OTAGO COAST STATE FOREST

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSPECTION

1983/84

Part One of Three:

The Allanton and Wilson Blocks

B.J. Allingham

2.

Part 1 of 3 - The Allanton and Wilson Blocks

Geology and Topography:

The northern part of the survey area is distinguished by three

parallel valleys with associated ridges (max. height 152 metres)

that run west-east through the Allanton Block; a fourth similar

valley to the south (Long Valley) contains Reid’s Stream. Further

south, the Wilson Block consists of mainly west facing slopes

dissected by steep gullies that run approximately west-east up to a

ridge linking Puke Kuri (196 m) with Jenkins Hill (Fig 1.1).

Topography ranges from rolling country to steep eroded valley

systems (Plate 1.1).

Flat to undulating land is rare - mainly on spur and ridge tops and

a few localities on both sides of Flax Stream.

Exposed geological strata include the Haast schist group (Chlorite

subzones 2 and 3) of Permian to Carboniferous age to the east, late

Cretaceous Henley Breccia to the west; with Taratu formation levels

of quartz pebble conglomerates and quartz sands interbedded with

greywacke conglomerates and coal seams in isolated areas (McKellar,

1966). The present landscape has resulted from erosion of a faulted

and tilted peneplain.

Natural Vegetation

Vestiges of native broadleaf - podocarp forest reported in the

locality by early European arrivals were more extensive before human

settlement (Molloy et al, 1963: 68-77), having diminished through

mainly natural and deliberately lit fires. Forest species remaining

at the time of European settlement were mainly rimu (Dacrydium

cupressinum), miro (Podocarpus ferrugineus), P. totora, matai (P.

spicatus), mountain cedar (Libocedrus bidwillii), and kamahi

(Weinmannia racemosa). Smaller species included broadleaf

(Griselinia littoralis), ngaio (Myoporum laetum), lemonwood

(Pittosporum eugenioides), mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus),

kotukutuku/konini (Fuchsia excorticata), tutu (Coriaria sarmentosa

and Nothopartax. Remnant forest occurred mainly around the Taieri

Gorge, especially on Puke Kuri) and in the hills adjacent to Kuri

Bush. Within Forest Service land, indigenous forest remained around

the tributaries and main course of Reid’s Stream, and in small

patches at the head of Open Stream.

3.

Former tracts of forest were replaced by mainly tussock (especially

Poa caespitosa), grass (mostly Agropyron scabrum), and annual herbs

on north and west faces open to the sun (Wright et al 1946) with

bracken fern (Pteridum esculentum), or flax (Phormium tenax) and

small shrubs and trees, especially manuka and kanuka dominating the

shadier south and east faces. Native scrub and bush presently

flourish on shady slopes and in gullies. Isolated stands of ti

(Cordyline australis) occurred amongst more open vegetation and

presently grow on the hill slopes (often with native shrubs) and

along stream banks. Rushes (Cladium and niggerhead), raupo (Typha

angustifolia), flax (Phormium tenax) and ti dominate swampy areas

along stream courses in the valley floors.

Polynesian Settlement - Prehistoric Sites

Based on the close proximity of prehistoric sites to the survey area

(some dating from an early period of Polynesian occupation), it is

obvious that the region was exploited for food. Moa once inhabited

the hills, although scarce remains either reflect poor bone

preservation or a low population density. Isolated naturally

deposited bones, (such as a tibiotarsus of a large moa species) are

known to occur in swampy ground near the head of a gully on Geeves'

farm east of the Wilson Block (Ivan Geeves, pers. comm). Natural

moa bone deposits almost certainly occur in the swampy beds of

streams running through the survey area, especially Open and Tutu

Streams in the Allanton Block and the Knee and Elbow Streams in the

Wilson Block, all of which have steep sided valleys. Finds on

Forest Service land are presently unknown, however.

Judging by reports, there are few moa bones on recorded prehistoric

sites in the region and moa could have been less common here than

elsewhere on the Otago Coast once the original natural population

was reduced. Moa bones have been recorded on sites at Kaikorai

Mouth (Von Haast, 1879:151) Otokia Mouth (Anderson, 1982:49), Taieri

Mouth (George McIntosh, pers. comm.), and Taieri Beach (Teviotdale,

1931:89). A low occurrence of moa bones in local sites obviously

dating from the moa hunter period could be attributed to the

geographical isolation of the survey area, which restricted the moa

likely to enter the area following depletion of existing numbers

through human predation. Bounded to the south and west by the

Taieri River and associated swamp lands, to the east and north by

4.

the sea and Kaikorai estuary the hills separating the north east end

of the Taieri plain from the upper Kaikorai estuary provided the

only suitable land bridge. This access to the coastal block was

within the catchment of the Kaikorai Mouth moa-hunter site, and moa

could have become extinct earlier here than elsewhere on the Otago

Coast.

After moa were locally extinct, a wide variety of food types was

still available around the survey area. On the coast, sea mammals,

fish and shell fish were obtained from the sea, rocky shore and

sandy beach environments. The wetlands of the Taieri River and

plains to the west provided an abundance of eels, waterfowl and

plant food. Separating these two important food resource zones, the

fairly open leading ridges and spurs of the survey area linked both

environments, providing foot access within a day.

