LAKE HAUKOTO

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 88

LAKE HAUKOTO

NOW MADE ACCESSIBLE.

A NEW BOAT ON THE LAKE.

By Thomas F. Smith.

During the paat two years considerable interest has been taken by a few of the Lillburn (-Waiau) settlers in Lake Hauroto, and this year a decided step onward has been taken. Mr Bedford last year gave a very interesting account of the great beauties of this lake, and it was thought that his article would have interested, if not the intercolonial tourist, at anyrate the local" one. Mr Rooney, of Roxburgh, last year built a canvas boat, and had it packed out to the lake in sections, but, after a fair trial, it was not deemed safe to venture any drstance, as the squal'y nature of the lake was against safe sailings In the past spring months Mr Mathers, of Lillburn, on consultation with other settlers in the district, decided to get a larger and safer boat, and several secondhand ones were examined, but were not suitable. It was agreed to build a new boat to the settlers' own designs, and Mr Hooney was again asked, and agreed, to build it. Thre being satisfactorily arranged, the more important question of transit was spoken about, and one or two offered voluntarily- to cut the track while the boat was being built. Meantime the member for the county (Mr Thomson) was approached to see if he thought it possible to obtain a grant towards partly assisting the venture,- and a gwint of £10 was made. This it was agreed to accept, and this money was spent in a local store in providing food fbT those on the track. The first thing was to find a. suitable route for the track, and for this purpose Messrs Mathers, Gardner, Rooney, and Smith made three trips through the bush to the lake, the last track being the only on© practicable. This was considered to be- the best and shortest, and it was then blazed right through. Messrs S. Gardner, Blatch, and T. F. Smith started cutting on Davis's Flat, and in a few days were supplemented by Messrs Andrews and Whyte. After a fortnight's hard cutting the lake was reached, and thus a good track was now ready for the boat. There were very few difficulties in clearing the track, with the exception of about half a mile of dense. bog pine scrub on Davis's Flat, but after tihis the cutting was by no means heavy. By' the time the track was cut Messrs 'Mathers and Rooney had the boat finished ; so, drawn on • a sleidge- by two powerful horse® .(one supplied by Mr Carmichael and the other by Mr Mathers), our boat started on ks maiden voyage.

The paTty accompanying her cons&ted of Messrs Alexander Garmicha«l, Mathers, Rooney, Smith, and O. Gardner, while Mr Dick Bradley was in cbarg© of the horses. The boat, which is named the Swan, i& 18ft 6in long, sft 9in across, and can comfortably seat 10 persons. She is fitted with a mainsail and four oars, and is very substantially built and in every way suited for the purpose. To those who are acquainted with this country the idea of taking .a boat of that size into .Lake Hauroto seemed impossible, but, as the sequel 6hawe, it was accomplished without mishap. To give any idea of the difficulties of the undertaking would be impossible, but suffice it to say that from start to finish the trip was crowned with exciting adventures, the boat a*, times pointing direct heavenwards and at others downwards, as it at times was skidded over some nuge log lying across the track or was hurrying down some deep gully. It took exactly seven days to traverse the bush, so the time taken will give some idea of the troubles that existed when the* distance of only seven miles is considered. To Driver Bradley and Captain Roon-ey all pTaise is due, as their duties were* none of the lightest, and the result clearly shows what can be done under very adverse circumstances.

