A Scenic Wonderland Westland’s Natural Beauties

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1934, Page 18

A Scenic Wonderland Westland’s Natural Beauties

West Coast generally presented a. problem for the venturesome pioneer. It was densely wooded, with many rivers and dangerous streams. Access was difficult at every point. Yet, preserved as it was by Nature for only the hardy venturesome, groups of strong-willed and resourceful men made their way to the West Coast and began to open up the country. The gold finds were the lodestone, and were it not for the generous favour of Nature with auriferous deposits, the progress and development would have been slow indeed. Even now, after seventy years, the district is not roaded as completely as it should be. The chief delay in road extension has been in South Westland, despite the fact that where roaded, the localities are not only settled permanently, but prospering as few isolated parts of New Zealand are doing. The stopping of the railway at Ross was a blow to the district, yet to-day that section of railway must be one of the most remunerative in the Dominion. It is fed by timber exports and stock, which are increasing year by year as the country becomes settled. The South Westland road is regarded by many as chiefly a scenic route, but the bulk -of the traffic nowadays is the result of industrial expansion, and the natural progress of the district as a result of better communication. The scenic glories of South Westland are an ever-lasting asset, for the hills and mountains and glaciers are not movable. They constitute a great panorama of Nature’s handiwork, yet it is of late years only that the district has come in a measure into its own. When Sir Julius Von Haast visited Hokitika in 1865, he was struck by “the fine and extensive mountain view visible from the sea beach at Hokitika.” The wooded mountain-sides struck him in contrast to the snow-covered peaks, and were considered a most interesting feature of the landscape. The glaciers at Waiho and Weheka may be considered unique, and have been praised by world travellers for* their novel charm —rivers of ice set between high wooded hills carrying almost'tropical vegetation. The Franz Josef at Waiho is notable for its splendour,—a crystal face in a forest framing. The glacier is eight and a-half miles long, and descends ,9,000 feet in that distance. It has its birthplace in the ‘perpetual snow and ice-fields of the divide, and from its terminal face flows the Waiho River. The Fox Glacier at Weheka is about nine miles in length, and its terminal face is under 700 feet above sea level. Alpinists will find the climbing of both popular resorts easy and interesting, and the facilities for commodation at early stages, attract votaries all the year round. The lakes of Westland are an outstanding feature in the scenic richness of the district. Good roads serve all lakesides, and all have their own peculiar charms. In particular- they are all mirror-like in their natural properties, and reflect the surrounding scenery (often taking in the snowcapped mountains) with accurate fidelity. Lakes Kanieri, Mahinapua, lantlie, Wahapa, Mapourika, Matheson and Paringa, may be mentioned as true exponents of the varied nature of the lake scenery revealed in the

Westland wonderland. Associated with the scenic glory of Westland is the bush, in all its majestic variety. Tall timbers fringe the southern roadway, and the forest stretches back in all its varied and vivid colouring to decorate the high background. There are many charming bush scenes, while the forest and fern tracks about the scenic resorts are gems- of the lavish display Nature has provided. To know the real beauty of Westland, a trip to the southern district is a necessary experience. There are miles of good road beyond Hokitika where the holi-day-maker may penetrate, and enjoy Nature’s best throughout. Some day a roadway will circle the South Island, and until that time full justice will not be done to the store of the picturesque in the southern district. It has been interesting to watch development in the southern district as communication improved. About forty years ago pack-horses served a long stretch of the district. /The widening of the road began only .with the ascension of the late R. J. Seddon to office. And after the road was widened, the bridges were the problem, for there were many costly crossings to be spanned. The last visit of Mr. Seddon to South Westland was memorable for the opening of the first large bridge, the Waitaha. Since then other bridges have come slowly as far south as Weheka, but beyond there—where packhorses still carry the mails and goods—there are many streams to bridge, and but poor roads for access. Looking back over the solid progress of the 120-mile span between Hokitika and Weheka since roadipg was put in, one can marvel that the need for the next stage to Okuru remains for so long neglected. Over the years since the early rush days, [settlers have made their homes in the far south, and now their sons and daughters, and their, families are carrying on—sturdy occupants of the outposts who, it would appear, are almost forgotten, and certainly neglected by the authorities charged with the development of New Zealand. A vast area of maiden country still awaits closer settlement in the south, and when served with reading will show as steady an advance as the northern half now in prospering days.

1 The southern district owes its advancement greatly to the enterprise ' of local residents. As a case in point, the catering for the tourist traffic could be mentioned. Motor services of a high class have been developed for .transport following the bridging of the rivers, and one-time distant points are brought closer to the centres. In the pack-horse days, and later the coaches, two and three days were required for a one-way journey. Now, the trip can be covered in f-ur or five hours, and as a consequence, the improved intercourse has been responsible for an influx of visitors. The traveller is well catered for at various points for all requirements, and at the chief tourist centres accommodation equal to first-class needs is available. All facilities for high climbing, ski-ing, or other classes of mountaineering, are available, together with experienced guides. All this has been provided by private enterprise, and the tourist or holiday-maker will find every want or need supplied from resourceful and capable hosts, experienced in all the details of mountaineering.