Deep Creek (Strathtaieri, Otago) Traditional Cache
Hidden : 7/8/2017
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


Come caching to Dunedin’s 1936 Deep Creek water intake - a short but very spectacular walk in Te Papanui Conservation Park, in the Lammermoor Range. The walk is only 5 km return with no climbing involved, but allow at least 1.5 hours for scenery and photography stops. Be prepared for bad weather at any time of the year. If you visit in winter, expect snow and ice on the road and track. Midsummer would be the ideal time to go, with a picnic lunch.

WARNING: There are unprotected cliffs beside the track. The track is safe and well-maintained, with handrails in dangerous places, but it is not suitable for young children or people with vertigo.

Check the Dept of Conservation Te Papanui Conservation Park web page for an access map and any alerts before you visit: Te Papanui Conservation Park


GETTING TO DEEP CREEK

Take the Old Dunstan Road from Clark’s Junction. Cross Deep Stream at Rocklands crossing, where there used to be a little township. Note the 1881 footbridge on your left and the ruins of the Oasis hotel on your right – relics of past goldmining prosperity. About 5 km further on, turn into the Lammermoors access road through the gate on the left. This has a DoC sign: Access to Te Papanui Conservation Park. During summer a 4WD can follow this road over the Lammermoor tops, right through to Waipori Rd on the way to Lawrence.
This is access (1) shown on the Te Papanui brochure access map: Te Papanui Conservation Park brochure

NOTE: In winter this gate at the Dunstan Rd turnoff will have a “Road Closed” sign on it.
Don’t panic! The access road from this Dunstan turnoff to the Deep Creek walk remains open to vehicles all year round (although you would probably not want to take a 2WD car along here in winter).
The sign on this gate in winter is advisory, so 4WD drivers know they can't drive beyond the locked park gate 5 km further along this road.

Drive up the Te Papanui access road for 4 km to the Parking waypoint. There is no sign and no formed parking area, but from here your walk is in the Te Papanui Conservation Park.

Walk down the 4WD road to the water supply monitoring huts. You will see the pipeline a few steps down the hill from the huts. Admire the view! Then enjoy the glorious flat walk along the pipeline track.

This pipeline was laid in 1934 along an earlier goldmining water race, built by the Deep Stream Amalgamated Hydraulic Sluicing Company in 1897 – more history below, for those who are interested.

The cache is 70 m before the intake weir, in a hide that’s safe and easy to get to. It’s in the obvious place, so resist the temptation to look at the hint. Just up the bank is the weir caretaker’s hut – with a broken floor - not a place to stay!

WATER FOR DUNEDIN

By the 1930’s Dunedin was growing short of water, particularly in the higher suburbs. The City Engineer planned a new water supply scheme using the unpolluted waters of remote Deep Creek.

When DCC councillors visited the proposed water intake in January 1930 (then planned to be at the confluence of Deep Creek and Deep Stream) they passed “John Walsh’s old accommodation house at the Deep Stream, now a farmhouse”. The “splendid luncheon” having been concluded, on the way back they also visited the abandoned Lee Stream tunnel: CITY WATER SUPPLY. Otago Daily Times, 27 January 1930

The Deep Stream water scheme was approved by Council in February 1930: CITY WATER SUPPLY. Otago Daily Times, 13 February 1930

A bill was passed in Parliament authorising Deep Stream and Deep Creek to be used for the city water supply: CITY COUNCIL REPORTS. Otago Daily Times, 17 May 1930

Not everyone agreed - in 1933 the newly-elected Mayor Rev. E T Cox “viciously attacked” the Finance Committee for proposing a water loan of £180,000 but reporting against the Mayor's proposal to borrow £70,000 for unemployment relief: Evening Post, 10 July 1933

Nevertheless, the loan was raised on “very favourable terms” - 3.5% for 25 years: New Zealand Herald, 8 February 1936. By this time, the Deep Creek intake had been selected.

BUILDING THE PIPELINE

The DCC Deep Creek intake and pipeline route used the route of the Deep Creek water race built by the Deep Stream Amalgamated Hydraulic Sluicing Company (1897 -1906). That stonework is over a century old now – it was well built!

Tenders were advertised for 191,000 linear feet of Steel Pipes and Fittings: New Zealand Herald, 30 October 1933

And more tenders for benching and trench work: Press, 21 April 1934

So in 1934 work began to lay 55.5 km of the 300 – 450 mm diameter, bitumen-coated, hessian-wrapped steel pipe, from the 670 m altitude intake to Booth Road Treatment Station and Sullivans Dam. The Deep Creek pipeline crossed the Taieri River on a 1936 steel arch pipe bridge spanning 70m in a steep sided gorge.

