Party Will Search For Bush Moas

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 18

Party Will Search For Bush Moas

A private expedition which hopes to find that the reputedly-extinct bush moa survives in the Dusky Sound area will leave for Bluff from Christchurch at 4 a.m. today.

The leader of the expedition, Mr Nigel Duckworth, a farmer, of Lees Valley, completed arrangements yesterday with the director of the Canterbury Museum (Dr. R. S. Duff). The museum is supporting the venture, although it will not be financially involved.

Mr Duckworth has assembled photographic and other gear, and this, as well as a 12ft boat with an outboard motor, will be taken in a heavy truck to Bluff. Seven men of the expedition will also travel in the truck and they hope to leave Bluff by boat before midnight on the same day.

They will be using a Bluff crayfishing boat, the Duncun, captained by Mr Billy McCullock.

At Invercargill they will collect a jet boat which will be used in Dusky Sound and all usable waterways. Mr Duckworth said they would be 'in the area for not less than a month, depending on the weather and boat connexion. They planned to search for rock shelters which might contain ancient drawings or artifacts. Peat cores for carbon dating would be collected and gear to drill trees for a core to show the

number of rings, and thus the age, would be taken. The party also hoped to enter the area of the Dark Cloud range, which is shown on maps as a blank area. As far as was known, no-one had yet explored the area. Other members of the expedition will be Dr. Malcolm Robertson, the medical officer for the party, Mr D. Bell, an Arthur’s Pass National Park Board ranger, and Mr A. Paton, an American living in Christchurch who is an engineer and an authority on moose.

From Dunedin there will be Mr R. Savaney, a geologist, and two geologists from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. To complete the party will be two Invercargill men, Mr D. Watson, a farmer with an interest in natural sciences, and Mr A. Picard, who is interested in the early history of the area.