THE NECK BETWEEN LAKE HAWEA AND LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 40

THE NECK BETWEEN LAKE HAWEA AND LAKE WANAKA.

This new road, which follows the south-west shore of Lake Hawea for a distance of about seven miles to a strip of land called the Neck, dividing Hawea from Wanaka. crosses the low land in the middle distance and gives easy access to some ideal camping spots. Following along the north-east shore of Wanaka at the foot of the M’Kerrow Range to Makarora through a few miles of agricultural country, mostly dairying, it crosses the Haast Pass at an altitude of 1847 feet and then proceeds along the Haast River to the sea, arriving at the West Coast about 150 miles south of Hokitika.

When finished it will be a great asset to New Zealand, especially from a tourist standpoint. It will also give to the settlers of Makarora a better outlet for their produce and timber, which now have to be conveyed by launch, and will bring the settlers of South Westland much nearer a city. At present it is three days’ journey from South Westland to Christchurch, the first stage of which has to be done on horseback and several bad rivers crossed until the road at the Fox Glacier is reached. When the road to the Coast is completed Dunedin will be reached by car in one day.