A few hiccups of course - on 15 August 1934 Noble Callaghan was hospitalised with blasting injuries: Press, 16 August 1934

And you'll enjoy reading David Loughry's entertaining stories about the cheeky truck drivers and other tribulations: Dunedin’s pipe dream had its ups and downs

All went well and the Deep Creek pipeline opened in 1936. In 1937 the Chairman of the Water Committee observed that the Deep Creek scheme had increased water supplies to Dunedin by 24%, despite a dry year. However, “The fact that there is now a good water supply available led certain people to rush to extremes in watering their gardens and allowing their hoses to run all night. It is understood that the Council issued a sharp warning to a number of these people to discontinue their selfish practice.” Lake Wakatip Mail, 14 December 1937

The bitumen-lined steel pipeline was in a bad state of repair by the 80s; the leaks constantly needed stanching with tapered wooden plugs. In 1992 the 1.4 km gorge section was replaced with concrete pipes - this time the job was done by helicopter.

Today, the Deep Creek scheme still provides 7,700 m³ per day, about 7% of the city’s daily water. It now runs to the Mt Grand Treatment Plant. The high altitude of the 670 m Deep Creek intake (and the 1977 Deep Stream intake), with pipe pressures of about 350m of head at the Taieri crossing point, save on pumping costs because they give a gravity feed to the highest parts of Dunedin. Replacement of the Deep Creek pipeline would cost well over $15 million. Therefore, when in due course the Deep Stream pipeline is renewed, the Deep Creek pipeline will be decommissioned.

THE DUNSTAN ROAD and DEEP STREAM TOWNSHIP

On your way to Deep Creek you are driving on a Category One Historic Place; the Old Dunstan Road.

It’s a surprise to find out how busy Dunstan Road was from 1862 until about 1865. The "West Taieri Road" or "Mountain Track" was the shortest route from Dunedin to the August 1862 Dunstan goldrush. The first night’s camp for a digger walking from Dunedin might be at the Lee Stream Hotel. The second night would be at Campbell Thompson’s station (now Rocklands) at the Deep Stream crossing. Another 15 miles further was McPhee's Halfway House, at the McPhees Stream crossing at the high point of the Dunstan Road, and the fourth night would be at Valpy's Hotel at Styx Creek (Paerau).

Deep Stream got its name because it was the deepest crossing on the Dunstan Road; travellers needed a boat to cross it and wagon drivers couldn’t cross if the water was high. The Otago Provincial Council voted £2000 in September 1860 to form the stock route into a road. During the summer of 1862-63 the Council spent another £10,000 making the Dunstan track usable for wheeled vehicles, including improving the Deep Stream ford.

A weekly coach service began in November 1862: SUMMER ARRANGEMENTS. REDUCTION OF FARES. COBB AND CO. Otago Daily Times, 7 April 1864

John Kerr’s one room hotel here, the Oasis, was well-placed to take advantage of the gold rush trade. You can still see the ruins of this small stone hut beside the Dunstan Road. In December 1862 Mr Gibson wrote that Mr Kerr provided a "capital supper" but had no sleeping accommodation, so Gibson’s party had to sleep at the station’s woolshed for a shilling a head: ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. Otago Daily Times, 8 December 1862

When Mr Kerr applied for a bush licence in March 1863, the police opposed it because of the "very insufficient" accommodation, and also because the applicant "on the score of temper" was not a fit man to hold a licence: LICENSING MEETINGS. Otago Daily Times, 4 March 1863

Expecting Kerr to go out of business, Mr McBride built another hotel on the opposite side of the stream. But, despite Kerr permitting "some very irregular proceedings in his house", both Kerr and McBride got licences in April 1863: LICENSING MEETINGS. Otago Daily Times, 8 April 1863

At Deep Stream in June 1863 J H Watmuff found "a little township consisting of a couple of public houses, a butcher’s and a baker, a blacksmith’s shop and some dozen other places".

The two pub owners at Deep Stream, Kerr and McBride, didn’t get on: Wilful destruction of Property RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Otago Daily Times, 7 December 1863

John Kerr died 24 June 1864 aged 51: Otago Daily Times, 28 June 1864

The remaining Deep Stream hotel then passed through several hands. John Dods’s wife Jane died November 1864: DIED. Otago Daily Times, 24 November 1864. In October 1867 Jeremiah Ryan, a station cook, died from a heart attack while a guest of Charles Codling: TAIERI. Bruce Herald, 16 October 1867; Bruce Herald, 27 November 1867. A year later, November 1868, Charles Codling’s wife Sarah slipped and drowned in Deep Stream while driving hens towards the house: Dunstan Times, 13 November 1868; DEATHS. Otago Daily Times, 4 November 1868.

During the early 1870’s, as miners continued to have a devil of a time finding gold nearby, Mr Doyle was the Deep Stream publican: LAMMERLAW QUARTZ REEFS, Tuapeka Times, 8 February 1872. Doyle owned horses – and so during his tenure Deep Stream had annual horse races:
THE WORKING CLASSES. Otago Witness, 11 February 1871;
THE DEEP STREAM RACES. Otago Daily Times, 19 February 1872;
DEEP STREAM ANNUAL RACES. Tuapeka Times, 24 April 1873;
DEEP STREAM RACES. Tuapeka Times, 7 February 1874

In August 1875 a gold rush started at Deep Stream crossing, attracting a large number of Chinamen among others: Tuapeka Times, 28 August 1875; Tuapeka Times, 11 September 1875.