Two previously unrecorded earth oven (umu) sites were located within

the State forest plantation (Allanton block), one site remaining

intact. Both sites were reported by George McLeod of "Graybrook"

(pers. comm.) and are typical of many in the area that were

destroyed by cultivation (Stuart, 1981: 55). The preserved site

consists of two Polynesian earth oven depressions (Plate 1.2) about

three metres apart and averaging two metres in diameter, located

approximately 35 metres from the summit of Cairnhill on the edge of

a spur running south west (NZMS 260 I45:954649). (This site was

later checked with George McLeod as being the one he reported).

Broken stones are discernible in the surface of the raised rim

lining the circumference of the deepest (at 30cm) and most obvious

depression. Pinus radiata planted in 1965 (Compartment 12) grow

from the raised rim.

Six metres to the east and on a slope below the oven depressions a

two-metre-wide terrace, presently in dried gorse, is worth an

archaeological sampling (see Plan 1.1). While of prehistoric age,

no estimation of occupation date for the site, or food types

prepared, can be offered from the surface evidence. The ovens are

small compared to those normally associated with the cooking of

Cordyline australis (umu ti), which required a fire sufficient to

retain heat in the stones to steam cook for one or two days.

Excavation is required to establish the nature of middens (if

present) and obtain a sample for C14 dating if possible. The ovens

and adjacent terrace were numbered S172/73 under the N.Z.A.A. site

Plate 1.1 Allanton Block; Flax Stream in the foreground, Reid's Stream to the right. The relic gun trees growing on the southern bank of Flax Stream mark the site of Welch's croft

Plate 1.2 S172/73 Maori ovens on Cairnhill. The raised rim of the background oven contained buried stones of local origin

0

..

s I I

metres

10 ,

�\111/- -

-

,....II\\""°

Plan 1.1 Sketch plan of Maori ovens on Cairn Hill.

5.

recording scheme.

The second reported oven site was visited, although the depressions

were destroyed before planting of Pinus radiata in 1974. Sited in

Forestry Compartment 6 on the northern summit of the hill comprising

trig station U, the three or four ovens once consisted of circular

depressions approximately two meres in diameter. One of these

contained red ashy soil, heat broken stones, mussel and pipi middens

(George McLeod, pers. comm.).

Although destroyed, the site was recorded as S172/74 under the

N.Z.A.A. site recording scheme. With open views of the Maungatuas

inland and the coast from Sandymount on Otago Peninsula to the hills

surrounding the Akatore Mouth, this site had a strategic location 1

km west of, but not necessarily associated with, a coastal midden

site - S172/9 (Teal, 19 77: 2). Another oven group reported by

George McLeod (Hamel, 1983: 2) was located 1 km inland along the

same ridge from the U trig ovens. Some of the ovens on State forest

land may have had a strategic orientation because of unsettled

social conditions in the area. Traditions relating to local social

unrest occur in Taylor (1950), Sutherland (1962), and Wilson (see

Appendix 1.1 this report). The ovens could be associated with camps

set up during exploitation of the area for food or other resources.

Given the fairly short distance between the Taieri wetlands and the

coast, it seems unlikely that they result from daily travel between

the two zones, when food for the journey was probably prepared

beforehand, or gathered along the way. Food cooked during short

stays was often prepared on open fires.

Typical prehistoric food resources available on present State Forest

land (following moa extinction) included birds (especially wekas and

native pigeons), rats (Rattus exulans) and edible berries where bush

or scrub occurred. Eels were available from the normally sluggish

valley streams. Ti, bracken fern and various herbs provided starchy

and green foods. With the rich protein and plant foods widely

available on either side of the survey area, it is unlikely that the

land now planted in exotic forest assumed great economic importance.

There were no obvious important stone resources located on State

Forest land although a greyish stone (possibly a greywacke or

argillite) occurring around the Taieri Gorge vicinity may have been

used locally in adze manufacture (Ivan Geeves, pers. comm).

Much of the travel across the survey area could have occurred out of

6.

necessity, as by far the easiest way between the Taieri wetlands and

the coast was by canoe or raft through the tidal Taieri River gorge.

Maori canoes of "dug out" type were quite common in the Taieri

plains area until fairly recent times (Stuart, 1981: 18, 62). The

ease of water travel as opposed to land was noted by Shortland in

1843 (Shortland, 1851: 170-173). In 1844 Tuckett, Munro and three

Maoris walked along the swampy ground constituting part of the east

side of the Taieri plain until they reached the seasonally deserted

kaik at Henley, where they were forced to travel over the hills to

the coast at Taieri Mouth (Hocken, 1898: 214-215, 245-247).

Separate accounts of the same journey confirm the difficulty of the

task.

European Settlement

When the Otago Block (Dunedin to Clutha Mouth) was purchased from

the Maoris in 1844, a strip of land along the north bank of the

Taieri River between Henley Kaik and Taieri Mouth was set aside as

Taieri Native Reserve, part of which is now planted in State forest.

Land within the Allanton and Wilson Blocks was,not purchased for

settlement until after the Otago gold rush of the early 1860s.

