Tūātapere history - A Journey to the end of Highway 99, magazine article:

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Tūātapere history - A Journey to the end of Highway 99, magazine article. First photo is a .jpg of the front cover, the next two items are .pdf's of the actual article, broken into two parts to fit the files on here: A brief history taken from the body of this very in-depth archived article (please click on image of record to see more details) is the origins of and the current Tūātapere district and township, immediately prior to the 1988 announcement that the NZ Forestry Service would now be discontinued. The town was built on the back of the Timber Industry, with 30+ mills once working the bush around of the township. So it was a big blow when most closed. In 1909 the railway had descended on the fledgling town and its citizens after those milling bush along the southern coast continued to push onwards and westwards, eventually reaching the place which had been called Drummond's Ferry. It was named for ferryman Bob Drummond who operated the punt here in the days before a bridge was put over in 1915. In the years between the two world wars, this allowed new settlement to take place on the river flats over the bridge on what is now "Half-Mile". The article has an overtone of despondency with occasional highlights of positivity from some, who ultimately say they will never give up. Looking back on this old article in hindsight, it becomes apparent that Tūātapere has indeed kept going and even 'risen from the ashes' of these dark times. In the current day, we have not only had some resurgence in forestry, but there is a large farming sector, thriving hospitality venues, art studio's, international tourism, other businesses, also the Hump Track which is about to become Aotearoa NZ's latest Great Walk and much more. Residents today (2022), include those new to town from further afield, who find the "hole in the bush" a peaceful place to live life. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of how we can overcome hurdles and make great on such an array of achievements. However, we need as a town and community, to also celebrate and appreciate the years of hard times our forebears, other leaders and residents of the district underwent and lived through, leading to what we all enjoy here today. Where we are now is truly a history of resilience, reliance on each other and reaching forward, and we can be truly proud of us. So that residents and descendants can find any material relevant to their lives, I have made a list of most of the people and places mentioned in the article below - but you will have to read it as an attached download to be able to find the exact references. Where possible I've included page no's. Page 61 (Highway 99 sign): - Conservation - Forests - Logging - Native Beech - Rogernomics - Timberlands Page 62: - Aluminium Smelter - Cooper's Corner - Dalgety's - Lind, Clive - Farmers/Farming - Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) - Hydro Lakes - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - McKenzie Basin (Te Manahuna) - Milling - Murihaka (note - should be Murihiku) - Port Craig Timber Company - Riversdale - Southern Alps (Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana) - Southland Times - Tīwai Point - Tūātapere - Turner, Michael - Western Southland - Wrightson's Page 63: - Beaches - Beech Forest - Bridges - Cemeteries - Centre Island (Raratoka) - Depression - England - Escape Reefs - Farmhouses - Fiordland - Fishing - Flax - Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) - Graveyards - Longwood Ranges - Mills - Pig Island - Pioneers - Port Craig Timber - Princess Mountains - Railways - Riverton - Scotland - Sea - Snow - Stewart Island (Rakiura) - Te Waewae Bay - Viaducts Page 64: - Ambulance - Britonia Theatre - Butcher - Boundary Creek - Cemetery - Chemist - Coffee shop - Discount Food Store - Electrician - Fire Brigade - Fire Station - Four Square - Fraser, John - Gold Rush - Grocers - Lindsay & Dixon - McNay, Dave & Pam - Motor Garages - National Bank - Orepuki - Pipe Band - Plunket - Post Office - Presbyterian Church - Pubs - Railway - RSA - Rugby - Sawmillers - Shale Mining - Southland Farmers Co-operative - Stationer - Stockyards - Swedes - Timber Merchants - Timber Milling - Town & Country Club - Tūātapere - Waiau Hotel - Waiau River - Waiau Star - WTCC - WW2 Page 65: - ACCESS training schemes - Craft Co-operative - Education - Farming - Fiordland - Forestry Headquarters (old) - Half Mile - Information Centre - Johnston's Mill - Library - Motel - Motor Garage - Police Station - Pub - Sheep - Shell Fuel - Speights Beer - Southland Polytechnic - Swedes - Swimming Pool - Takatimu Mountains - Timber Industry - Tūātapere - Waiau College - Waiau River - Waiau Valley - Wild Pork - Work Development Society (later the Resource Centre Society Inc) - Wrightson Dalgety Page 66: - Baldwin, Wendy - Blackmount Community Centre - Chemist - Cyclone Bola (as a strange aside, I was living through this as a child!) - Concert Pianist - Fraser, John & Isabel - Fundraising - Garrett, Betty - Gutsell, Dorrie - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - Link & Chain Editorial (old local newspaper) - LINK programmes - Motel - Officer, Dianne - Orepuki Community Centre - Orepuki & Districts Health Day - Otago University - Pharmacist - RSA Lounge - Rugby - Southland Polytech - Southland Times - Till, Maurice - Tūātapere Work Development Market - Waiau Amateur Wrestling Club - Waiau College - Waiau Community Theatre - Waiau Hotel - Waiau Star - Waiau Town & Country Club - WTCC - Weight Watchers Page 67: - Badminton Club Nights - Barker, B - Barrett, Barney - Birch Street - Combined Axemens Athletics & Cycling Reunion - Conservation - Corfield, Phil (Entertainer) - Doctor - Elder, Dr Eric - Entertainment - Farming - Flower arranging - Games Evenings - 'Girls can do anything' - Glynn, Mrs D - Information Centre - Māori Language Classes - Native Timber - Ohai Coal - Orange Hall - Pioneering - Plunket Rooms - Primary School - RSA - Scottish Country Dancing - Sheep - Social Netball - Social Services - Southland Community College - Tūātapere Library Committee - Tūātapere Maternity Hospital - Tūātapere Presbyterian Hall - Unemployment - Waiau Garden Club - Waiau Hotel - Waiau Tourism Group - Waiau Town & Country Club - Weightwatchers International - WTCC Page 68: - Chainsaw Instructor - Corporatisation - Cricket Teams - Dean Forest - Department of Conservation - DOC - Exotic Timbers - Exploitation - Families - Feltex - Firefighting - Forestry Contractors - Forest Service - Government jobs - Half Mile Road - Industry - Japan - Kennedy's Mill - Lindsay & Dixon - Log-scaling - Longwoods - Muldrew, Graeme - Native Timbers - Oil Exploration - Papatotara - Paynter Corporation - Petrocorp - Pruning & Thinning - Rowallan - Rural economy - Seismic Work - State Forests - Suddaby, Haydn - Sutton, RR (Invercargill) - Timberlands - Tūātapere - Unemployment - Work Development Society (later the Resource Centre Society Inc) Page 69: - Alton Valley - Department of Conservation - DOC - Deer - Economy - Environment - Families - Forestry Corporation - Forest Service - Lindsay & Dixon - Muldrew, Graeme - Orepuki - Pine Cones for sale - Pubs - Redundancy - Rowallan Forest - Sawmills - Southland Beech - Southland Times - Templeton, Gary - Tūātapere - Unemployment Page 70: - Alabaster, Gren (principal at Waiau College) - Animal Drenching - Axemen - Beech Trees - Bush - Bushmen - Bush Robin (Kakaruwai) - Central Timber Co. - Corporatisation - Cricket (sport) - Cutting Rights - Debt ratio - Douglas, Roger - Downturn - Elder, Dr - Electric Fencing - Evans, Joe - Export Markets - Families - Farmers - Farming life - Fertiliser prices - Fiordland (Te Rua-o-te-moko) - Forests - Forest Service - Groveburn Sawmilling Co. - Labour Party - Lindsay & Dixon - Māori Landowners - Mechanics - Miller, Fred - Mills - National Party - Otago/Southland - Princess Mountains - Rowallan - Salaries - School leavers - Schools - Southland Farmers Co-op - Southland Promotions - Southland Timber Co. - Staff - Tapanui - Templeton, Gary - The Hump - Timber/Joinery Companies - Truckers - Tūātapere - Tūātapere New Year's Day Sports - Tūātapere Sawmilling Ltd. - Unemployment - Virgin Bush - Waiau College - Waiau Sawmilling Page 72: - ACCESS training - Accountancy - Bursary - Bush - Community College - Department of Conservation - DOC - Duck Shooting - Dunedin (Ōtepoti) - Farmer's Co-op (Southland) - Farming - Farm Labouring - Fishing - Hunting - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - Jesson, Adin - Jobs - Lincoln (Agricultural College) - Mills - Orepuki - Park Management - Parties - Peek, Rawyn - Pubs - School leavers - Scrub Cutting - Social Welfare - Sport - Teaching - Te Anau - Templeton, Alexia - Tūātapere - Unemployment - Waiau College Page 74: - Bateman, Murray - Builders Supplies - Carrier - Coal Train - Domestic Disputes - Draught Beer (DB) - Dunedin - Farmers - Forestry - Freight - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - Hairdressing - H&H Buses - Hampton, Brian - Holt Park - Housekeeping - Invercargill Rugby Park - Lillburn - Longwoods - Machinery - Mail - McCarthy, Winston (Sports Commentator) - McNay, Dave (publican) - Netball - Ōtautau - Ōtautau Hotel - Pharmaceuticals - Pies - Police - Probation - Pub - Reported Crime - Riverton (Aparima) - Rugby - Rural Delivery - Sheep - Sheep Stealing - Shop Supplies - Southland Sports Trust Cup - Southland Times - Spare