BEAUTY OF DAWSON’S FALLS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

BEAUTY OF DAWSON’S FALLS

Leaping Water and Dainty Mist

(Ry

“Panitahi.”)

“Egmont will in the future become as celebrated for its beauty as the Bay of Naples, and will attract visitors from all parts of the globe,’’ said Dr., Dieffenbach, writing of the fist recorded ascent of Mt. Egmont. The dim. was made. by him in November, 1839. . -

It is 90 years since ' Dr; Dieffenbach, naturalist-, in the employ of the. New Zealand company, was awed by the towering cliffs(they now bear his. name) which he encountered on the first ascent of Egmont. His prophecy of the unique peak’s -fascination is rapidly approaching fruition. Every yeargreater numbers of people stand amazed by Egmont’s flawless beauty and dignity. And many of them do so in the course of a holiday at the Dawson Falls hostel. : . ' _ Dawson Falls Hostel is on the southern slopes of Mt. Egmont at an altitude of-3W feet. Excellent accommodation, including "odd meals, with an. abundance of fresh milk°and

cream, is there at. moderate cost. Hot and > cold water is laid on in bathrooms, and all . conveniences are under one roof. For catnp-. ers a house of several rooms, fitted with wire bunks and flax :mattresses, is provided. Firewood is included, and there is a scullery with -• water laid on, -and a community hair with ■ dance floor and piano. The charge is 2s each night. Two cottages with open fireplace/ sim- ' ilar to the camp house, can be reserved; There were once two American school-teachers—rosy-cheeked, robust, athletic girls really—who arrived'at Dawson Falls in the course of their -tour of New Zealand, a trip ” . .they were making in a car they bought'for , £lO at Wellington drid intended- selling 1 for . £2O at Auckland' when they? took'-boat for ' home. Like everyone who visits Egmont they fell in loye with it and made Irish stew of their itinerary so that they might spend long- ' er at Dawson Falls. They said Egmont was .the most beautiful thing they, had ever, seen and climbing' it was the most satisfying sport they had ever had. And they had combed the world thoroughly in search of beauty and pleasure. . - There are many water falls on Egmont. Some.are grand, some are just charming, some are accessible by easy tracks, some are hidden in forgotten gorges, some are magnificent, some are dainty. The Dawson Falls are perfect. ~ ' . . Leaping magnificently from a bush-drown-ed cliff of brown and green and grey, the Kapuni stream sends a white veil of water in dainty la rework trembling to the tormented pool of clearest blue green. The fall is not so high' that clouds of spray rise to dim its splendours, but the. white. pillar has.

a phantom base of leaping water and dainty mist. . . : •- .'... . •• ... ■, It is the crowning'.splendour of a beautiful stream which hides under a canopy of typical Egmont bush. Limpid pools and noisy cascades , are there in plenty, and a track, now grotesque, now beautiful, wanders along the high bank or cools the feet oh the damp gravel that skirts .the. pools/ ' •