Living on the Edge

In any pioneering influx, as happened in New Zealand early last century, each wave of migrants keep pushing on to find their own slice of opportunity. Eventually they begin testing the limits of viability as happened in and around Haast. This is just about the furthest point on the West coast that you can head south before the mountains and fiords bar your way. It's also the limit of agriculture where the weather, pests, poor soil and threatening sea are sending you a warning message. But pioneers are filled with optimism, and stubbornness. When you've come this far you are not minded to turn back and so they hung on to tried to make a go of it.

We stayed in a lovely spacious and welcoming B&B just outside Haast. Our hostess was fourth generation and had moved away for 12 years but something pulled her back. She had collected newspaper cuttings and other memorabilia to document the history of her family when they first came to the region in the early 1900's.

This community was living on the edge. As she said, back in those days you didn't get immune to the sandflies and mosquitoes you just learned to cover up. It was a 100 mile trek up the coast to access the pass over to Christchurch with countless rivers to cross. The local ferry was finally replaced by a bridge in 1965.

Later in our trip we recounted our conversations in Haast to someone living
200 miles away in Invercargill. "4th generation you say. Ah, that will be the Nolans". He was right.

"Seaview, comfortable accommodation, suit agricultural optimist"