John and Elizabeth Walsh arrived at goldrush "canvas town" in 1875. Presumably they built their hotel, a substantial wooden building beside the poplars where a house is now sited. (The hotels built in the 1870s were required to provide accommodation as well as liquor, providing a minimum of fourteen beds.) This hotel was run by John Walsh from 1875 until his death in 1901. Walsh family history.

John Walsh was also the officer in charge of the Deep Stream Post Office, opened October 1876 POST OFFICE NOTICE. Evening Star, 7 October 1876; John Walsh officer in charge Evening Star, 8 February 1877

The hotel was flooded in February 1877; John Walsh's boat was used to rescue Chinamen who had spent the night on a heap of tailings: THE FLOOD. Otago Daily Times, 10 February 1877

Flooding prevented crossings at Deep Stream for three days in April 1881: UPPER TAIERI NOTES. Otago Witness, 16 April 1881
Foot-passengers had to retrace their steps to Clarks, a distance of six miles from Walsh's Deep Stream Hotel. Some strong language was indulged in... The Taieri County Council agreed to build a footbridge OW 9 July 1881, called for tenders ODT 29 July 1881, costed plans at £140 OW 13 August 1881, accepted the tender of Conyers & Davidson OW 24 Sept 1881, and the footbridge was completed in mid-October ODT 5 Oct 1881. But no track to it through the dangerous old gold gold claims...17 Dec 1881.

Sadly, John and Elizabeth Walsh’s 17 year old daughter Mary died in Sept 1884: DEATH. Otago Daily Times, 2 October 1884

On 12 December 1890 Walsh exchanged shots with two men who had just robbed nearby Rocklands Station and arrived demanding brandy. Luckily no-one was hurt! The two robbers fled but were later captured and received prison sentences. Dunstan Times,19 December 1890; Otago Witness,22 January 1891; Evening Star, 4 March 1891.

Mr Walsh was declared bankrupt in 1891: MEETING OF CREDITORS. Otago Daily Times, 1 May 1891

The creditors wanted the licence transferred to Middlemarch: LICENSING COMMITTEES. Evening Star, 15 June 1891

However, Mr Walsh succeeded in renewing his accommodation licence in 1894: LICENSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS. Otago Witness, 14 June 1894

Elizabeth Walsh died in May 1897 - just as a new goldmining venture began upstream… CLARK'S JUNCTION. Otago Witness, 20 May 1897

John Walsh’s licence fee was increased to £5 in June 1897, because of the increased population in the area: LICENSING COMMITTEES. Evening Star 8 June 1897

John Walsh died suddenly in 1901: CLARKS. Otago Witness, 27 March 1901. John, Elizabeth and daughter Mary are buried at the Southern Cemetery.

DEEP STREAM AMALGAMATED HYDRAULIC SLUICING COMPANY (LIMITED)

As well as owning the Deep Stream hotel, John Walsh did a bit of gold-mining on the side. Katie-w has kindly allowed me to attach a map of J Walsh’s claim, which was upstream from his hotel between the stream and Walshs Rd. Survey map of J Walsh's claim 1900

In 1897 Messrs Paterson and Co were impressed with the auriferous prospects at Walsh’s Crossing, and announced their intention to build a water race to mine their claim: MINING AT UPPER TAIERI. Otago Witness, 10 September 1896

The Deep Stream Amalgamated Hydraulic Sluicing Company formed in 1897: THE DEEP STREAM AMALGAMATED SLUICING CO.'S WATER RACE. Otago Witness, 16 September 1897

The completed water race and mining operations were described in 1898: THE DEEP STREAM WORKS COMPANY'S CLAIM. ,Otago Daily Times, 4 February 1898

In 1903 the company employed 11 men and had 2 hydraulic elevators operating under a pressure of 300 ft vertical: HYDRAULIC AND ALLUVIAL MINING 1903. AJHR1903-I.1.1378.pdf

The Deep Stream Amalgamated Hydraulic Sluicing Company was liquidated in 1906, after mining the entire claim. The rights were taken over by the Deep Stream Gold Mining Company: MINING NEWS. Evening Star, 5 December 1906.

That company must still have been finding gold in 1911, since they renewed the water race license for 15 years: Otago Witness, 26 April 1911.

And so, when the DCC councillors visited the proposed water intake at Deep Stream in 1930 they passed “John Walsh’s old accommodation house at the Deep Stream, now a farmhouse” CITY WATER SUPPLY. Otago Daily Times, 27 January 1930. The Deep Creek water pipeline route used that same goldmining water race… and then the geocachers arrived…

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lbh ernyyl qba'g arrq guvf uvag! Gryrtencu cbyr...

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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