Category: Cardrona Village
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The mysterious appearance of bras on a fence
Very few people who have driven through the Cardrona Valley during the last quarter century could have missed the collection of bras on a fence near the distillery. The “bra fence” at is is affectionately known has an interesting history, and an unknown beginning. John Scurr tells the story of spending the night of 31st…
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On National Radio: Cardrona hits the big time
In a 25 minute segment on National Radio, interviews with three Cardrona personalities are shared with listeners. Tim Scurr, talking about life in the valley. Jim Patterson (via an archived interview with him), long time publican at the Cardrona Hotel. And Roger Gordon who was one of many to put energy into restoring the hotel.…
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The birth of a ski area on a high country farm at Cardrona
Today, Cardrona Ski Area (simply “Cardrona” or affectionately known as “Cardies”) is well known – around New Zealand and internationally – as a respected, busy and much loved skifield operation. It is also now home base for some of the world’s most accomplished snow sports athletes, including many successful winter Olympians from the Upper Clutha…
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Early commerce in Cardrona Valley
John Cunnard was one of the first to operate a canvas constructed drinking establishment at Cardrona. He’d originally been at the Arrow diggings and in April 1863 had submitted the lowest price of £6 a cairn for the first trail markers to be erected in the district. He disposed of his share in his Arrow…
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The early Cardrona village
Like most mining camps the initial town was built of calico or canvas. A favoured method of construction, this allowed buildings to be both erected and dismantled quickly; the material also being comparatively light and cost effective. In most early mining settlements the initial inhabitants were young, single and high-spirited. A ‘work hard – play…
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The crippling flood of 1878
1878 – Jack McDougall senior told his grandson Jack, that before the flood the river was quite a defined, deep river within the valley with spacious river flats. After the floods the river levelled out, rumbled and rumbled over rocks and boulders particularly around Shot’s Creek. The Cardrona Valley had been reshaped by nature and…
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Hope, hardship and hotels
Cardrona cannot boast of a dastardly figure such as Bully Hayes in its past but, like all mining districts, attracted its share of vagabonds and “ne’er do wells”. Charles Colclough was the patron of the Royal Mail Hotel and Post Office Store. He was also a joint leaseholder with James Gibson and together they ran…
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The gold mining years: 1864 – 1910
When passing through the Valley to the West Coast for greenstone, the Maori referred to the Cardrona Valley, as the “Dry Valley”. They travelled along the ridgeline because matagouri and speargrass were so thick in the valley and then they descended where there was less matagouri and more manuka at the dryer Mt. Barker end.…
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Cardrona Families
A brief introduction to families who lived in the valley and influenced the history of Cardrona. Anderson Eric Anderson from the Mt Barker family of Daniel Thomas (Tom) and Jean Elizabeth Anderson, had a Cardrona connection back through to pioneers John and Rebecca Pearce. He reinstated this connection by marrying Cardrona girl Jean Waters, daughter…