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THE HISTORY OF
STEWARTS GULLY |
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The Old Waimak River.
This tracing from an 1880 map shows the tangled course of the lower
Waimakariri as it was then. Much earlier in the 1860s there was only two
branches, North and South, enclosing the large, unbroken Kaiapoi Island
and most of the water was going down the North Branch and through Kaiapoi. |
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Original Map from the
Kaiapoi Museum |
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Source: Waimakariri,
(the river of cold rushing water)
Robert Logan
(Kaiapoi Library 18516-993-82 1911 reprinted 1987) |
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Wrights Cut
In 1868 farmers seeking relief from
floods carved out the “new” channel and soon the North Branch of the
Waimak was choked
of by accumulating shingle.
Nearer the sea, floods cut a new course down Stewart’s Gully about 1880
and in 1930 the “New Cut” (later named Wrights Cut) completed the great
river straightening exercise. Since then cross banks have blocked flow in
the South Branch, confining the river to approximately the line of the
1868 cut, Wrights cut and Stewart’s Gully, and enabling most of the old
bed to be reclaimed for forestry and recreation.
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James Stewarts Farm
Meetings were held in 1879 and 1880 to form a North Bank Conservators
Board to counter the activities of the South Waimakariri River Board, and
one of their requests was that the Government dig out a channel through
Stewart’s farm to divert the Waimak's flow away from Kaiapoi.
Resident railway engineer Henry Lowe made the same suggestion in 1879,
saying this would help solve the railways problems because such a channel
would take flood overflows and reduce pressure on the railway bridge.
He thought another three spans tacked on to the southern end of the
railway bridge would handle the overflow in the gully. A glance at the map
reveals this to be a strange observation.
No one knows for certain.
There was always a Gully on Stewart’s Farm (Stewart’s Gully)
It was reported in mid April 1879 that “a good deal of water was going
down the gully”
Rumor has always associated Stewart’s Gully with dark deeds at the dead of
night. Did people from Kaiapoi carrying lanterns, buckets and shovels
sneak onto Stewart’s Land to start the river on its way, to save their
town from disaster? Or, as one version had it, was the ditch dug by
neighbors who hoped thereby to save their own farms? Nobody knew for
certain, but in 1931 James Stewart jun., then an old man, recalled that he
and other members of the family used to trudge to school over dry land:
then one day they found a ditch had formed which they had to jump over. It
widened until a plank bridge was needed: then a punt.
Each succeeding flood through 1879 to 1881 ate away the crumbling banks
until by 1882 the whole river was flowing through “Stewart’s Gully” and,
give or take a little, has done so ever since. |
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As the river shifted a
sandy beach developed this slowly attracted people and eventually a small
community developed. River floods continued periodically changing the
landscape. |
In the late 1800's the
area of Stewarts Gully grew to be a very popular picnic spot and
destination for weekend visits and holidays.
The old railway brought trainloads out for day excursions and the busses
and carloads came from Christchurch, this led to the building several
batches and facilities at Stewarts Gully.
Today as you drive into Stewarts Gully on the stock bank besides the
entrance. There is still evidence of the old Railway track base running
round the perimeter of Kainga Park.
There are also still some old piles from one of the original rail bridges
down by the river. |
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PLEASE HELP US IMPROVE THIS SITE |
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We
are always interested in talking to people about the history of Stewarts
Gully and are happy to swap free games of Mini Golf for the use of photos
and information. Please contact us if you would like to contribute. |
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