A multi cache explores some of the history of Hunterville, using signs, sculptures and buildings around town.
This cache is a replacement for GC8ZXMX PWGT Rua tekau mā whitu Hunterville of the Tuia Matauranga Pokai Whenua GeoTour which has now finished as of 01/Feb/2023. Same cache, same place, same logbook. First To Find this cache can claim FTF.
The Final is at S 39° 56.ABC E 175° 34.XYZ where ...
Waypoint 1. A. Park at this spot adjacent to the Plunket Rooms and public toilets.
Mrs T. A. Duncan donated this building to the women of Hunterville and district: third digit of year
Mrs. Duncan's ancestor Andrew Duncan came to New Zealand from Scotland in 1870. Landing at Whanganui he went directly to the local Māori rangitira and offered to buy land from them, asking them to show him where the trees and berries were the biggest and the wood pigeons were the fattest. His theory was that these things were all indicators of the most fertile soil, ideal for farming.
So the tangata whenua took him 100 kilometres on horseback to the Turakina River telling him this was the place matching his request. Duncan purchased the land from them for an assortment of items, including money, blankets, muskets, food, whiskey & more.
Duncan's offspring developed the land from bush, establishing a 16,160 hectare station which was subdivided in 1909. One block became Otiwhiti Station and the other Otairi Station.
T. A. and his wife Jeannie Duncan were deeply connected to their local community, providing locals with much needed jobs breaking in the property in the Great Depression of the 30s. They were well known for their philanthropy, such as donating this building to Plunket
So affected were they by the plight of a neighbour’s young son, a victim of the 1948 polio epidemic, they established the Sir Thomas and Lady Duncan Hospital charitable Trust, with proceeds from Otiwhiti used to assist young people with polio. They established a hospital specialising in neuro muscular disorders in Wellington which subsequently contributed to the development of life-saving, leading edge treatments including the Sister Kenny method of intensive neuro muscular physiotherapy.
Waypoint 2. B. Station Hotel: Last digit year Established
Originally named The Hunterville Hotel, following the arrival of the railroad the name was changed to The Station Hotel. A collection of historic photographs grace the walls of the small dining room.
Waypoint 3. C. A Tribute to the NZ Huntaway Dog statue: Number of letters in 8th word minus letters in 5th word, on plaque
Hunterville is known as “the Huntaway Capital of the World” as it boasts "more Huntaway sheepdogs in the area than anywhere else".
The Huntaway - A dog that barks as it gathers and moves sheep.
The statue of a Huntaway dog recognises the immense contribution this dog has made to the farming district of Hunterville, and is a memorial to Sam, Rough, Luke... and all the other Huntaways who have worked so faithfully and tirelessly where ever and when ever required.
New Zealand can claim they bred the first Huntaways, but a type of forcing dog was being used in the British Isles in the 1700’s, and no doubt some of this blood must have come to NZ with the original sheep dogs.
Much of the pastoral farming is on the steep and broken hill country of the North Island and vast high country runs of the South Island. A dog had to be heard by the sheep or cattle to have any effect. Farmers bred from the dogs that were the most use to them, and in the early years other strains of dog were added, some by accident and some by design. Labrador, setter and hound blood are known to be infused into the Huntaway, and this added the barking ability to the natural herding instincts of the original sheep dogs.
This dog could chase or hunt sheep or cattle away – hence the name. Today Huntaways are a recognised type of dog and can be registered in the stud book of the N.Z. Sheep Dog Trial Association. Competitions are held in clubs throughout NZ where the Huntaway can demonstrate its ability and skill.
What a Huntaway looks like does not matter – they are bred on their ability as sheep dogs. They are usually big upstanding dogs, agile with a strong head that has a kind gentle expression. Most are black and tan but range from black through brindle or almost yellow. The coat is smooth but can be rough or long as in the beardy. Huntaways are the most common type of sheep dog in New Zealand. They muster the high country, they are on the flats, they get the cows for the dairy farmer, there are very few livestock farmers in the country that don’t have a Huntaway.
Hunterville people have recognised that the handling of sheep and cattle on the farms in the district would be more difficult and almost impossible in the early years without Huntaways. Picture high steep hills covered un burnt stumps and logs, paddocks a hundred acres and at times much larger, mobs of sheep numbered in hundreds and at times thousands, which had to be mustered. It was the shepherd on a good horse and his team of dogs, most of them Huntaways, that got the job done.
Success in droving the large mobs to the railhead or freezing works was dependant on the Huntaway. Most of todays Huntaways are an all purpose dog on which we depend. One man with a good team of dogs can do the work of several men without dogs. Indirectly they contribute to the wealth of the district.
Every year as part of the Hunterville Huntaway Festival farmers and their huntaway dogs compete in the gruelling Shepherd's Shemozzle race.
It is possible to walk this part without crossing the busy State Highway 1. (There's a path through the playground from Waypoint 1 to WP 3). I suggest moving your car to the other side of SH1, perhaps near the next Waypoint. The last three WPs and the Final can be walked without recrossing the Highway.
Waypoint 4. X. Hunterville sheep "Patrick": first digit of year
Commemorating Hunterville's Sheep Farming: The sculptures in this group have been designed to portray the Romney sheep. Since the late 1890's sheep farming, using mainly the Romney breed, has played a major role in the economy of the township of Hunterville.
The Romney sheep of New Zealand has a long history, originating from cold damp isolated marshes of Kent in the south of England. History records this sheep as a long wooled, strong and valuable animal. Romney's have been kept on Romney marsh since time immemorial.
It has been estimated that over the past century millions of Romney sheep have been driven down Bruce Street on their way to and from the sale yards in Main Street.
Waypoint 5. Y. Hunterville NZ 1890 town photo: The business premises of A. H. Ridd is in the centre of the photo.
Both Mr Bray and Mr Ridd had two occupations each. Take the number of letters of A. H. Ridd's second occupation from the number of letters in his first.
In 1901 a fire broke out in one of the shops which eventually destroyed most of the town depicted in this photo including the Argyle Hotel and 15 adjoining and adjacent shops and businesses.
Waypoint 6. Z. Court House top of building: third digit minus second digit of year
The Court House contains the Hunterville and District Settlers Museum as well as a small collection of local buildings including a barn, blacksmith room and the Roper Cottage.
Roper Cottage was the home of John Roper who lived on 77 acres and hand-milked 40 cows. The cottage was given to Hunterville Museum and was shifted to the museum site after funds were raised to cover the cost of the move. It was restored by museum volunteers.
Rail had a significant influence on development of the town and is a focus of the museum. Rail arrived early in Hunterville. Rangitikei was purchased by Donald McLean in 1849, and the town of Hunterville was surveyed in 1884. Rail arrived just three years later in 1887, and by 1902 reached Mangaweka. In 1988 the Hunterville railway station closed.
The museum includes displays of tools and farming equipment from days gone by, together with a collection reflecting on the past rural life, and is open on Fridays 2pm - 4pm or by appointment.