320km one way
4hrs. Allow a day to explore
The Bullock Wagon Trail (Timaru to Twizel) leads you along the route once taken by early European Settlers relying on bullock wagons to transport goods and supplied into the High Country. It takes you from Timaru through to Mt. Cool leading you from the historic Landing Services Building past railways, museums, churches, woolsheds, over passes to scenic lakes and grand mountain vistas.
Early European settlers relied on bullock wagons pulled by ten or twelve beasts to transport their goods and supplies over the trackless country of the interior and later to bring their wool out to the coast. Travel was slow and arduous, taking about four weeks to make the return journey from Timaru to the Mackenzie country. At night they slept under the wagon. There were no roads, or bridges and few people. Homesteads were many miles apart. The Bullock Wagon Trail follows their route, through farmlands and settlements they could only dream of, and roads and developments beyond their wildest imagination.
The Bullock Wagon Trail begins at the Landing Services Building in Timaru.
Landing Services Building The last remaining building of its type in the Southern Hemisphere is built of solidified lava (bluestone) on the shoreline of the old Timaru beach from where surf boats transported cargo to and from sailing ships lying off-shore. Built about 1870, boats were winched over the shingle beach into the building for loading and unloading. This service was made redundant by the coming of the railway (1975) and the construction of the breakwater (1879). The land across the railway, now covered by industrial buildings, was built up of seaborne rocks and shingle trapped behind the breakwater, while the finer sand was carried past the port to form and extend the famous Caroline Bay. The bullock wagons loaded and unloaded at the building. The car park to the south of the Landing Services Building is the site of the first European house in the area - built by George Rhodes in 1851.
Timaru is the largest urban area in South Canterbury. It owes its existence to the shelter provided by reefs of solidified lava (bluestone) from an extinct volcano beyond the town named Mt Horrible. Early Maori canoeing down the coast named it Te Maru, the shelter. Timaru boasts many points of interest, including one of the largest man-made harbours in the world; the last remaining Landing Service Building in the Southern Hemisphere; the famous and very safe beach of Caroline Bay, beautiful churches, gardens and parks, Edwardian architecture, theater, art gallery and museum. There are facilities of international standards for rugby, tennis, yachting, swimming, golf, netball, cricket, hockey, bowls and croquet. Easy walks abound along the coastline and around the town. Stafford Street, the main street, was formed along the early Bullock Wagon Trail. Follow State Highway 1 to Washdyke, named because Rhodes Bros (first settlers) dammed a creek to wash their sheep before shearing. Turn left onto State Highway. Notice on the right the Phar Lap raceway named after the famous race horse which was born nearby.
Pleasant Point The trip from Timaru to Pleasant Point was a one-day bullock wagon journey from Timaru. A major feature in Pleasant Point is the Historic Railway. Pleasant Point has a population of around 1500. The Bullock Wagon Trail continues west from here, but the Pioneer Trail also starts from this point. Watch for the sign posts.
Pleasant Point Railway and Historical Museum The 2km Pleasant Point railway link is all that remains of the Timaru-to-Fairlie line which was established in 1875, making the bullock wagons redundant. This line closed in 1968, superseded in its turn by road transport. Pleasant Point is the home of two fully-restored former New Zealand Railways steam locomotives, the 1878-built 'D' 16 and the 1922-built 'Ab'699. It is also home to the diesel shunter 'Tr'18. The railway and museum is open during most holiday periods and by request. Timetables on site. Continue west from Pleasant Point, passing Sutherland's farm and school on the left. Behind the hill is Taiko Flat where 1000 sheep were stolen by James McKenzie from Rhodes Bros and driven up riverbeds to the pass now known as Mackenzie Pass.
Water Trough and Burnett's Memorial These were erected as a tribute to T.D. Burnett, the man who founded a farm and household water supply system from the Te Ngawai River into six large reservoirs on hilltops, and thence through 1485 kilometres of pipes (since extended) in 1940. Mr Burnett, who became a Member of Parliament, was known to walk from Cave to Timaru and back, to attend debating society meetings to hone his oratory skills for debate in the House.
Cave Turn left into township travel past the store and turn left at the junction. Cave township, which derived its name from a large cave (since collapsed), was an out-station for Rhodes. The railway was extended to arrive here in 1876. It was to Cave that the shepherd, Taiko, came to report the loss of the 1000 sheep stolen by McKenzie.
St David's Pioneer Church was built by the Burnett family in 1929-30 as a memorial to their parents who traveled through Cave on their way to take up Mount Cook Station in 1864. It also acts as a memorial to all pioneers who opened up the Mackenzie country.
Site, design, materials and craftsmanship, are sufficiently remarkable to have earned the NZ Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1934, for the architect, Herbert Hall. Inside, stone tablets list particulars of pioneer sheep stations, while one of the stained-glass windows serves as a memorial to the pioneer women of the Mackenzie. Built largely of uncut local boulders, with adze-hewn timber framing and woodwork, it is believed no nails were used in its construction. A prehistoric Celtic stone mortar found on the McKay property in Sutherlandshire, Scotland (which is fitted into a wheel hub of the Burnett family bullock wagon) is used as the baptismal font.