Lake Haurotc- was safely Teached at 10.30 on Monday morning. 25th January, and, after examination, and all found sound, preparations were made for the launch. Needless to say, those who had taken the boat through were greatly delighted When the lake was reached, and any stranger appearing on the scene at that time would have thought the Maori race had come to live on Hauroto's shores again. Our company was now augmented by several others who came out to join ! in the la/unoh, and thus aimidst^great joy and cheering the fin© ship Swan was launched. After enjoying a very sumptuous banquet kindly sent from Dunedin by Mr J. H. F. Hamel for the occasion, the health and prosperity of Mr Mathers was then proposed. Mr Mathers, who has at all times been most enthusiastic over this lake, has gone to great trouble in pushing 0, before the public, and is certainly deserving of all credit for the share he has taken. How- , ever, all the discomforts of bush camping, all our exertions, were forgotten when the Swan got up sail and made for Mary's Tele. The scenery during the sail round Mary's Isle by way of Gardner's Pass was much admired, and the return by Math-ers's Pass is very fine. This latter is a very pretty pass, being a narrow channel of about two chains wide with very high cliffs rising straight up from the water and 6tudded here and there with stunted birch trees looking miserable for want of nourishment. On the following day we sailed to the top of the lake, and for scenery this is unequalled.

It ie impossible for anyone to describe the marvellous ancL'majestic scenery this lake has from start to finish. The visitor sits spellbound gazing with rapt attention as one wonderful sight after another presents itfielf.\ Sttfdded with "inlands, some covered with luxurious growth, otheiVbare as the hand, a huge macs of ugly rock, the panorama is of the finest, and as one proceed* into the narrow channels, the xri& nature of fcha scenarjr is superb. Rising

direct from the water's edge, hundreds of feet, the bare whin stone stares, while* towering thousands of feet above that are the enow-clad mountains. The bush grows right to the cliff edge, and in places trees are overhanging, and it is hard to say what holds them.

There are one or two very pretty rivers flowing into the lake, and one which we named Rooney Creek is in itself well worth going to see. Tl>e waterfalls, rushing and roaring over huge cliffs, are, in places, falling a direct 500 feet into the lake, and when in full water those falls must be a sight well worthy a visit. Game is not very plentiful, only a few crested grebe, swan, and mountain teal duck being seen, and it is to be hoped that when the lake is visited by thousands a very strict preservation will be set on all game there.

Undoubtedly Lake Hauroto is one of the finest in the Dominion, as the general variety of scenery tends to make it interesting. The writer has been a visitor at many places haunted by the world-travelled tourist, but never has it been hie privilege tio gaze upon such a .grand scene as Hauroto presented when sailing up it last week.

Mr Rooney has taken some very fine photos of the upper part of the • lake^ as well a£ a few vjews of the boat's passage through the bush, which -will shortly be sent for publication in the Witness. The time, at the end, was rather limited, so the south arm could not be explored, but from a distant view a vast stretch of water is still to be gone over. Report gives the lake a length of 26 miles, but according to sailing time it must be pretty nearly 40. Now that a very good track has been made eurely something further can be done.

The building of the boat, and the cutting of the track have been willingly and voluntarily done by the Lillburn settlers, and their action ie one that certainly should commend itself to all lovers of progress. The distance from the heafl of Lillburn Valley to Lake Hauroto is about six miles, and Crom Miss Gardner's house can be coveted easily in four hourfc. There is much to be done in the wav of building bridges and removing fallen trees, and when this is done a first-class bridle track will be available. In taking the boat in, bridges were only built where it was too soft to cross the horses, the other gullies and creeks being crosed' by hand hauling it over on two saplings used for skids. Owing to the canvas boat which was taken out last year having been badly damaged and the sails destroyed by some visitoays, the Lillburn settlers" have decided that the boat has only to be allowed out if visitors are accompanied by one of them,-*- The boat is heavily chained and padlocked, [ 'Mr Struan Gardner keeps the key. i To be appreciated this lake shottld be seen in its entirety, and the verdict of one or ,two will very quickly popularise it. WheaJfche Te Tua railway is. opened what better trip can one desire than from -Orepuki to Waiau Ferry and on to Lake Bauroto! The scenery all the way is of the best, and one sees none of the vast dreary plains generally on tie track to the southern lakes. Mr Mackenzie, M.P., is advocating heavy expenditure on other of our southern lakes while he is apparently unaware that the best is being omitted. It is to be hoped that some of the members will pay this -wonderful lake a visit, or cause Hauroto to be placed on the Tourist Department excursions.