History of the Arrival of Early Hunter's to MURCHISON, NEW ZEALAND
On the 14th July 1842 the Barque New Zealand set sail from Cumray on the Clyde. The New Zealand was a 455 ton boat, capable of carrying up to 150 passengers and was captained by C.H.Worth.
One family who had their passage booked were Robert and Jean Hunter, both 33 years of age, together with their children, aiming to start a new life.
The boat arrived in Nelson on the 4th November 1842 after 113 days at sea. The manifest states Jean 33 sick, did not arrive. This could mean fell sick on the way or as the family lore tells, she had been hearing tales of the natives and was too frightened to go with. Either way the trip over wasn't exactly plain sailing ~ pardon the pun.
1842 was the year that Nelson became Nelson. Having been surveyed and found suitable for inhabiting the year before 1842 saw 3,000 settlers arriving to found the settlement.
William Hunter the youngest son of Robert was only 7 when he arrived, settling in and growing up. In 1861 Sir Julius Von Haast, a German geologist was hired to explore the inner regions and William joined his expedition.
Selecting a block of land in the Matakitaki Valley, Murchison for his new home. As soon as tracks were cut he invested his money in sheep and moved them in.
In 1861 a nearby track was cut, called the High road, to allow traffic to what would be known as the West Coast Gold Rush. William opened stores by the road selling produce to the prospectors.
In 1872 he married Magdalene Kerr. The first 4 children were born at the Matakitaki Station Farm. The wool was packed out by horses over a dirt track.
In 1875 the family moved further North to Fern flat beside the Buller River. There in 1878 he established the first sawmill powered by a huge water-wheel.
Close up photo of the 18ft waterwheel used to drive the mill. It delivered around 20hp which was an awesome amount of power in those days.
After sawing the timber and building a house the family again moved a few miles up-river to Toi Flat.
Mrs Hunter was known as a very hospitable person who never let a traveller pass her door without having a meal. This in addition to rearing her own brood of eleven children.
William was involved in community affairs being the 1st Chairman of the Fern Flat School Board. He was also a Justice of the Peace. He was badly injured in a mill accident and died in Nelson Hospital in 1899. The farm eventually went into dairying and four generations of Hunter's were reared there until it was sold in 1997.
If you would like to find out more or even hopefully add some more details, this is the family history of Jeff and Barbara Hunter, Area Rep. for Nelson.