Walk 69, 31 July 2021
Dawson Falls sits at the top end of Manaia Road 14 km from Kaponga. The drive in is on a very scenic, narrow bush lined road. The best place to start is the Visitor Centre. Inside the Visitor Centre is the old Syme Hut, a reassembled mountain hut.
We did three walks, to Wilkies Pools, the historic Power Station, and the Dawson Falls.
The Dawson Falls Power Station is just down the road from the Visitor Centre.
The power station’s generator is the oldest in continuous operation in New Zealand and amongst the oldest in the world.
The generator was built by the General Electric Company of Schenectady, New York around 1899 -1901. While full details of its working life before coming to Dawson Falls in 1935 are not clear, it is thought that it may have been used in Tasmania, military camps in Wellington and to light the Wellington Cable Car system.
It provides light and heating to the Dawson Falls Lodge.
Dawson Falls
Walks
Walk: Taranaki 13
History: People of the Mountain, Te Kahui Maunga
The original pre-Polynesian inhabitants of Taranaki were known as the Kāhui people. Te Kahui Maunga were the people of the mountain.
Here’s a clipping about an ancient Maori oven found beneath volcanic ash near Stratford Mountain House, and a raincape artifact from Wanganui Museum.
Related walks
Links
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