Molesworth... Acheron Homestead And Doc Camp...

 

Well... Here I am... I've driven the Molesworth Road to the

southern boundary and the Acheron Campsite...

It's only a short distance further round the road to the

campsite access road...

I'm parked in the sun, settled in for however long

I decide to stay.

I walked back up the road to get an aerial overview, the DoC

rangers accommodation on the right. There is also a

water tap and hose there. both levels have toilets.

It wasn't far to walk through the long dry grass, avoiding 

the cows (photo taken looking back) to the 

Clarence River and bridge.

Another bridge with no sides!

The Clarence River looking east... I tried fishing up and

down both sides of the bridge... I lost some of my

Tasmanian Devils and no trout. Mostly the river is

very shallow after months of little rain...

To the confluence of the Acheron and Clarence Rivers. 

There is a shelter with information panels and a toilet there, 

camping allowed.

And looking west...

Toward the road to Hanmer... Looking at Mt Maukuratawhai 

(1610m) and Bush Gully

Acheron is a very historic place, like all of Molesworth.

I spent a day wandering around, just looking and feeling

and sitting in the sun and walked the short  Acheron

Loop Track which gives a view of the river

and surrounding valley.

Acheron Accommodation house as it looks today... In the early

1980's restoration work was carried out, largely through regional

historian Jim Gardner and cob expert David Studholme also

Lands and Survey, DoC,  Ministry of Works and a raft

of volunteers. The building today stands as a tribute to the

pioneers who built it, the stockmen and travellers who passed

through it and to the departmental staff and volunteers who

saved it from being just another plot of bare ground with a

poignant photo of what was once here.

 

 

Ned James...

The original cob Acheron Accommodation House with a tussock

thatched roof with beech rafters tied with flax. The cob mixture -

seven shovels of clay to one shovelful of manure, used as a

 binder, and three or four handfuls of tussock.

 It was an overnight stop for travellers and stockmen 

moving through the inland route between Nelson and 

Canterbury until 1932 when it closed.

Two shillings and sixpence (25cents) bought a bed, meal

and stabling for horses...

It had eight rooms and at an unknown date a privy

(long drop toilet) was added to the north end of the veranda.

Ned James was paid 100 pounds, it took him a year to build!

The old fireplace... These photos are taken from the

information panels inside the house today.

The old stables as they are today...

The rest of the photos are some of the history of Molesworth Station...

And the accommodation  houses in the area...