Prior to this the early European settlers had farmed the hill slopes

fringing the Taieri plain when most of it was still a swamp. Slow

settlement of the Otago Block saw the introduction of a cheap land

policy in 1854 based on the "Hundred" system, whereby grazing rights

were offered to settlers on unsold land within the hundred. The

Allanton and Wilson Blocks were originally included within the

“Dunedin" Hundred, which was altered to the "East Taieri Hundred"

when new Hundreds were proclaimed in 1856. Although immigration

increased, the rougher country (including that now in State forest)

remained unsettled until after the gold rush by which time land

prices had doubled from the mid-1850s price of ten shillings per

acre to one pound, as proclaimed under the Otago Waste Lands Acts

during the 1860s.

Few gold seeking immigrants were prepared to settle and farm the

land, despite improved communications and a good market for farm

produce. It was not until skilled farmers immigrated that

established settlement extended on to current State forest land.

The Crown Grant map (Fig. 1.2) shows Crown grants as recorded with

the Dunedin Land Registry office; it may not be an accurate

7.

reflection of land settlement patterns, as it only shows the

holdings within the survey area.

The earliest recorded Crown grant in the survey area was a 30-acre

block (section 55 Block 4 Otokia S.D.) taken up by Robert Dugald

Platt, (a Clutha district settler) in June 1865 under the 1863 Otago

Waste Lands Act (1 & 2). Conditions of this act required a minimum

holding of 10 acres at one pound per acre with improvement and tax

clauses. Platt's section extended immediately beyond the hill

slopes overlooking the Taieri (he later added sec. 1 of 11 block 5

Otokia S.D. within the survey area to his holdings in the district)

and remained the only recorded grantee in the Allanton and Wilson

Blocks until 1867 when a conveyance registered in June of that year

(Deeds Index J. 45) (Appendix 1.2) to George McLay involved another

fairly small section of 51 acres (I of 44 Blk 4 Otokia S.D.). The

earliest settlers were able to run a large holding with minimum

outlay by taking advantage of the grazing rights, until the grazed

land was purchased. Best suited land in terms of topography and

sunlight exposure was settled by the end of 1868. Crown grants

involving larger sections of good quality land to Peter Welch (105

acres) and Alexander Adam (114 acres), were both registered on the

15 July 1867), (see Fig. 1.2). Land now comprising part of the

Wilson Block (secs. 2 of 7, 8, 9, 10, and 3 of 11 Bk. 5 Otokia S.D.

totalling 593 acres) recorded as a mortgage from John Hyde Harris to

J. Cargill and John Jones (Matanaka) in May 1867 was not recorded as

a Crown grant until 1868.

Settlers who lived on their holdings erected homesteads - often of

mud-brick and daub as still evidenced on Peter Welch's 1867 property

(section 33 block 5 Otokia S.D.). Produce sold by the early farmers

included grain, chaff, poultry, dairy and fruit products. Most

important were oat crops supplying high demand fodder for horse

transport. Natural stands of flax were also harvested to provide

for local mills. A close pattern of settlement was maintained until

economic problems were caused by unreplenished soil - later

compounded by the invasion of aggressive noxious weeds and rabbits,

and pressure from the more economic holdings on the progressively

drained fertile Taieri plains. This forced the sale of uneconomic

holdings (especially the later settled blocks of more difficult

terrain) to adjacent more established farms as added pasture until

the late 1940s when blocks of land considered unsuited to

conventional farming were obtained and planted in State forest.

8.

Welch's Farm

Remains of Peter Welch's farm are evident off Daphne road on the

south side of Flax Stream, in section 33 block 5 Otokia S.D. The

site is locally known as "Welch's Trees" from the large Eucalypts

that stand there. All that remains of the mud brick and daub house

are a six-metre-long standing wall portion (Plates 1.3 to 1.5) with

attached raised wall traces outlining a structure with at least

three rooms (Plan 1.2). Close visual inspection tentatively

established a brick size averaging 20 cm square, though splitting of

the clay made the situation unclear. As the plates show, wineberry

(?) (Aristotelia serrata) uprights were set in the ground at

irregular intervals braced (in two places where exposed) by angled

branches, in one case secured to the upright by a wooden peg. The

framework was strengthened by a horizontal length of manuka (?)

rods, nailed to the uprights on both sides about one metre above the

present ground level (see Plate 1.3). Dried mud bricks of puddled

clay, grass, straw and twigs were placed between the uprights using

a mud mortar and a "daub" of the brick mixture enclosed the

remaining gaps around the frame work. "Rose headed" nails in the

sawn tops of the wineberry uprights once fastened roof supports

originally covered with wooden shingles (George McLeod pers. comm).

No trace was found of the access track that once ran off Daphne Road

down the slope to Welch's house (evident on aerial mosaic S172/2).

Spanning the bed of a creek that periodically drains the gully about

30 metres north of Welch's house are the remains of two earth dams

(one apparently a reserve) and associated ponds. One dam is lined

on the north and west sides with hawthorns. Hawthorn hedgerows

formed part of a fence system that combined with low gorse- topped

sod walls, and surrounded an enclosure dissected by a metre-wide

drain (Plan 1.2). The sod walls average 30 cm in height and dried

gorse still occurs in places along the top. There was a garden

within the fenced enclosure (George McLeod, pers. comm.) and a

manuka scrub farm shed with reed thatched roof stood where a raised

5 x 3.5 m rectangle is still evident. Eucalypt trees lining the

south-west boundary of the garden enclosure provided a windbreak.

