The Milford Road and Sound: History, Geology, Glaciation and Tourism (8 pages)

Looking south-west down the west branch of the Eglinton River near Cascade Creek on the Milford Road.
Looking south-west down the west branch of the Eglinton River near Cascade Creek on the Milford Road.

These seven pages document the road to Milford Sound and Milford Sound itself.

 

They have taken me an age to complete. As elsewhere I did not want to just present a load of old photos. And I had loads. I wanted to give some context, to try and find some narrative and to learn things about the places I'd seen.

 

Some of these pages are still a bit rough around the edges. The Geology and Glaciation page is bursting at the seams.

 

The pages go like this:

 

- First is the journey from  from Bluff to Lake Te Anau with some thoughts on the controversial Manapouri hydroelectric scheme that feeds the aluminium smelter at Bluff.

 

Then there are three pages on the Milford Road which is one of the most exciting stretches of road I've ever driven. 

A strangely English scene in the Waiau River valley with willows, poplars and pine belts creating a veritable symphony of greens, ochre-yellows and matt blue-greens with the mountains rising behind.
A strangely English scene in the Waiau River valley with willows, poplars and pine belts creating a veritable symphony of greens, ochre-yellows and matt blue-greens with the mountains rising behind.

These look at:

 

- the economics of tourism and the importance of Milford Sound as a major New Zealand tourist 'drawcard' and recent initiatiatives to 'reduce congestion' (and increase revenues);

 

- a brief note on the history of the Milford Road itself and its construction (I'm awaiting a book from NZ on this so it at the moment concentrates on the Homer Tunnel);

 

- a photographic journey down the 119km road with some notes on the Fiordland National Park's flora and fauna, prodigious rainfall and plagues of sandflies.


The Fiordland National Park is one of the biggest national parks in the world and almost totally uninhabited.

Down on the Hollyford valley floor looking north towards to Mt Christina (2,474m in clouds) and Mt Crosscut (2,263m).
Down on the Hollyford valley floor looking north towards to Mt Christina (2,474m in clouds) and Mt Crosscut (2,263m).

Then are three pages on Milford Sound.

 

- the Sound itself and its very different look and feel from the Southern Alps and other fiord regions of the world - geology, the glaciation of the Ice Ages and lots of photos and a short section on 'deep water emergence';

 

- some history of the Sound - Maori, greenstone/punamu. the Hermit of Milford (he was anything but) and early tourism;

 

- and a section on the hanging rain forests of the Sound and those of the road into Milford - tree avalanches, podocarps and beech.

 

As usual it has all taken much more time and effort than I thought. Feedback and help with identification of mountains, plants etc. is always appreciated.

 

All sources are referenced and gratefully acknowledged. Special thanks to Jesse Dykstra and his 2012 PhD thesis from which I have borrowed some graphics and from which I have learnt a great deal.

 

The pages links are here or in the drop-down menu above.

 

Bluff to Te Anau

The Milford Road: Economics

The Milford Road: History

The Milford Road: the Glory

Milford Sound: History

Milford Sound: Geology and Glaciation

Milford Rain Forest

The staggering view back to the boat terminus at Milford Sound and the peaks of the Darran Mountains with their immensely steep slopes carved out of hard Plutonic rocks. Bowen Falls to the left.
The staggering view back to the boat terminus at Milford Sound and the peaks of the Darran Mountains with their immensely steep slopes carved out of hard Plutonic rocks. Bowen Falls to the left.