Fiordland Families History - Burnby family, Knobs Flat, Eglinton Valley
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Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive
Fiordland Families History - Burnby family, Knobs Flat, Eglinton Valley: Knobs Flat was a MOW or Ministry of Works Camp, where all the workers building the road to Milford Sound and Homer Tunnel lived, apparently into the 1980's. There was also a workshop to service MOW fleet vehicles. The Burnby's were the first family to live here. IMAGES: 1 - George Burnby's first home at Knobs Flat. Carley Burnby arrived 1952 after birth of baby Stewart, seen in pram at door, taken 1953. Photo CC BY 2 - The Burnby's home at Knobs Flat during summer of 1954, you can see the amount of work gone into making it more of a family home. Photo CC BY 3 - Knobs Flat, George Burnby & son Stew helping, taken 1954. The single men's huts can be seen in the background across the paddock. Photo CC BY 4 - Winter at Knobs Flat, Carley Burnby clears snow, taken 1954. This was the year that the Homer Tunnel finally opened to the public. Photo CC BY 5 - George Burnby & son Stew at Kiosk Creek Campsite in 1954. Look at the difference in weather from the winter to the summer! Photo CC BY 6 - Stew Burnby helps his dad George at Knobs Flat Workshop, 1954. Here he is seen trying to pump the gasoline! It is noted on this photo that, "you really did have to PUMP gas once upon a time". This fuel was MOW only, whereas Cascade Creek had public petrol pumps. Photo CC BY 7 - George & Carley Burnby's son Stew and daughter Rozanne with their new toys at Knobs Flat in 1956. At this time the family had got a neighbour, but the donor is too young to remember who, can you help? Photo CC BY 8 - Knobs Flat and the Burnby's house with various other buildings and the family's first ever motor car, a 1937 Chrysler with a 1948 Chrysler motor fitted. It was purchased with money from the selling of deer skins by George, according to son Stew. Most likely taken late 1956. Photo CC BY The donor of these photos from the Burnby family, says that their parents and grandparents have many memories of early times at Knobs Flat, then at Cascade Creek. They also wish to share these photos and stories with us all. His daughter remembers the story of when George Burnby decided to move to Knobs Flat for work with the MOW, the only quarters were for single men (in huts), so he left his wife Carley in Gore with her parents (Herbie & Violet Stewart) to give birth to Stewart (later known as Stew), in six weeks. He then went ahead to Knobs Flat organize a home for his new growing family. This house, shown above, George Burnby moved from the Marian Rd construction site in 1952, they lived in it until 1956 as they then moved to Cascade Creek. Their family was the first to settle at Knobs Flat in 1952 working for the Ministry of Works before moving to Cascade Creek in late 1956 when the donor was around 2 years old, to manage the AA Motor Camp. They then moved to Te Anau in time for them to start school there and they also built one of the first accommodation places at Te Anau. More photos of the family are shown in these online collections, and more are to come. If anyone else can help us with further information or photos, that would be really great. Please contact us or add a comment to this entry as below. SOME EARLY HISTORY: Mount Eglinton and the Eglinton River were named by the early explorer James McKerrow, on his trip to survey the area which started in 1862, under the direction of the Chief Surveyor of Otago, JT Thomson. It was not until 1863 that McKerrow reached the features he then named Eglinton, after his homeland in Ayrshire, where Eglinton Castle - the Earls residence, was situated. He named many of the surrounding peaks after places in his native Ayrshire. On this particular trip, after a poor start to the years surveying efforts as they became blanketed in fog and trapped by that districts torrential rain, finally they found their 'promised land'. After they had restocked their low provisions at the nearest Station (Hodges), they carried on up the now Eglinton Valley, where McKerrow writes that, "The Eglinton River takes its rise by two branches (the east and the west branches) from the mountains that bound the head of Milford Sound. They unite below the east side of Mt Eglinton and flow through a deep gorge to reach the open country owned by Mr Hodge." Archivists comment: At the CWA Community & Heritage Hub, operated by Central & Western Archive - Murihiku Southland, we have books, records and photos on the history of this area, bush, mountains, tracks and more. CURRENT DAY Today, Knobs Flat is the site of a large information centre with facilities that can accommodate tour buses, there is also an adjacent site offering accommodation. It is a great place to stop for a picnic and with the last flush toilets until you reach Milford, it is also a popular stopping place. Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information on the history comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of Knobs Flat, the Eglinton Valley or this wider area of Fiordland or Te Rua-o-Te-Moko, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page.
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Title
Fiordland Families History - Burnby family, Knobs Flat, Eglinton Valley
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Maker
Unknown
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Date made
1952-1956
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Subject
Fiordland, Te Rua-o-te-moko, Western Southland, Great outdoors, Fiordland National Park, Outdoor Adventure, Eglinton Valley, Early Exploration, Early Travel, Tourism, Milford Road, Ministry of Works, (MOW), Fiordland, Te Rua-o-Te-Moko, Knobs Flat, Homer Tunnel, Ministry of Works, MOW, Kiosk Creek, Campsite, Burnby Family
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Additional information
Digital only image in archive
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Location
Main Rd, Tūātapere, next to the old Railway Station. We also belong to the internationally recognised 'Safe Space Alliance'.
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Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive
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