The one metre wide drain dissecting the estimated quarter acre

enclosure has 20cm high sod wall remnants on both sides; these were

gorse topped. Sods used for the wall construction were taken from

Plate 1.5 S172/5 Cross-section of the east wall. The central framing post was supported by a forked prop held in place by a wooden peg. Gaps in the framing and brick work were plugged with daub.

Plate 1.3 S172/5 Welch's homestead. East wall interior mud brick and daub. Most of the mud plaster which smoothed the wall has eroded away. Roofing was of wood shingles.

Plate 1.4 S172/5 East wall exterior.

0 5 10 '2.c ' '

ApP"'o� sce1le in metres

Lo"" 50J wqll ...,.,;� �orse

l>ra,t'I

Tr-Qck

H""'tl-.or.-. hc�e <ldJlb

l htc(ll1r+ i -W,Uow Q

..,,,, -=-

Plan 1.2 Sketch plan of Welch's croft, S172/75

9.

the resultant channel. This drain branched off Daphne Road,

carrying water runoff from a saddle in the road down into Flax

Stream. Although presently obscured by fallen pine thinnings about

160 metres from Flax Stream, the drain evidently extended to Daphne

Road, judging by a corresponding fence line on the 1922

Topographical Map of Dunedin and Districts, (Fig. 1.3). Tracks

crossed the two earth dams north of Welch's house (Plan 1.2). One

led up the rise from the manuka brush shed to the mud brick house,

the other led west from below the house to open ground on the hill

slope above the garden area. A simply constructed bridge (probably

manuka and sod) crossed Flax Stream· for access to the north side of

the property. Peter Welch added the 61-acre section 2 of 34

immediately west of his original 105 acre holding from Hugh McFee,

in October 1885, before selling his combined property to William.

Henry Hutcheson in January 1896; the property joined Blair's

Cairnhill farm in 1909.

Cannings' House

Another mud brick constructed homestead in the Allanton Block stood

towards the head of Flax Stream, on the east bank (see Fig 1.4) in

section 1 of 43, Block 4 Otokia S.D. The Crown grant for this

section was taken up by Frank Stephen Canning (Otokia settler) in

December 1867 (C.T. 1/185), adding the adjoining section 2 of 43 in

1869. The three roomed homestead with corrugated iron roof and red

fired brick chimney. (George McLeod pers. comm.) was surrounded by

Eucalypt trees which remain as dead relics. The 1922 Topographical

Map of Dunedin and Districts, (Fig.1.3) indicates the presence of

three structures in the one group; Ongly (1939: sheet 1) shows a

"mine" on the west bank of Flax Stream opposite the location of the

homestead site, but does not indicate any structures on the east

bank, possibly because of demolition or shrub cover by the time his

survey occurred in the late 1920s. No trace of any mining was found

here by this survey (1984) though slumping of the steep west bank

where workings are indicated on Ongly's map could have obscured the

evidence. Coal prospecting has occurred in the near vicinity (see

Coal Prospects below). According to George McLeod the mud brick

homestead was periodically used by the Braid brothers, who were

local rabbiters working the district around 1919-1920. All that

remains now are a few unbranded red bricks scattered around a

slightly raised flat beside Flax Stream; the dead Eucalypt trees

mark the locality.

10.

Cairnhill

When smaller holdings became uneconomic in the late 1800s, they were

absorbed by the more successful local farmers and a trend towards

larger farms occurred. One such farm was "Cairnhill", the homestead

of which stood in section 38 Block 4 Otokia S.D. (Plate 1.6).

Thomas Kennedy Blair bought the 114-acre section in 1873 after

arriving in New Zealand from Ayshire, Scotland, in 1869 and settling

for a while at Brighton where he worked with his uncle, James Blair.

The adjoining section 55 Block 4 Otokia S.D. was purchased by

T.K.Blair from the original grantee, R.D.Platt, in 1879; he leased

section 37 Block 4 Otokia S.D. from Henry Brown in 1882 and finally

purchased it in 1892. Adjoining blocks of land were added to the

expanding farm in 1900 and 1902. In 1905 Cairnhill consisted of

1500 acres carrying about 400 Border Leicester crossbred sheep and

about 20 dairy cows; 40 acres were cropped (Cyclopedia of N.Z. 1905:

655). On the death of T.K.Blair in 1906 the farm was continued by

his family, adding further land before selling to the Baxters in

1921. The farm was purchased by H.Branthwaite in 1926 and by the

Cramptons in 1929. Cramptons farmed the property until sale to the

Crown in 1945 for State forest purposes. Layout of the farm is

indicated on the enclosed 1:25,000 map (Fig.l.4).

Cairnhill homestead was reached by a still discernable access track

which branched off the Otokia-Kuri Bush Road (at the top of School

Gully Road), and ran down the side of a gully on to a flat area

between two small tributaries, at the head of Reid’s Stream (Plate

1.7). When the old homestead was inspected by a Public Works Dept.

building foreman in 1946, it was noted that the floor was originally

piled with broadleaf posts. The plates were of totora and heart of

rimu was used for joists (Forest Service Monthly Report for period

ending 23.6.1946). As illustrated in Plate 1.7, an earth dam

bridged a tributary creek between the stable and the dairy shed.