Parts - Springboks - Tong, Gary (Constable) - Tūātapere - Unemployment - University - Videos - Wallace County Council - Wheat Page 76: - ACCESS Training - Adams, Gerard - Baldwin, Wendy - Bluff (Motupo- hue) - Bulmer, Steve (Rugby) - Chemist Shop - Chinese Cooking - Chip Mill (wood) - Christchurch (Ōtautahi) - Committees - Cowan, Gary (Rugby) - Department of Conservation Premises - Diack, Irene - Drinking - Farmers - Firewood - Fraser, John - Freight - Gore - Hay Contracting - Holt Park - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - Isolation - Lambing - Lands & Survey Department - Lincoln (Agricultural College) - Lindsay & Dixon - Lion Breweries - Lionesses (Lion's Club) - Lion Red Sports Trust Cup - Longwoods - Makeup Course - Male domination - McCall (Rugby) - Mills - Mitchell, Mark (Rugby) - O'Brien, Paddy (Rugby) - Odd jobs - Ohai - Ōtautau - Ōtautau Hotel - Pharmacy - Pubs - Riversdale - Rugby - Shopping - Speights - Sutherland, Gloria - Te Anau - Te Waewae - Todd, Eric (Rugby) - Truck Driving - Tūātapere - Yates, Gavin (Rugby) - Youth unemployment - Wallacetown - Western Rugby - Women - Women's Views - Working Women - Work Skills Page 77: - Beecroft, Noeleen - Bushmen - College - Concert Piano - Conservationists - Deep South - Deer cullers - Dixon, Ngarita - Domain Camping Ground - Eileen (no last name) - Elder, Dr - Farmers - Forestry - Fraser, Isobel - Garrett, Malcolm (junior Dean at the college) - Hartley, Karen - Housewife/Housekeeper - Jobs advertised - Johnston's mill - King Country - Lange, Stuart (Presbyterian Minister) - Lindsay & Dixon - Longwoods - Main Street - Māori - Mills - Native Timber milling - Possum Trappers - RSA - School leavers - Sodium vapour lights - Southland Times - Sutherland, Gloria - Teachers - Till, Maurice (concert pianist) - Truck driving - Tūātapere - Tūātapere Community Arts Society - Wives - Women's Lives Page 78: - Arts - Audi 90 - Automatic Telephone Exchange - Beech Forests - Britonia Theatre - 'Centre of Excellence' - Chemist - Christchurch (Ōtautahi) - Church - Country Depot - Country Service (teaching) - Daughters - Deer Shooting - Dole - Downsizing - Drinking excessively - Dunedin (Ōtepoti) - Economic divide - Elder, Dr - Foreign travel - Fraser, John - Furniture making - Gas Station - Government Department employment - Half Mile Road - Heavy Drinking - Invercargill (Waihōpai) - Job losses - Market forces - Married Women - Mills - National Bank - Native Timber - Orepuki - Pharmacy - Port Craig - Possum Trapping - Post Office - Pubs - Railway - Redundancy - Rogernomics - Salmon - Sexual imbalance - Shiseido Cosmetics - Sports - Teachers - Timber - Tong, Constable - Town & Country clubs - Tūātapere - Single women - Young men - Young women - Whitebait - Wild Pigs Page 80: (Above the "At the Brasserie advertisement") - Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) - Automotive Graveyard - BBQ's - Beers - "Bludgers" - Bushmen - Christchurch (Ōtautahi) - 'City people' - Community - 'Country people' - Cricket (sport) - 'Dodgy' Corporations - European Cars - Floundering - Hunting & shooting - Lifestyle - Muldrew, Graeme - Pākehā - Papatotara - Paua-ing - Quietness - Remoteness - Re-training - Rogernomics - Royal Commission On Social Policy - 'Small Town people' - Socio-economic Issues - Southern Ocean - Suddaby, Haydn - Te Waewae Bay - Tūātapere - "Victims" (of economic downturn/downsizing) - Waiau Mouth - Waiau River - Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Pōneke) - Whitebaiting - Winter Page 81: (final page) - Abandoned Cement Works - Aparima Valley - Axeman's Carnival (New Years Day) - Budget Surplus - Closed shops (Nightcaps/Ohai) - Coalmining - Domain - Douglas, Roger - Golden Summers - Lake Te Anau - McNay, Dave & Pam - Mines - Mossburn - Neighbours - Nightcaps - Nightcaps Discount Food Centre - Ohai - Ōrawia Road - Post Offices - Pubs - Riverton (Aparima) - Snow - Social cohesiveness - Taringatura Hills - Tūātapere - Waiau Hotel - Winter END... Please see the article attached for further information, a copy of the front cover has been provided as a .jpg picture file and the article itself is in two parts via .pdf which will open with an Acrobat Reader programme. A more in-depth history is recorded in the archive copy of the article itself, but please be aware that although Metro Magazine have kindly given us permission to put this in the public archive, it is still Copyright to them. More information about the local district and town history will be added shortly. In the meantime, please share your memories of our community and stories over the years that you know of, and most of all, do let us know if you have any more photos please. You can do this by adding a comment about it, at the bottom of the image page, or making contact.