Pudding Hili proves itself

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 3

Pudding Hili proves itself

The Pudding Hill recreational farm development along the foothills and from Mount Hutt, is a going concern — taking parties of and tourists on a 'regular basis, flown on to the property direct from Auckland. About two hours and a half after leaving Auckland in a 12-seater aircraft run by Titan Air Services, the visitors can be ski-ing on Mount Hutt. A helicopter service links the station to the ski-field. The aircraft have been bringing in parties of skiers once a week from Auckland for week-long visits since July 25, when bunk-house accommodation for 12 persons was completed. The new airfield on the property, with runways of 3300 ft and 4400 ft, is in full use. It has been graded and levelled with crushed metal, but will be sown in grass in the spring. A one-acre skating rink has been excavated and formed, but the mild conditions have prevented its use this season.

Plans are already in hand tto extend the property’s i activities to the summer - months — horse treks, outI door recreational proa grammes for schools, and j the construction of two chaplets to increase accommodation to up to 40 pera sons. J The project was started n more than a year ago, on e the 2198-acre Pudding Hill i property, owned by Mr and r Mrs A. 'tates. Mr Yates and f other directors of the Pudding Hill Recreational Farm n Company were granted approval by the Ashburton j County Council in April last ; i year to establish the tourist .[venture The property, on Slate Highway 72, has natural .boundaries between two f rivers, and a mountain I range. I The proposed uses of the ,(property, included a recreailtional ranch, tourist accom-i modation, camping facilities, t and an airfield. i The ultimate development -.programme is expected to be ;!completed, or well advanced, by the 1979 winter season.

Mr Yates said \esterdav | that he was happy about the i Way the project was going I at this stage of its first season. Most of the patrons so | far had tome direct from < Auckland, he said. They arrived on Saturday 1 mornings, had a full week’s 1 ski-ing and other activities, and left the next Saturday' when the aircraft brought • another party from Auck- ! land. When they fly in from [ Auckland, passengers have * the opportunity of travelling 1 directly to the airfield in a waiting helicopter owned by 1 Whirlwide Helicopters, Ltd, 1 of Timaru. The Pudding Hill company I has a 12-seater vehicle which is licensed to tatce ; patrons from the farm to * the skifield toll-gate, or to Methven, to connect with other transport to the field. The vehicle can also take j patrons from Ashburton if ( the farm airfield is closed by , the weather. r Fourteen international ski ( racers — from Sweden,fl Austria, and Italy — will be t accommodated on tin- pro- j

petty next week when the big international meeting is being held at Mount Hutt. Mr Yates said it was proposed to have two chalets completed by next winter, to increase the accommodation for skiers and other visitors to 40. Next month the company will engage an experienced attendant for the horse stables. Mr Yates said it was hoped to have about six horses available for hire for horse treks by the Christ-mas-New Year holidays. Negotiations are also lak ing place with the education authorities for regular school outdoor-recreation programme., at Pudding Hill. These would involve about 35 children at a lime, on trips of seven to 10 days. \grncy‘s (rouble* La Valise Travel. Ltd. has been put in receivership by the National Bank. No travellers would be stranded by the move, said the receiver. Mr G. A. Martin. "Anyone who bought tickets, or buys tickets now, will have them honoured," he said — (PA >