Plate 1.7 was probably taken about 1915, before the invasion of

gorse (G.McLeod, pers. comm.). An orchard of apple, plum and walnut

trees was located west of the dairy, where the walnut trees still

flourish. The woolshed (Plate 1.8) was located on a rise near a

Pinus radiata shelterbelt along part of the west border of Section

38 Block 4 Otokia S.D. After the farm had been obtained by

F.G.Crampton, his sons Keith and Clarry constructed a Pinus radiata

weather board house (Plate 1.9) about 15 metres north of the

l

Plate 1.7 "Cairnhill". Note modifications to the homestead. (Photo: Mrs Bathgate)

Plate 1.6 Blair's "Cairnhill" homestead.

Plate 1.8 Pinus radiata house built by Keith and Crowdy Crampton after "Cairnhill" homestead was demolished. (Photo Mr. and Mrs. G McLeod)

11.

woolshed. They occupied this house while working the farm for their

father, (G.McLeod pers. comm.). Flooring portions of Crampton's

house and the old wooolshed remain. A holly tree and portions of

roof spouting mark the site of the old Cairnhill homestead, which

was demolished in 1947.

The Cairnhill sheep dip and associated yards were located on a flat

on the north side of Daphne Road, near the point where the south

boundary of Forestry Comparment 20 meets the road. George McLeod

worked at this site often and provided the following description.

It was an approximately 25 by 3-foot swim dip surrounded by fenced

yards. Sheep were pushed through a sacking camouflage into the 6 ft

deep concrete dip pen which could hold about eight sheep lined up at

a time; they swam to the end where three or four wide concrete steps

led out of the dip to a swinging gate which controlled access to one

of two dripping pens. These were capable of holding 70 sheep each -

part of one remains on the site as a concrete slab with raised

outline 4.5 metres wide and partially bulldozed away. Sheep spent

from 10 to 15 minutes in the dripping pen before passing into the

yards; excess dip fluid drained back into the swim dip. The

Cairnhill sheep dip was the best in the district and used by most

local farmers.

A stack of volcanic rocks several feet high stood on the same spur

as the Maori ovens on Cairn Hill, slightly above where the spur

becomes steeper towards the south west (George McLeod, pers. comm.).

No trace could be found, and the reason for its presence is lost.

The hill was named Cairn Hill after the stack near the summit; the

land was not part of Cairnhill farm until 1909, by which time that

name had been given. As the cairn was located mid-way along the

boundary line of section 33 and 2 of 34, Block 5 Otokia

it was possibly a cadastral marker, although the spur on which it is

sited is topographically defined in itself.

The Wilson Block

In 1962 part of another large farm was obtained for State forest.

The Wilson Block was originally part of the Takitau farm which was

developed from the extensive holdings of John Hyde Harris, the Otago

Provincial Secretary from 1863 to 1865 and the second mayor of

Dunedin from 1867-68. By 1880, smaller sections added to this

appeared under the one title of 2 542 acres belonging to Edward

12.

Bowes Cargill, son of Captain Cargill (found'er of the New Edinburgh

(Dunedin} settlement) and mayor of Dunedin from 1897 to 1898. The

complex land tenure of Takitau Farm is contained within Appendix 1.2

of this report; the forestry block takes its name from the Wilson

family who sold the southern portion of Takitau farm to the Crown.

Fencing

The earliest fences were natural boundaries such as streams, steep

bluffs or gullies. Development of the earliest farm properties was

based to a large extent on availability of raw materials. Mud brick

huts and sod walls were labour intensive, with the building

materials freely available in an area mostly lacking suitable

building timber or stone. Sod walls complemented road and drainage

systems and provided effective shelter for stock in the open

environment. Most of the walls in the survey area are over 100

years old. Where suitable wood was available, post and rail was

used. Natural materials prevailed until the 1870s when imported ½

inch thick black iron wire (Waite, 1948:53) combined with drilled

broadleaf and hardwood posts became the popular mode of fencing,

often combined with gorse. Gorse was used from an early period

although seed was initially expensive - a gorse nursery may have

existed beside the Otokia-Kuri Bush road near the north west corner

of the Allanton block (Hamel 1983 Fig. 1). While it might be

difficult to imagine these days, it has been said that gorse was

difficult to grow when first introduced and was established on a

raised bank of earth to prevent water logging in the roots (Milford

Wilson, pers. comm.).

A sod wall south of the homestead site in sec. 1 of 43 Block 4

Otokia S.D. was formed along the side of a gully running east

towards Margaret Road and shows clearly on aerial photographs held

at N.Z. Forest Service headquarters (Allanton block series 3237,

1970). Parts of this wall were not located under dense scrub and

gorse. Where visible it runs slightly below the crest of the spur

and parallel with the gully - in places more a bank than a wall (see

Fig.·1.4). Eastwards at the head of the gully it joins another

well-preserved sod wall complex partially bordering section 1 of 44

Block 4 Otokia S.D. (taken up initially by George McLay - Deeds

index J.45), most of which is fairly well preserved; standing in

places over a metre high and showing in part the nature of

construction (Plate 1.10).

Plate 1.10 Low sod wall topped with gorse cuttings part of sec1 of 44 Block 4 Otokia S.D. on the west bank of Flax stream.

Plate 1.9 S172/76 Sod wall on the east bank of Flax Stream in section 1 of 44 Block 4 Otokia S.D. The herringbone pattern of sod placement is evident in the upper two layers.