The Burnett Gate is A further 400 metres along the road from the Church entrance. This provides a striking entrance to the Burnett family's down-country home. Views can be obtained without entering the private property. Return to Cave and continue west along State Highway 8.
Fairlie Originally named Fairlie Creek, the township was founded in 1865. It was a three-to-four days' bullock-wagon drive from Timaru. The railway reached here from Albury in 1884. Fairlie is a home of innovation and enterprise. Rodolph Wigley drove from Timaru to Mt Cook in 1906 in a De Dion Bouton single-cylinder car, taking three days over atrocious roads with few bridges. Following this experience he developed a motor coach service and later an air transport service which became the Mt Cook Company. He started a traction engine and threshing mill business and began carting wool from the sheep stations to the railhead at Fairlie. One traction engine could do the work of sixteen bullocks and at twice the speed. Rodolph's son, Harry, succeeded him on the site that is now the Mackenzie District Council headquarters. Unable to find an appropriate aircraft, Harry designed sagacious gear which allowed him to land his Auster aircraft on Tasman Glacier, opening up an opportunity now enjoyed by thousands of tourist annually.
Mabel Binney Cottage and Vintage Machinery Museum This colonial cottage 9c 1875) and the adjacent former blacksmith's premises, house a a fascinating collection of exhibits and photographs that tell much about the district's history. The items displayed in the cottage are in true colonial style , while next door in the Machinery Museum, a collection of early farm equipment and machinery can be found, along with horse-drawn covered wagons, traction engines and bullock wagons. The cottage and museum can be found just west of central Fairlie. Also on the site is the old Fairlie railway station which was moved there after the railway line was closed in 1968.
Three Springs Woolshed A visit to the fascinating old Three Springs Woolshed gives a special glimpse into farm life in the days of the early settlers. At its peak the shed, built out of local limestone (c 1879), accommodated nine blade shearers working on the boards. The complex is built around a central grassed area and includes stables and a men's accommodation block which today contains an area for drying flowers. This is a private farm, please respect any restraints this may place on access. The road to the left approaching Burkes Pass from Timaru leads to the Mackenzie Monument, a drive of 30km over unsealed road. You can return by the same route, or turn right onto the Haldon Road and rejoin the main trail at Dog Kennel Corner.
Burkes Pass Contrary to intentions that a settlement be established at Bullocky Creek, the building of a hotel at Burkes Pass led to this becoming the regular stopping place for bullock teams which ground their way up the Opihi riverbed. As man as 20 bullock wagons could be seen there at any one time. Despite hopes and plans, no rail service ever materialised. Today however, a small consolation...a miniature railway is on the site.
St Patrick's Union Church The church was built in 1871-72 by combined Anglican, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic efforts. It was the first "Union Church" in New Zealand. The oldest church building in the Mackenzie, it is now an arts and crafts gallery.
Burkes Pass Cemetery Beyond the wooden gates rest some of the earliest Mackenzie country pioneers. This cemetery, on the edge of the huge expanse of the region, was the nearest point where the soils allowed the early pioneers to establish a traditional burial ground. Further inland the shallow soil, and boulder-strewn ground, made burial almost impossible. Continue to Burkes Pass and the Mackenzie Basin along the main State Highway. The alternative route from Burkes Pass township takes in the Mackenzie Pass and the McKenzie Monument.
Mackenzie Pass was the route chosen by James McKenzie to drive his stolen sheep into previously unknown country. Even today it provides a secluded entry into the Mackenzie Basin.
McKenzie Monument James McKenzie drove the 1000 sheep he had "obtained" at Taiko and travelled just beyond the Mackenzie Pass before he was captured. He had led his pursuers to an area that had not been travelled by Europeans before, and which open into the expansive basin named after him (though the spelling differs). He escaped but was recaptured in Lyttelton and sentenced to five years' hard labour. On the west side of the pass stands a tri-lingual stone cairn which reads " In this spot James Mackenzie (sic) freebooter, was captured by John Sidebottom and Maoris, Taiko and Seventeen and escaped the same night, 4th March 1855."
Burkes Monument and Pass This monument sits on the summit which divides two very different geographic and climatic areas. Dramatic weather changes can occur during a crossing of the pass. Etched in stone on the monument is a timely warning for all future settlers of the Mackenzie from Michael John Burke, after whom this pass was named.
Dog Kennel Corner A stone cairn and plaque at this junction mark the site of a boundary dog kennel. Officially know as Dog Kennel Corner, this spot is one of several places where, in the early days, boundary dogs were needed to keep sheep from wandering away into the unfenced wilderness of tussock grass.
Collie Dog Monument High on rocks overlooking Lake Tekapo stands the notable collie dog monument. Sculpted by a local resident, Mrs Innes Elliott, the model was sent to England for casting in brass and erected and funded by Mackenzie country runholders as a tribute to all working dogs, whose ability as high-country sheep dogs was recognised as indispensable.
