Tūātapere & District History - New Years Day Sports, c1960's

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Tūātapere & District History - New Years Day Sports, Axemen's Events, c1960's: This set of three photos show Woodchopping or what is commonly known as Bushcraft events, usually put on by the Axemen's Society at the New Years Sports Day event, held yearly at the Tūātapere Domain, for over 100 years! The photos were taken by David Erskine, of Westwood Farm, the grandson of the district's earliest European settler West of the Waiau, Hugh Erskine, and donated to the Community Archive by David's son, Quinton Erskine. EARLY HISTORY: According to the “Grand Fiftieth Jubilee Souvenir Programme” published for the 1960’s Sports Day, this sports meeting was the result of a wager between Bill Ackers and Peter Scott in a wood-chopping match. It is very interesting that the photos shown here, are from very soon after this 50th Jubilee program was held for the Tūātapere New Year's Sports Day event. Initially, with support from others who matched the enthusiasm of Bill and Peter, a meeting was held in early 1910 to form what was then known as the “Tuatapere Axemen’s Athletic Society.” Over 100 years later, and the event is still going strong and from the numbers this year in it’s 115th year (in 2025) , and it is still growing in popularity. The fact that Tūātapere was itself hewn from the bushes with axes by axemen, meant there was instant support for the annual sports day meeting, which has continued until today. After a committee was set up and a great lot of background work had been completed, the first event was held in Bill West’s paddock on the eastern side of the mighty Waiau. This had to be cleared first, as it was still itself covered in bush. But many hands made light work. The inaugural meeting was on the Easter Monday of 1910 and there is a record of over 800 souls travelling from Waihōpai Invercargill by train for the event. Events for this first time were mostly just chopping and sawing, as there was yet enough clear space for things like track events or sprints. But in true bushman spirit, the distance running events “circled round stumps and other obstructions.” Some of the names of competitors at that first ever meeting were: W & O Archer James Bennett Jack Breen J Burns Martin Cash AL Chisholm A Frawley D Hudson W Johnson Lee & O’Connor E Norman W Norman A Millwood Later that year the second event was held on December the 27th. It was a well attended day as well, with picnicking spectators everywhere, with more competitors and crowds coming from afar. The punt was kept busy all day ferrying everyone across the Waiau, the Champion Chop being won by: D Hudson – 1st A O’Rourke – 2nd I Burns – 3rd And the Champion Sawing event was won by: Lee bro’s of Tisbury – 1st Waldron & Hogan – 2nd Burns and Co. – 3rd Other events on the day had winners as follows: WJ Waters who off scratch, won the half-mile as well as the mile, while Martin Forde won the Cumberland wrestling and catch-as-catch can. By 1911 the event was being held on Boxing Day but the running track was still very rough and in 1912 there was particular interest in the running events as big names were competing in them. By 1913, one of the main features of event day was the Invercargill Pipe Band and it was also the year that the most prominent axeman ever created in Southland made good his success. At this time Jack Pont was only at the start of his long and brilliant career, where he made a name for himself across Aotearoa NZ and in his home town of Tūātapere. At this meeting, he came third, while J Breen came second and William Johnson was the winner. At this same meeting, HG McLeod was winner of the mile handicap. The original pair of ‘conspirators’ could never have foreseen what a massive event this would turn out to be, and how long it would maintain a presence. Meetings were held in West’s paddock up until 1919 and the now used Domain grounds where it has been held ever since, were used from 1920-21. Once again the ground had to be cleared before the events could be held there. It is recorded that “logs and stumps were roughly cleared” and for the 1921 event, crowds descended upon the site in spring carts, milk carts, gigs and buggies. There were very few cars at the time. When parking did start to become a problem in the 1930’s, a bridge was built “over the Alton backwash so cars could be parked on the island,” under the guidance of the committee, local sawmillers providing timber. However, this fix was short-lived, as in a flood the same year, it was swept away down the Waiau. So, that was the end of parking on the island! This event is still held today every New Years Day and as the numbers for the latest meeting can testify, there is growing interest. Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of the New Years Sports Day and events during this, over the years, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page.