THE HOLLYFORD

Southland Times, Issue 25328, 4 July 1935, Page 8

THE HOLLYFORD

INTERESTING FACTS LECTURE BY DR. JENNINGS ROUTE TO MILFORD The history of the Hollyford country was traced by Dr David Jennings last evening in a very interesting lecture which he delivered in the Rosewood Lounge to members of' the Southland Section of the New Zealand Alpine Club. Mr P. C. Weenink, president of the club, presided and stated that later on in the winter session a public entertainment would be given to raise funds for the hut which was being built in the Dart Valley. After the lecture by Dr Jennings had concluded a collection of pictures taken by’ club members was screened. Excellent views of Mitre Peak. Mt. Christina, Lake Howden and Homer Saddle were projected. Dr Jennings said that the Maoris knew of the existence of the Greenstone Pass, and maps of the country had been made by the early natives. In 1858 McKellar and Gun did much valuable work, and then in 1862 Caples came upon the scene and named the Hollyford river. It was about the year 1863 that Dr Hector, later Sir James Hector, explored the Cleddau and by his efforts practically put the Hollyford country on the map. Other men who did much to bring this country before the public were Wilmot and Professor Park. Messrs Talbot and Grave worked untiringly to find an overland route into Milford Sound, and in spite of many disappointments and hardships, eventually won through. Dr Jennings then read a lengthy article written by Mr Grave which appeared in the Oamaru Mail of January 17, 1900. Extracts from the article read by 'the speaker are published below. No Direct Route. ■ “Milford, the grandest of the West Coast Sounds, lies almost due west from the head of Lake Wakatipu distant as the crow flies less than 30 miles. Short though the intervening distance is, hitherto no one had succeeded in finding a direct route between Wakatipu and the Sound. The Darran Mountains attaining in Mt. Tutoko a height of over 9000 feet, prove an impassable barrier. The western slopes of the Darran Range are drained by the Cleddau River On the east the Darran Range is drained by the Hollyford River which was first thoroughly explored about tlu. year 1889 by Mr Wilmot, the present Commissioner of Crown Lands for - Otago. From different branches of the Hollyford three saddles each about 4000 feet high lead to the Cleddau River. The Hollyford at its source divides into two short branches which lead to Homer Saddle and Gertrude Saddle. A mile to the north of Gertrude is the Lake Adelaide Saddle at the head of Moraine Creek—the largest tributary of the Hollyford. All of these saddles are easily climbed from the Hollyford but from each of their summits one looks down a precipice sheer for over 2000 feet into the Cleddau Valley below. Paving the Way. “After Mr Wilmot’s exploration, as there appeared no prospect of finding a way over the Darran Mountains, the feasibility of putting a tunnel through Homer Saddle was mooted. Messrs Simpson and Quill, members of a survey party, went up the Cleddau from Milford but were unable to locate Homer Saddle. “Some time later Quill, who was with a survey party in the Hollyford, set out alone for Homer Saddle on the summit of which he erected a cairn and a pole. Returning to his camp he left a note stating that he was going to try to reach the Cleddau by means of Gertrude Saddle a few miles distant. He was not seen again. A search party later found along the precipice a track that ended where the moss had pealed away from the face of a rock, and here that intrepid climber met his death. Several weeks later, making their way up the Cleddau from Milford, his brothers found part of his skull at the foot of the precipice. Since that year no serious attempt has been made to find a way from Hollyford to Milford. 1905 Expedition. “In 1905 a party of us set out from Lake Te Anau, and finding the Clinton qjjzer at the foot of Mt. McKenzie, we entered the north branch of the Clinton and exploring this we found a pass leading to Joe’s river. Mr Talbot and I then continued the exploration of Joe’s river with the hope of finding a pass leading to the Hollyford, but in this we were unsuccessful, Two years later, still imbued with the hope of finding a route from Milford to Wakatipu, we decided to thoroughly explore the Cleddau; our party this year consisted of Messrs Talbot, Grenfel, Lambert and myself. Setting out from Milford we made our way up the Cleddau and passing by the Tutoko branch (explored in 1897 by Dr. Don Gifford and myself) we entered the next branch on the north which we called the Doone Valley. Mount Underwood, nearly 9000 feet high, forms the western wall of this valley. Later the party returned to Milford, apparently having accomplished nothing. “The following year our party, consisting of Talbot, Gifford, Lyttle and myself set out from Wakatipu and making our way over the Harris Saddle, descended into the Hollyford. Heavy continuous rain prevented our crossing the Hollyford for five days. Then we made our way up Moraine Creek, the longest and most beautiful branch of the Hollyford. After two days’ inspection the saddle at the end of the valley appeared unclimbable and we endeavoured to make our way to the ridge by scaling the mountain wall some distance from the head of the valley. A whole morning was spent without success when eventually Gifford found an easy way up a narrow track. Up this -we could almost run and soon reached the top of the saddle. Looked Down on Milford. “Here we looked down on Milford some eight miles distant. About 6 o’clock Gifford and Lyttle returned to camp. Talbot and I remained and then began the climb down towards the Cleddau. By eight o’clock we had descended 800 feet, but were then blocked by a great precipice. I suggested that we should tie ourselves on to a rock or some shrub and pass the night where we were. Talbot, however, was of the opinion that we would be able to get back to camp. We reached the top by nine o’clock and the camp before midnight. Next day saw us homeward bound, unsuccessful once again. Seventeen consecutive days’ rain had prevented our doing much on this occasion. “On December 22, 1909, we steamed up Lake Wakatipu again. Our party consisted of Talbot, Lyttle and myself. Landing at Elfin Bay we could not get a pack horse. Our packs were very heavy, being over 601bs. Mr Harry Barty, guide on the new track from Wakatipu to Te Anau, overtook us near the Greenstone Hut. We spent a short time with him 'talking about the Hollyford, which he said he had been up. but found it impossible to get through to Milford. We camped the follmvimr dav beyond Lake Howden.,

a short distance down the Martin’s Bay track..”

After many hazardous adventures Grave and Talbot eventually reached Milford and of the route the writer says: “And now a word or two as to the route. Howden to Milford by our route will take three days. The actual climb is about 2000 feet and where the ascent on to the pass is made the tourist is rewarded with a view that in grandeur and majesty can nowhere be surpassed. If the route be found practicable it will not cost much to open it up.” On the motion of Mr R. Ferris Dr Jennings was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.