Church of the Good Shepherd By the shores of Lake Tekapo, the Church of the Good Shepherd epitomises the tranquillity and beauty of the natural surroundings. Built to last, the Church is constructed of lakeside rock with superb oak furniture. The altar window is deliberately clear to allow an uninterrupted view of the lake and mountain scenery, which provides its own special character with each season. A memorial to the pioneers, the building was dedicated in August 1935, less than seven months after the foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Gloucester.
Tekapo was established as a settlement because it was a place of crossing. Bullocks were made to swim across and two wool bales at a time were ferried by a whale boat. It was here that Bullocky Jones, a wagoner, left his six-year -old daughter alone in a desolate landscape to walk along 32 kilometres of wagon tracks until she finally arrived at his sister's lakeside home.
From Tekapo there are majestic views across the lake to the mountains beyond. The vivid colour of the lake is due to light refraction from the glacial rock flour suspended in the water. The lake, like Pukaki and Ohau, was formed by glaciation. Ice once covered much of this basin. Lake Tekapo has been raised from its natural level as part of hydro-electric development in the area.
After leaving Tekapo, travellers go through the head of the Mackenzie Basin. The Mackenzie, prized for its openness and natural features, is regarded as an outstanding landscape. It also contains numerous geological and biological sites of importance. Some of which can be seen along the trail.
From Tekapo, the trail turns off State Highway 8 and travels along the hydro canal route to Lake Pukaki. There is a speed restriction along these roads. In icy and windy conditions, it is recommended that the alternative State Highway routed be used.
Irishmans Creek Travelling along the canal you cross Irishmans Creek. It is here on the Irishman Creek sheep station that William Hamilton, frustrated that conventional propeller boats could not travel up the braided gravel rivers of the Mackenzie, invented the jet boat. Hamilton was a brilliant mechanic and he and his company are responsible for developing earthmoving equipment, armaments, ski tows and hydro-electricity generating equipment. His innovation and skills have contributed to the development of South Canterbury, New Zealand and beyond.
Hydro Canals There are 58 km of hydro-canals snaking their way through the Mackenzie. They carry water through a network of hydro-electric power stations from Lake Tekapo to Lake Benmore. The canals provide some good fishing boosted by the accidental release of salmon from the salmon farm.
Salmon Farm Three kilometres from the end of the Pukaki Canal is the Mt Cook Salmon Farm. This farm is the first of its kind in the world effectively operating in a river situation. The constant canal flows contribute to these fish having much firmer flesh and putting on muscle instead of fat as they grow. The raft is available to the public and visitors can feed fish and buy fresh or processed salmon.
Pukaki Lookout From the shores of Lake Pukaki you can look across the azure waters of the lake to Mt Cook-Aoraki and the Southern Alps. At this site there is an explanation and interpretation of the Upper Waitaki Hydro Electricity Scheme, and the Mackenzie Basin's natural history. Turn right at Mt Cook intersection to continue to Mt Cook National Park.
Peters Lookout The cold, milky-coloured waters of Lake Pukaki are essential as a storage point for water used in the production of hydro-electricity. The lake was raised by nine metres in 1950 and a further 37 metres in 1980 to increase its huge storage capacity. The major inflow of water are from snow-melt in spring-summer from the glacial-fed rivers at the head of the lake. The water is drawn off in the winter when the power demand is high.
Mount Cook National Park covers 70,011 hectares. It was set aside as a recreation reserve in 1885, gazetted as a national park in 1953, and is now a World Heritage Park. This unique mountain area, preserved in its natural state, contains New Zealand's highest peak Mt Cook - Aoraki, and the Tasman Glacier, at 27 kilometres, the longest in the country. The rock of the Southern Alps thrust up from the earth's crust is easily shattered by intense cold, cascading vast amounts of gravel to the valleys below. In 1992, Mt Cook - Aoraki lost 12 metres in height when a gravel slide occurred. Wild flowers grow in profusion in the summer, and more than 300 species of plants are found here along with 40 species of birds. Short valley walks allow everyone to discover for themselves the beauty of the area, while the more adventurous and experienced can venture to the nearby summits. Sir Edmund Hillary, one of New Zealand's most famous sons, trained here for the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.
Lake Pukaki Visible across the head of Lake Pukaki is Mount Cook Station, home of the Burnett family who were early pioneers. This is the only Mackenzie country station still in the hands of the original settler family. Return along the lake and turn right at the Mt Cook intersection to continue to Twizel.
Twizel A short life was planned for Twizel when it was first constructed in 1968 as the base town for the Upper Waitaki Power Development. The town was to be bulldozed once the giant power scheme was completed, but many of the 5800 residents thought differently and fought for Twizel to be retained as a service base for the Mackenzie... and as a tourist town, the nearest to Mt Cook - Aoraki. They had come to regard Twizel as their home. About 20 years after its construction, the Government finally agreed to reverse its decision. Twizel has a growing reputation as a tourist - recreation base. From here there are opportunities to ski, row, boat, balloon, mountain bike, nature walk and much more.
Twizel Visitors Centre The visitors centre provides interpretations of the natural and conservation values of the Mackenzie Basin. A particular feature is the explanation of the Black Stilt breeding and enhancement programme. Tours to the Black Stilt aviaries can be arrange from here. The Trail ends here. Connect with the Strawberry Trail at Kurow
