Early Settlement of Lake Wakatipu

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page III (Supplement)

Early Settlement of Lake Wakatipu

Mr. W. G. Rees was one of the bestknown pioneers of Central Otago. In 1860 he built his homestead arid yards at what is now Queenstown Bay, on the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu. The task of driving his first riiob of sheep to his new possessions involved a journey of over 200 miles over trackless ranges and through treacherous rivers. He took delivery of 3000 sheep at Oamaru, drove them over the Kakanui Mountains to Shag Valley, then followed the river up, passing over the Rough Ridge and Raggedy Range, and at last reached the Molyneaux River, making the sheep and horses swim at the point later called Mutton Town. Crossing the Cairnmuif Range, to avoid the Cromwell Gorge, they reached the Kawarau, but then found it impossible to drive sheep up the Kawaraii Gorge. The plucky pidneers then had to retrace their steps 20 iriiles over the Cairnmuir Range, recross the Molyneux, then climb o?er the Dustan Range (5000 ft. to Hawea. There they crossed the Clutha River, and then proceeded up the Cardrona Valley and over the Arrow, eventually reaching the shores of Lake Wakatipu, after spending three months on the journey. —E.K.H. (Wanganui).