Site recommended for pioneer monument

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 20

Site recommended for pioneer monument

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU. A recommendation that a monument between Lake Pukaki and the Hermitage to early road-builders should take the form of a roadside rest area at Fred’s Stream, featuring two old road-making implements, was made to the No. 15 District Roads Council at Timaru.

It was suggested that I the monument have a plaque, and that the area he declared a road to allow the National Roads Board to have control.

The council had appointed: : Messrs L. J. Austin, E. C.! 'Hall, and E. R. L. O’Toole as a committee to investigate a. monument on the PukakiHermitage road commemorating the pioneers’ work in establishing road access to Mount Cook. On September 3, there was general agreement that the sheltered area immediately south of Fred’s Stream and on the east side of the new highway would be an ideal site for a small memorial park, or roadside. rest area, in which a memorial could be erected. “The highway at this point lines up so well with Mount Cook that the mountain is framed exactly between the tree-covered cuttings on both sides of the road, producing an ideal ‘picture postcard,’ view, and is sufficiently striking for motorists and passengers on tour buses to stop and take photographs,” the committee reported to the meeting. EARLY SETTLEMENT The Fred’s Stream area is associated with the earliest settlement of the Tasman Valley. Fred’s Stream is named after Fred Baker,

who, during the 1860 s, was; a shepherd and manager on! Glentanner station. Acland’s Lagoon, within a short walking distance from the proposed rest area, is named after Leopold Dyke Acland, who purchased Glen- : tanner from the Tripp brothers in 1897. John Brown, whose grave! iis sited just east of the old highway, was the head shepherd on Glentanner station, and died in a heavy snowstorm in 1870. The site had considerable scenic attraction, the committee said. It was closely associated with the earliest settlement in the area, and it was a natural stopping place for travellers. It was suggested that the road reserve, including the surrounding belt of trees, should be a minimum requirement to preserve the natural setting. The committee suggested that the monument take the form of two “stands” surrounded by large rocks and planted in native shrubs to site two implements — a horse-drawn road scoop at lone “stand” and a horsel drawn grader at the other, both being available for transfer to the memorial park. On September 19, the possible extension of the roadside rest area to provide for

overnight stays by campers and caravans was discussed.

The report said that Mr I. Ivey, of Glentanner, objected | strongly to any suggestion of land being taken out of; his pastoral lease for a camping area at Fred’s; Stream, as it was one of the! most useful sheltered areas! I for his stock during severe snowstorms. Nevertheless, he conceded a limited area for a roadside rest area, provided that it was not fenced off. The committee said Mr Ivey agreed with the proposal to erect a memorial at this site, and saw no objection to its being a stopping area for coaches to allow visitors to walk to' the historic sites nearby. It was also reported that Mr Hall had offered to ob-. tain support through the Automobile Association (South Canterbury) to have a plane-table erected so that visitors might be informed of the names of the peaks seen from the rest area. The District Commissioner of Works, Christchurch (Mr P. F. Reynolds) said at the meeting that there was no doubt in his mind the committee had done a “good job.” “This could be quite an asset”, he said. Meanwhile the committee should continue its investigations into detailed planning.