Our Holiday Resorts.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 37, 9 December 1893, Page 7

Our Holiday Resorts.

No. 3.—FORTROSE

Fortrose, in the near future, 'will be one of Southland’s favourite watering places. It is so near Invercargill that when the Seaward Rush railway is completed to the Waimahaka Flat, it will be a simple matter of a couple of hours’ run from town. The township is situated at the mouth of the Mataura river. It does not occupy a very picturesque situation, but there are many places of interest within easy distance. The Waipapa lighthouse is about 10 miles away. There is a good road leading’ to it, and it is well worth a visit. ’ It was erected immediately after that sad catastrophe—the wreck of the s.s. Tararua on the Waipapa reef. The remains of this steamer are still visible at low water close to the shore. The lighthouse is under the chai-ge of principal keeper Ericcson, who is never so pleased as when explaining the machinery and its working. A visitor’s book is kept in the tower, and people from far and near have recorded their names therein.

Those fond of hunting for Maori curios may indulge themselves here. In former years these curious weapons and ornaments were found plentifully scattered about, but now to got any spoil at all one has to do a little hard work. An early settler states that on one occasion when riding over a run he saw three skeletons close together, and about each were several greenstone weapons and other articles, and when asked if he collected them he said it was such a common occurrence that he took no further notice of them. The mouth of the Tokonui stream was a favourite hunting ground for these things. Their abundance in this place was accounted for by the fact that a great battle was fought here at one time by the noted “Bloody Jack” against the local inhabitants.

The Tokonui stream just mentioned contains a supply of trout. The flavour and quality of these fish far surpass those of the trout obtained in the Mataura river.

A boating trip up the river should certainly be taken by visitors. There will be found excellent views of bush scenery. The country is densely wooded right down to the water’s edge on both banks, and on a fine sunny day it is a pleasure to float along quietly and listen to the music of the little feathered songsters. Ducks, grey and teal, swim about on the river, while every now and then there is a splash made by some large trout. If the visitor goes up the river 16 miles he will come to the sawmill,, where he may go ashore and wander for miles on the tramways runningin different directions through the bush. Sometimes the labour involved in pulling a boat so far may be brought to the vanishing point by getting a tow from the launch Edina, the proprietors of which are always ready and willing to give a boating party a help along. Sea bathing, either in the river at high tide or a short distance round the beach, is to be had by those who enjoy a dip in the briny.

On the landward side the bush is nowhere more than six or seven miles away, and there are many nooks in which camping-out parties could pitch their tents and enjoy the sweets of life “ far from the madding crowd.

When the distance is shortened by the extension of the railway, Fortrose will become one of the acknowledged resorts to which townspeople and others far removed from the healthy influence of the sea, will come, if only to spend a few hours in wandering along the beach.

There are two hotels, kept respectively by Messrs R. A. Elliot and J. Beaton, in which visitors can be comfortably housed and well-fed, and at reasonable rates. At each of these houses, saddle horses and buggies are kept, so that all points of interest

in the district can he visited with the least possible outlay of muscular energy.

Fortrose is enviably situated as far as its roads are concerned. These are well made, the main coach road from Wyndham being equal to any road of its length in Hew Zealand. The roads in the vicinity of the township are all fairly level and in splendid order during the summer months. There is telephonic communication with Invercargill and other centres, and a mail three times a week, so that holiday makers aie not cut off altogether from the outer world.