13.

The wall structure has been slightly altered by erosion (mainly rain

water). Sods were 20 cm in height by 25 cm width as indicated by

intact examples. These were angle cut at each end (60o-70o from the

horizontal with both upper and lower surfaces averaging 25 cm in

length, and placed grassed surface up end to end along the wall.

Grass contained by the sods soon spread over the wall to give

natural protective cover. Where a cross section of the wall is

exposed by damage, it appears as if a row of sods dug from both

sides of the wall was laid three wide to establish the foundation.

On top of this were placed three layers of sods, each layer

comprising two rows of sods placed side by side, with the angled

ends of sods on the northern side of the wall laying the same way -

upper edge leading eastwards. Sods on the reverse

(southern) side of the wall were set in "herringbone" fashion where

joins are still evident. The uppermost (fifth) layer of sods was

placed as a single central row with the upper edge of the sods

leading west creating the "herringbone" pattern in the two upper

layers on the northern side of the wall (plate 1.10).

In some places along the wall it is not so obvious where the sods

were taken for construction. Normally the sods were dug from one or

both sides of the wall to simultaneously create a drainage system or

roadway by taking the cost-free building material from as near as

possible to the construction site - with a minimum of handling. The

wall described above is located along the floor of a shallow gully

and associated drains have been mostly filled. Depths of the Warepa

and Kaitangata topsoils of the area are indicated in Wright et al,

(1946: 16, 21). Soil Types 9 and 18 respectively average about 8"-

10" (20-25 cm) which corresponds with the sod thickness evident on

the described wall portion. Where drains are still evident lining

the sod walls containing part of section 1 of 44 Bk. 4 Otokia S.D.,

they are more obvious on the outer side, following the walls to the

edge of Flax Stream on the downhill lengths. Drains along the

outside of the wall traversing the hillside S.W. to N.E. (which

fenced an estimated 6½ acre (2.5 ha) hillside paddock on the north

bank of Flax Stream) diverted runoff into gullies naturally draining

the slope.

The approximately 6½ acre hillside paddock within section 1 of 44,

Block 4 Otokia S.D., features along the south to east boundary wall.

On a rise about 20 metres north of a gully dissecting the paddock

about half way along, a 5 x 2.5 metre enclosed rectangle is

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incorporated into the wall structure - the fully enclosing wall

averages 30 to 40 cm in height. This may have been a stock dip and

could be confirmed (or ruled out) by a chemical analysis of the soil

floor. It seems unlikely that this was a water trough considering

the distance from Flax Stream - the only immediate water source at

the time of survey. Before exotic afforestation the now dry gullies

would have provided a natural water source except during times of

drought. The purpose of the enclosure is best described as unknown

at present. The other feature of note occurs on a fairly steep

slope in the east corner of the paddock where the south to east

boundary wall divides into near parallel raised outlines, possibly

the remains of a stock yard. A hawthorn hedge formed part of the

S.W. boundary of the paddock. Eastwards along the same fence line

and beyond the 6½ acre paddock, a row of blue gums substituted for

sod wall. Elderberries in this vicinity may indicate an old house

site although the more likely house site is about 100 m to the

north, in a dry flat area surrounded by relic gums (see Fig. 1.4).

Comprising part of the same wall complex on the opposite (west) side

of Flax Stream, a steep slope rising to Daphne Road has two

remaining sod wall lengths marking the north corner of section 1 of

44 Block 4 Otokia S.D. The wall length nearest Daphne Road is well

defined - 50 cm high in places; this wall traverses the slope and is

higher on the downhill side where the gradient is steeper. Remnants

of hardwood posts stand at about l.5 metre intervals and once

supported at least four strands of wire; gorse remnants occur along

the wall in places. An associated 30 - 400 cm high sod wall (Plate

1.11) runs at right angles off Daphne Road down the steep slope and

corresponds with the sod wall on the east side of Flax Stream

forming part of the north east side of sec.1 of 44, block 4 Otokia

S.D. To the east of Margaret Road an isolated length of low sod

wall lining part of the same boundary length runs in a direction

from near a creek bed up a fairly steep rise on to the flat top of a

spur beside a steep gully, where it stops. This wall with a ditch

on both sides averages 50 cm in height and was gorse topped.

Low sod walls outline the sides of section 1 of 34 Block 5 Otokia

S.D. on the south side of Flax Stream. Both wall lengths range from

30 - 50 cm in height with drains on both sides. The eastern length

has drilled hardwood fence posts which supported at least four

strands of wire. Hardwood posts on the western length appear more

recent. Section 1 of 34 block 5 was recorded as a Crown grant to

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Samuel O'Kane in 1873. At this time he had sections 1 and 2 of 48

Block 4 and added sec. 12 Block 3 and Secs. 31, 32 Block 5 Otokia

S.D. to his holdings in 1875. If O'Kane lived on this property

there are no remains of a dwelling, as evidenced on other early

holdings now in State forest.

Sod walls once bordering Daphne Road and marked on N.Z.M.S.1 and 260

map series (Fig. 1.1) are now levelled; these stood about 3 feet

high (George McLeod, pers. comm.). Remnants bordering forestry

Compartments 12 and 13 are in poor condition. Dicksons Road once

had sod walls up to four feet high in places on both sides running

from the beach up to the junction with Otokia-Kuri Bush road (Ivan

Geeves, pers. comm.). These walls were built with sods taken from

construction of the one chain Otokia-Kuri Bush road (Ivan Geeves,

pers.comm.). These walls were built with sods taken from

construction of the one chain wide roadway. In later years flat

iron standards were driven into the top of the wall and barbed wire

added; all remains have now been levelled and the boundaries

refenced.

