The central Otago town of Middlemarch is a fair drive from the ocean.
But a piece of marine history is being revealed there on Sunday that the local historical society says will really put it on the map.
Tucked away next to Middlemarch Museum is a symbol of years gone by.
To the untrained eye, it may just look like a rusted tin can but years of research has revealed otherwise.
"It may be the only submarine particularly of its vintage," said Dawn Coburn, president of the Strath Taieri Historical Society. "It's very important in the world history of submarining."
Built specifically to retrieve gold from central Otago rivers, the submarine, called Platypus, is a pioneering masterpiece that didn't quite meet its mission.
"The first test was not very successful - they were underwater for several hours, people who were watching were alarmed and the pumps weren't working properly," Coburn explained. "I believe some of them were absolutely terrified."
Remarkably, it's mostly still intact today and its complete history is on display in Middlemarch.
A unique slice of history striking gold for this small inland Otago town.
