At the census of 1901, Heddon Bush district had a population of 146.Invercargill is thirtyfour miles distant; Drummond, six miles; Otautau, ten; and Winton thirteen. Heddon Bush district consists of a strip of country, about ten miles long by four miles wide. It has a public school, and the post office is in charge of the headmaster. There has been a postal service in the district since the seventies, and telephone connection was established in 1899. There is no church in the locality, but fortnightly services in connection with the Presbyterian body are held in the local school house. The industries of the district, apart from pasturage and agriculture, include flaxmilling.
THE HEDDON BUSH FLAXMILL (James Thomson, proprietor), Heddon Bush. This mill was established in 1903.he machinery is driven by a twelve horse-power steam engine, and the output is about twenty tons of dressed flax per month. The raw material is drawn from the Drummond and Bayswater districts, and about thirty men are employed in connection with the mill.
How things have changed. no more flax mills, just farms and highpowered tractors and machinery! Industry is now powered by electricity.
This cachje is at a substation. no need to go near the fences at all. Cache is close by.