THOMAS BRUNNER

Thomas Brunner was born in April 1821. Thomas was from

a family of colonists so he had adventure in his blood. He

was an upper class English-man who worked for an Oxford

architect and surveyor. He was employed as an assistant

by the New Zealand Company.

When they arrived in Nelson there was a shortage of land

for grazing and growing crops. This made Thomas

undertake three intrepid journeys between 1846 and

1848.

 “We shall not cease from

exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started... and know the place for the first time.”

T. S. Eliot

1843 - In late winter Thomas explored the top of the Motueka

River. But he had to leave the testing of Maori stories (of the

grassy plains between Rotoiti and the West Coast) for a later

expedition. 1846 February – Charles Heaphy with Brunner and Fox with a

Maori guide Kehu, they resumed the search for an accessible

grazing ground in Nelson. The heavily laden party reached

Rototi and went on to Buller (Its southern course the Howard)

and over the ridge to Rotorua. They crossed to Tiraumea

(Mangles) and travelled down the Buller to below the

junction of the Matakitki and the Matiri.

1846 1st March – They returned.

TIMELINE OF THOMAS

BRUNNER’S FIRST JOURNEY

1846 22nd March – Heaphy and Brunner set out again, this

time by the coast to find the mouth of the Buller. With the

faithful Kehu they crossed the isthmus from Golden Bay to the

West Wanganui and, travelling steadily south.

1846 30st April – They camped by the Kawatiri and decided

that this was the Buller which sprang from the lakes.

1846 21st May - They continued on to reach the Mawhera

(Grey) 26th May – Then the Taramakau.

27th May – Arahura was their furthest point south. The local

Maoris gave them much important information including

details of the greenstone route over the Alps, but could not be

induced to accompany them. 1846 Late August - The heavy return journey past flooded

rivers bluffs and hampering tides brought the party back to

Nelson by the same route.

TIMELINE OF THOMAS

BRUNNER’S SECOND

JOURNEY

TIMELINE OF THOMAS BRUNNER’S THIRD JOURNEY

1846 11th December – Brunner set out on his third

expedition for the year with Kehu and his friend

Pikewate, both of whom were accompanied by their

wives. Dillon and Stafford’s run on the Motueka was

their last contact with civilisation, Fraser, the

manager, accompanying them to Rototi. Brunner

explored Rotoroa in more detail.

1847 February – in the Murchison-Matakitaki area.

Below here the Buller offered only weeks of hunger

and danger in its gorges, with the added risk of

crossing tributary streams between rain-sodden hills.

Progress was painfully slow through bad weather

difficult travelling, and halts to allow the Maoris to

snare birds. So desperate was their situation at one

stage that Brunner consented to kill his dog for food.

1847 4th June – They reached the deserted pa at the river mouth. Continuing south they were at Mawhera and nine days later arrived at the Taramakau. Here, to Brunner’s disappointment, the Maoris insisted on remaining for the winter as there were no supplies of food further south. 1847 12th October – Eventually in company with four local Maoris, he set out to explore the coastline.

1847 15th October – They crossed the mouth of the Hokitika.

1847 22nd October – and Okarito 1847 19th November – While passing Titihaia Head (Titiera), and encumbered as usual with a heavy pack, Brunner slipped on the rocks, crushing his foot and twisting his ankle. He managed to return to Paringa where he rested. Brunner managed to return to Paringa where he rested.

TIMELINE OF THOMAS

BRUNNER’S THIRD

JOURNEY

1847 11th December - He reluctantly decided to

return. The party reached the Mawhera on

Christmas Day, and until the end of January, the

time was passed in small journeys south to

Hokitika, Lake Kaniere and elsewhere.

1848 26th January - Thomas and his four Maoris

set off to the Mawhera as part of a small Nagai

Tahu journey of four canoes. Six miles upstream

he sighted a coal seam and kept going up the

tributary stream.

1848 7th March - Four days later Brunner was

certain he could see the plains of port cooper

from a hill. – Buller junction,

TIMELINE OF THOMAS BRUNNER’S THIRD

JOURNEY

1848 23rd of March – They were at the Inangahua – Buller junction, Thomas having linked by exploration the Buller and grey systems.

1848 15th April - Brunner found that he had lost the use of his leg and was horrified to hear pike water urging Kehu to leave him. Pikewate and his wife departed but the faithful Kehu remained to help Brunner during the week he lay cripple.

1848 26th March - He was still limping badly when they reached Maruia. 1848 15th June-They pushed on steadily to reach Fraser’s.

1874 April – Thomas Brunner died in Nelson.

TIMELINE OF THOMAS

BRUNNER’S THIRD

JOURNEY

Explorer of the Century

I think Thomas Brunner deserves this award as he travelled from Nelson to Grey mouth without giving up. That is Resilience. He achieved his goal in life because he never gave up.

Thomas Brunner’s Family

I could not find any information on Thomas Brunner’s relatives except a picture of his wife and his coat of arms.

Bibliography

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/we_shall_not_cease_from_exploration_and_the_end/144335.html

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/brunner-thomas/1

http://www.houseofnames.com/brunner-coat-of-arms

R. D. Lading

“Creative people who can't help but explore other mental

territories are at greater risk, just as someone who climbs a mountain is more at risk than

someone who just walks along a village lane.”

By Claire Hofman

By Claire Hofman