Category: Families
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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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Gallery: farming in the Cardrona Valley
After the early gold rush years, farming was the key economic activity in the valley, and there are still many high country farms in the Cardrona Valley today. Below is a selection of photos depicting life on the farm for Cardrona people.
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Jack Scurr’s warning to farmers: we could be defeated by rabbits
Cardrona farmer J.R. (“Jack”) Scurr (1300ha Spotts Creek Station) had a lifetime’s experience of rabbits. He had to spend two years clearing his farm of them when he bought it – as it had been decimated by the thriving rabbit population. Jack was asked to present a paper about rabbits to an audience of farmers…
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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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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 early farming years, and rabbits: 1911 – 1949
The second economic stage was a mixture of small, uneconomic farms with farmers supplementing their farm income with a mixture of gold mining and the sale of rabbit skins. Twenty-eight men joined the army during the First World War, having a big impact on the valley’s economy. The effect of the Great War on Cardrona…
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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…