Category: Winter
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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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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 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 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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An interview with George Scurr
George Scurr shares his memories of life in the Cardrona Valley – from his school days working on the farm right through to working as an adult maintaining the Crown Range once he was no longer farming.
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A little history of “Waiorau” – one of Cardrona’s long standing farms
In the late 1800’s early settlers to New Zealand purchased large areas of land which were later divided into ‘stations’ – large farming properties. After the 1st World War a number of these large ‘stations’ were divided into ‘runs’ and offered by ballot to returned servicemen. In 1924 Robert (Bob) Joseph Lee purchased one of…
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Padlocks and bolt cutters: The heated story of the Crown Range Road
The Crown Range road – the highest public road in New Zealand – was the subject of quite some controversy in the early 1980’s. Just as Cardrona Ski Field was being launched, the local council decided that the road should be closed completely for part of winter. Then fireworks flew … The Crown Range Road…