Hollyford Valley, Martins Bay and Big Bay, New Zealand - photography
Martins and Big Bay are among the most magnificent places in Fiordland to visit. Relative remoteness and in places rough terrain are sufficient deterrent to keep numbers of visiting people reasonably low.
The Maori people were the first to settle the area, an important settlement was located at Martin's Bay between A.D. 1650 and 1800 whose inhabitants specialised in canoe building. However, by the time of the arrival of Europeans in the mid-19th century, only a handful remained in the area. One of these was Tutoko, for whom Mount Tutoko, which rises 2723m above the Hollyford valley, was subsequently named.
Parts of the area were firstly explored by David McKellar, George Gunn and mainly by Patrick Caples. In 1863, a small schooner (cutter) named the " Aquila," captained by a Captain Daniel Alabaster crossed the sandbar at Martins Bay to reach Lake McKerrow. He met two Maori families, one of them old chief Tutoko and his two daughters. Daniel ‘christened’ these girls, Sara and May, and all three names are now immortalised in the surrounding Mount Tutoko, Sara Hills and May Hills by the Otago Provincial Government geologist Dr James Hector who met the chief's family as well.
A European settlement named Jamestown (to honour Superintendent of Otago, James Macandrew who came with this idea) was suggested as the closest commercial port for ships on the way to / from Australia. In 1870 the New Zealand government tried to establish the settlement in this remote, mountainous area. Jamestown was surveyed and several houses built in the rainforest on the shores of Lake McKerrow in Jamestown Bay. However the location was too remote - lack of road links to the rest of the province and the dangerous sandbar in Martins Bay preventing ships from safely entering, led to a steady exodus. By 1879 the settlement was deserted. Tilled fields went back to bush and scrub, the rough dwellings sank into decay. Most of the land titles were abandoned by the owners with the land reverting back to the crown (Government) and subsequently absorbed into the National Park, but a few titles for the land (Deeded land) remained and therefore you can nowadays find in the middle of nowhere private properties.
Only one family, the McKenzies, remained close to Martins Bay. They sold their property to David (Davey) Gunn in 1926. Gunn continued to farm the area, and also mapped the area and was a pioneer in the tramping tourism industry, taking parties of walkers along the valleys of the Hollyford, Pyke and Cascade Rivers. In 1936, Davey Gunn became famous and a nationwide hero. A Fox Moth cabin plane crashed into the sea at Big Bay and he ran through the bush along a gruelling route that would normally take four days to get help for injured crew. Davey did it in an astonishing 21 hours and it saved their lives for which Gunn was awarded King George VI's Coronation Medal in 1937. After his death in 1955, his equally legendary son Murray continued to guide trampers in the area and run Gunn’s Camp - using the huts that once had housed workers on the Homer Tunnel. Murray retired in 2005 and now the camp is managed by the Hollyford Museum Charitable Trust.
As you can see above human history is fascinating but the coast, mountains and rainforest with its fauna and flora are an enchanting blend and on its own worthwhile to experience. You can walk the Hollyford Track independently in 4-8 days, carrying your own supplies and staying at Department of Conservation huts. You can do a round trip via Pyke-Big Bay Route which would take about 10 days. Another option is to fly to Martins Bay or even better to Big Bay and walk back via Hollyford Track. In the summer season you can also shortcut your trip using jetboat of Hollyford Track company. This one runs a guided comfortable experience where you will enjoy not only walk (easy legs :-) but also jetboat, scenic flight, comfortable accommodation in private lodges, great meals and knowledgeble guides with many stories to tell. And don’t forget to spare a half a day and visit Long Reef. There is big seal colony, also you might be lucky to encounter Fiordland crested penguins. And sunset on the coast can be remarkable! Hard to believe but ideal time to visit this region is July. Due to south-easterly winds Martins Bay can get several lovely sunny days in row and no rain means (nearly) no mud. You can have morning frost but in the afternoon lovely temperatures over 10°C and in general far less sandflies than in the summer.
We have been to the area several times and can help you to plan your visit of Fiordland.
Gunns Camp: NO phone line & no cellphone coverage due to its remote location though they got satelite internet connection. E-mail: gunnscamp@ruralinzone.net
Photogallery
