The land between the Rakaia and the Rangitata rivers boasted bountiful mahinga kai (food gathering sites), sites for seasonal settlement and important waterways which tangata whenua used frequently for travelling inland and toward the West Coast.

Despite these boons, the land was originally dubbed the “Trans-Rakaia Desert” by European settlers.

Mid Canterbury, deemed an “isolated wasteland”, being almost totally unsuitable for European farming practices, was the last area in the province for Europeans to settle.

The solution was simple. In order to be productive, the district required more water.

It is therefore not surprising that when the Ashburton County Council was formed in 1876, water race planning was an immediate priority.

In order to provide the necessary sustenance for both households and livestock, a network of water races on the 40-mile stretch of country between the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers was envisaged.  

Quenching the thirst

Not unsurprisingly, the fulfilment of this lofty goal took time and resources.

The first ‘official’ water race construction work undertaken by the Ashburton County Council was the Pudding Hill dam, which was completed in November, 1889.

By 1905, the demand for irrigation via the existing water race network exceeded supply and had exhausted its quota of extensions.

The only viable alternative was to tap into the north bank of the Rangitata River at Cracroft, about 50 kilometres inland from Ashburton, which would be able to support an additional 320km of water races.

The intake was completed in 1915 at an estimated cost of £4982, approximately $931,800 in today’s money.

It was constructed at a point on the northern side of the river, where a large and never-failing flow of water ensured the main race could meander across a small stretch of flat land, and then along the steep sides of a high terrace for a total distance of about five-and-a-half kilometres.  

From there water flowed through various farms and away down to the plains.

Special guests impressed

The photograph of several dignitaries at the site, sipping tea and enjoying a casual smoke, was taken prior to April 14, 1915, when the official opening was held.  

The New Zealand Premier, Lord Liverpool and his wife made an effort to drop in and view the project, between pressing wartime engagements.

They were keenly interested in the enterprise and were most impressed to witness the novel phenomenon of water which was channelled to run uphill.  

Another member of the party, Charles Morrison, Ashburton County engineer and mastermind of the project, kept his lips sealed as to the engineering secret which enabled the water’s defiance of gravity.

Major John Studhome and his second wife, Katherine Georgiana (nee Bowen) owned the nearby Coldstream Estate, close to Hinds.

As a county vouncillor, the major had been instrumental in ensuring the project’s construction. However, he was unable to attend the official opening as he had recently accepted active military service and was in training at the time.

C. J. Harper, the county chairman, and councillor H. J. Harrison were also present to enjoy both the premier’s company and a preview of the new initiative.

The new construction was acknowledged as only being partially completed.

Three months later, another water race, placed between the Rakaia and Whakatere Ashburton rivers, was approved for development due to the lack of water available to a number of farms in that area of the district.

It wasn’t until 1935, with the introduction of the National Public Works Schemes, that the proposed Rangitata Diversion Race (“The Race”) was provided with sufficient government investment to be completed.