idea of banning booze, but Southland’s moonshining McRaes were having none of it. Their story is told in the Old Hokonui Moonshine Museum & Distillery in Gore, which Frank Film paid a visit to.
Participants thanks:
Jim Geddes
Steve Nally
Thanks to:
Old Hokonui Museum & Distillery
Eastern Southland Gallery
Archive supplied by:
36945-atl - Alexander Turnbull Library Reference: A-313-1-008 by Herbert Beecroft
Group of Tuapeka Men - Misc-MS-1413/022Datec.1864 - Hocken Collections | Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
Women and Children - W F Crawford (b.1844, d.1915): Photographer
Gabriel's Gully - Harry G Gore 1862
View in Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Bay, New Zealand' RMG BHC2370.jpg - William Hodges, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
HMS Endeavour (20340350738).jpg - Archives New Zealand from New Zealand, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Barrier Reef Gold Mining Co. Ryan's freehold. Group of miners, mine manager McWilliams far right, 49117-a.jpg - Henry WinkelmannHenry Winkelmann, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
GBB·Alexander·p40b.jpg - Vonnie Alexander, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dillman Town.jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
First two town halls of Christchurch.jpg - Photographer unidentified, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
National Council of Women of New Zealand, 1901 meeting.jpg - See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
National Council of Women, Christchurch, 1896.jpg - According to the National Library of New Zealand the photographer is unidentified., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Women having tea outside the house of William and Lydia Williams in Napier, between 1888-1899 (3588480640).jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
Temperance Ladies' Brass Band, possibly in Auckland, ca 1910s (4284004630).jpg - National Library NZ on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
AWNS-19190501-34-2 NZ Soldiers returning - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19190501-34-2. No known copyright restrictions.
PU9736.png - Pyne, William Henry, Public Domain, Royal Museum of Greenwich
Captainjamescookportrait - Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
TO18860213.1.8-23-1763-1414-930-c256.png - Then, for Exercise, you can have a Fight with a boy bigger than yourself. (Observer, 13 February 1886). Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/3613372
TO18901206.1.6-48-4100-2089-1204-c256.png - Untitled Illustration. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/4195732
MA_I416269_TePapa_Dee-Street-Invercargill_full - Dee Street, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1906, Invercargill, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001113/01)
MA_I454805_TePapa_East-peak-group-of-Hokonui_full - East peak group of Hokonui hills ...., 29 April 1950, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.009528)
MA_I835389_TePapa_Mataura_full - Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013724)
MA_I835392_TePapa_The-bridge-Mataura_full - The bridge, Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013728)
WW1_-_Soldiers_from_New_Zealand_going_to_the_front_(14820744153) - Aussie~mobs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
MA_I835391_TePapa_MacGibbons-corner-Mataura_full - MacGibbon's corner, Mataura, circa 1905, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.013727)
MA_I416303_TePapa_Beer-Town-Invercargill_full - Beer Town, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1906, Invercargill, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001129)
MA_I416861_TePapa_Mataura-The-Bridge_full - Mataura, The Bridge, 1905, Mataura, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001490)
Photos_169347_full - Please acknowledge Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-18991215-04-02
1862-Pigroot-Wagon-Murray-RW - P1979-008/1-591 - Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena
Nevis-Miners-Huts-RW-Murray-Slide-Collection-for-web__ScaleWidthWzc4MF0.jpg - (Public Domain) Hocken Collections | Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
Trevor Moffitt – Hokonui Moonshine Series
Director, Producer and Camera: Gerard Smyth
Second Camera: Antony Miller
Line Producers: Kirsty Cooper & Antony Miller
Editor: Sarah Grohnert
Research: Bill Morris
Colour & Online: Mike Kelland
Audio Post: Chris Sinclair
Funded by NZ On Air
