Cecil Peak to be auctioned

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33730, 31 December 1974, Page 10

Cecil Peak to be auctioned

'Neir Zealand Press Association* DL .X’EDI.V December 30. Cecil Peak sheep and cattle station, a well-known tourist attraction situated 1 across Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown. will he sold by public auction next month.

Mrs Laurie Lucas, wife of the run-holder, the former R.A.F. bomber pilot, Mr Fred ("Popeye”) Lucas, said today that her husband’s health, and her own. and the movement away from the station of some of their family, had led to the decision to sell the property. Mr and Mrs Lucas have spent 14 years at Cecil Peak, the second longest period of any of the station’s seven owners since it was established in 1865. The longest was the second owner. John Wither, who held the 33,000acre run for 33 years. Mrs Lucas said she and her husband had not made any definite plans for the future, though it was likely they would stay in the Wakatipu district. "We will have a good long holidav first, before we decide. I can’t see either of us just vegetating.’’ Mrs i Lucas said. Mr and Mrs Lucas have farmed at Ceci) Peak since 1960. Before that, Mr Lucas

f had held an interest in r Southern Scenic Airways,, d which he founded soon after i y I World War 11. For a time! i. he was licensee of the Ferry; - Hotel. Lower Shotover. i In 1962. the tourist side of; d the sheep station was estab-1 - lished. With the purchase of; two buses in 1963 and the ; establishment of a launch . service from Queenstown, the; i business increased from the; i taking of house guests to re-| - gular visits by large numbers t of tourists. i "Popeye” Lucas has little ■time or enthusiasm for officialdom and red tape. Soon; I after he took over Cecil Peak, • he ran into communications > problems with the Post Office, and later with the Railways; ■ 'ake-steamer service. In typical do-it-yourself fashion, he provided his own underwater telephone line across Lake Wakatipu toi Queenstown. A motorised; i barge solved the problem of j 1 getting stock and stores to i and from the station, which ; is inaccessible by road. j