Where the Otokia-Kuri Bush Road lines the Wilson block (formerly

part of Takitau Farm) fencing was by low sod wall and gorse hedge

(Milford Wilson, pers.comm.); traces are still evident along the

east boundary of Takitau farm where it meets the Otokia Kuri Bush

road. On the western boundary of the Wilson Block (Forestry

Compartment 18) fencing was post and wire. Discarded hardwood posts

indicate the fence was 1.25 metres high with from five to ten holes

2cm in diameter drilled through at irregular intervals, capable of

holding the early heavy gauge 5 or 6 iron wire.

Industry

After coastal sealing and whaling had declined, early European

industry in the area included timber and flax milling. No mills

were recorded in the Allanton or Wilson blocks although examples of

each worked nearby. Several flaxmills once operated around the

survey area to the north (Hamel, 1983: 5) and another site is

recorded west of the Allanton Block (Stuart 1981: 55). J.B.Reid

operated the flax mill on his "Garden Vale" farm in Reids Creek

(Fig.1.1) below the "Takitau" turnoff. Produce was carted to Otokia

for transportation to Dunedin. The old dam (still evident) was used

by Forest Service planters to cross Reid’s Stream on the way to the

16.

Allanton Block before roads around the State forest were upgraded or

fully developed (Allan Green, pers. comm.).

A sawmill once worked beside the Taieri River at the foot of Puke

Kuri (Milford Wilson, pers. comm.). The old steam boiler can still

be seen beside sheds on "Takitau" farm, to where it was transported

from the original site for the internal piping. Logs cut from the

hill tops were taken down the spur leading from Puke Kuri to the

mill site below. Milled timber was probably floated along the

Taieri River for distribution to markets.

Coal Prospects

As geological structures in parts of the Allanton and Wilson Blocks

include Taratu Formation deposits which often contain coal seams,

prospecting has occurred in several locations - without apparent

commercial success. According to a report by Alexander McKay

(N.Z.G.S., 1892; pp 43-45) three shafts were sunk on "Blair's Farm",

the deepest to 60 feet. (In 1892 T.K.Blair's farm was 210 acres in

extent and comprised/sections 37, 38 and 55 Block 4 Otokai S.D.).

On visiting the prospects, McKay reported no coal and suggested

future work should be continued in the western slope of a deep gully

(Flax Stream) along the eastern boundary of Blair's Farm. Ongly

(1939: Sheet 1) gives two locations showing a "mine" and "shaft".

The "mine" site (see Fig 1.4) on the west bank of Flax Stream

apparently following McKay's advice, although no remains of workings

were found during this survey. This site was located across Flax

Stream from the homestead site in section 1 of 43, Block 4 Otokia

S.D., but there are no records of coal production from the area.

Workings may have been prospects now obscured by erosion of the

steep slope; a similar situation may apply to the shaft reported by

Ongly (ibid) at the head of Open Stream, (see Fig 1.4).

Grid references for known coal prospects within the State forest are

recorded (see list of sites in the Allanton and Wilson Blocks -

Appendix 1.3). While this survey failed

to locate any sign of workings, care should be taken in these

localities. In some Otago areas contractors were employed to fill

dangerous shafts on farms where mining or prospecting occurred. A

prospecting shaft in the side of a gully in section 38 Block 4

Otokia S.D. (probably one of the three 1892 workings reported by

McKay on Blair's farm) was filled by George McLeod after losing

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sheep down it.

Coal is reported to occur on Takitau farm as a 3-4 foot seam in a

gully about 100 metres west of the Wilson State Forest Block

(Milford Wilson, pers. comm.). Prospect drilling has occurred on

the farm but known coal is too uneconomic to extract.

Tracks, Roads

Roads passing through the area containing the Allanton and Wilson

Blocks link the Taieri plains with the coast, some probably along

similar courses as foot traffic during the pre-historic period -

following the leading ridges. The two reported Maori oven clusters

alongside Kathleen Road support this notion. Bridle paths and stock

tracks are now metalled roads with few alterations to the original

course. Tanith Road along the south boundary of the Wilson Block

follows part of the original bridle track course according to the

1922 Lands and Survey Dept. map (Fig 1.3). Produce from farms above

Kuri Bush was sledged down the spur westward from Pukekuri to the

Taieri River for transportation to markets (Stuart, 1981:61). The

same route was used to transport logs to the sawmill beside the

Taieri River from indigenous forest around the Taieri Maori Reserve

(Milford Wilson, pers. comm.).

Kathleen and Dicksons Roads are depicted as stock tracks on the 1922

Lands and Survey map (Fig 1.3). These linked up with School Gully

Road and the Otokia Kuri Bush Road which were dry- weather tracks

until the development of State forest in the area. Daphne Road

provided access to the small holdings along Flax Stream from the

Otokia side and was extended to the coast in later years by the N.Z.

Forest Service. Margaret and Isobel Roads in the Allanton Block

(Fig 1.5) are new access roads constructed by the Forest Service.

