Canty station changes hands after 122 years

Press, 9 May 1981, Page 12

Canty station changes hands after 122 years

Esk Head station, in North Canterbury, the property of the Dampier-Crossley family since 1859, has been sold. The station was one of the few remaining in Canterbury to have had a continuous family association since being established. The 12,120 hectare property has been bought by a North Canterbury farming consultant, Mr C. 0. Bridgeman. Esk Head Station was first farmed by Christopher Edward Dampier,' who arrived at Lyttelton just before the First Four Ships in 1850. He lived in Lyttelton near the site of the present oil storage area. The small bay between the harbour and Corsair Bay was known as Dampiers Bay.

Mr Dampier took over Run 305 in May. 1859. and in November. 1863, took over the adjoining Run 485. These two runs were between the south branch of the Hurunui River and Seaward Creek and extended to the Main Divide.

His son, Croslegh Dampier, took over the management of Esk Head station in the mid--18605. In 1866 he took the name of a maternal uncle, John Crossley, and became known as Croslegh DarhpierCrossley. Th’e original stock route between Canterbury and the W'est Coast in part followed the Hurunui River, and Mr Dampier-Crossley took advantage of this for stock droving. In the mid-1860s he drove the first fat stock from Esk Head station over the Main Divide to the Hokitika gold diggings. Until the 1920 s sheep were not shorn on the property but mustered out to Stoneroyd, in the Waitohi Gorge, for shearing.

It was about this time that the first road was made into the property. Before this the station was serviced only by a pack-track.

The present station homestead was built in 1867. Sod and thatching were used but the roof was later covered with iron.

Since 1961 the property has been jointly owned by Mr G. P. Dampier-Crossley and his sister, Mrs C. M. Cameron, who lives in Western Australia.

A manager runs the station, assisted by three or four shepherds. The nature of the property varies. Most of the station is steep and includes several high hills. Also included are areas of flat land near the Main Divide.

Mr Bridgeman and his family will move to the property and a development programme will be launched. Before becoming a farm consultant, Mr Bridgeman spent considerable time mustering in the high country. He worked on Ribbonwood Station in the Mackenzie Basin before being employed as a farm consultant. During the last eight years he has worked as a consultant on his own account.

In this capacity he has been working with farmers in the Esk Head Station area.