Existing dry weather roads were upgraded to carry the anticipated

heavy traffic associated with forestry - prior to this the Otokia-

Kuri Bush Road was metalled to as far as the Takitau turnoff above

Reid's old flaxmill site (Fig.1.4), the remainder was a dry weather

track. Roads 9, 10 and 11 in the Wilson Block were named after the

wives of the Allan family (Akatore Forest Journal, 1946-1970: 54).

Jane was wife of James Allan of "Hopehill", Henrietta was wife of

Joseph Allen of "Holmes", and Agnes, wife of John Allan of "Bell

Field."

Recent Sites

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A corrugated iron dwelling, locally known as the "stone hut", and an

associated outhouse stood on the north side of Dicksons Road in

section 35 Block 5 Otokia S.D. (see Fig.1.4). From 1933 to 1945 the

property belonged to Ernie Ellis, an electrician who commuted daily

to Dunedin. Ellis probably built the dwelling as it does not appear

on the 1922 Lands and Survey Dept. map (Fig 1.3). Remains on the

site include a flattened 100-gallon water tank, crumpled galvanised

iron and parts of barbed wire fencing with flat iron standards.

During the 1950s the property was worked by commercial firewood

operators clearing predominantly manuka scrub.

Isolation of the survey area provided a favourable environment for

the production of illicit intoxicants. A successful police raid

occurred at a whisky still in the vicinity of Flax Stream, off

Daphne Road (Stuart 1981: 37), and distilling equipment (cooling

worms) was reputedly evident in the district around the 1920s. As

many of the early settlers were Scots, the tradition

of whisky manufacture and consumption was continued in Otago.

Stills in the Allanton Block probably catered for a sound local

market and may have propped low farm returns in some cases. These

days whisky is readily available in legal outlets and "moonlighting"

in the survey area now involves small marijuana plots which have

been reported by Forest Service personnel and noted during the field

work - beside Flax Stream, on Cairnhill and beside Reid's Stream.

The "hut" marked on N.Z.M.S.1: S.172 (3rd edition 1970) at the

junction of Isobel and the road with no exit (see Fig 1.5) is now

demolished; hardboard and portions of wood framing are still evident

on the verge near the top of Isobel Road. It provided shelter for

State forest planters when establishing the Allanton Block during

the 1960s.

Recommendations (See also Appendix 1.3)

Several important sites over 100 years old occur within Forest

Service land and are protected by the Historic Places Act 1980; it

should be possible to preserve some of them without too much

expense. Most sites are of a perishable nature and under threat of

natural destruction unless efforts are made to prevent it. The

prehistoric earth ovens on Cairnhill are well-preserved examples of

a once fairly common cultural landmark in the area, of which few

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remain intact. An opportunity exists for these to be preserved by

the State. Exotics growing on the site can be felled - the stumps

will rot away without further damage. Fencing of the site would

ensure recognition and allow the passage of locally harvested logs

from lower down the spur. Public access is not recommended.

The best-preserved sod walls have been sheltered by surrounding

trees or shrubs which have killed off the undergrowth (grass

especially) that originally protected the sods from erosion; these

will require natural protection when they are exposed to the

elements on harvesting the exotic forest - at least until new forest

is established. Seeds from relic gorse covering sod walls will

germinate when the surrounding forest cover is removed and will have

to be sprayed with "Tordon" to control. A suitable grass variety

can be established on the sod walls using a sticking agent such as

"Sprayfix". The best grass to use would be a naturally short

variety. Future growths of gorse amongst the grass on the walls

should be controlled with the selective "Tordon" spray. New gorse

growth can be expected after about three months of the first spray

and it will probably require several sprays to eventually kill.

There are no reasons why exotic planting should not occur adjacent

to the walls (about 5 to 10 metres safety margin) judging by present

evidence. Firebreaks could combine with sod walls in places. Walls

have been damaged where pines have been planted on or right beside

the structure itself these can be felled away from the wall and the

stumps will rot away without any further damage. Along most wall

lengths there are portions in very poor states of preservation which

can serve as access ways where necessary to remove harvested logs.

Of most expense to forestry in terms of time and cost is the lifting

or dragging of logs away from a site structure, such as Welch's

house and the Cairn Hill ovens, to avoid the possibility of damage.

While there are still good examples of sod walls standing elsewhere

in the district on private property, many of these are under threat

of destruction from unavoidable of these are under threat of

destruction from unavoidable re-fencing programmes. Sod walls

within the State forest could be preserved and the best specimens

(especially those in Section 1 of 44 Blk 4 Otokia S.D.) set aside

for preservation, and opened to public access as an educational and

tourist asset. Peter Welch's croft in Section 33 Block 5 Otokia

S.D. is a uniquely preserved example of a small early European farm

and the remains are worth protecting - possibly in association with

20.

exotic afforestation.

The Cairnhill sheep dip site is of interest and could be signposted

with a brief history of Cairnhill farm and an explanation of the dip

operation.

Foot tracks similar to those off Ridley Road in the Akatore Forest

could be established into sites of public interest at the discretion

of the Forest Service. Widening of short lengths of adjacent

forestry roads to allow the safe passage of at least one- way

traffic would enable parking within 10 to 15 minutes easy walk of

the sites - possibly along log bordered planting lines.