Travelling by coach over Arthur's Pass
A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa
Olden days of journeying by coach over Arthur's Pass before trains travelled through the Otira Tunnel from 1923
Arthur's Pass, Southern Alps, Transport, Roads, Coaches, Stagecoaches, Horses, Otira, Bealey, Christchurch, Greymouth, Hokitika, Trains
After the road over Arthur's Pass in the Southern Alps opened in March 1866, stagecoaches began transporting goldminers between Christchurch and the West Coast goldfields. A stopping off place en route was the Ōtira township which lies about 80 kms from Greymouth. When the Midland rail line reached Ōtira from Greymouth in 1900, coaches would drop off passengers from Christchurch and carry passengers from the Ōtira Station to Christchurch (c.165 kilometres). Similarly, when Broken River became the temporary terminus of the Midland rail line on the Canterbury side of the Alps in 1906, the coaches would meet that train and transfer passengers to and from the Ōtira Station. The need for coach transport dwindled following the opening of the Ōtira Tunnel from the Ōtira Station to the Arthur's Pass Station in August 1923. The old coach road is now State Highway 73.
1904: Coach with passengers at top of Arthur's Pass. White stone marks division between Canterbury & Westland provinces.
On the dividing line between Canterbury and Westland
Christchurch City Libraries
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In 1864, Arthur Dudley Dobson discovered an opening between Southern Alps, now known as Arthur's Pass (Image: c.1880)
The summit of Arthur's Pass, discovered by Arthur Dudley Dobson (1841-1934) in 1864
Christchurch City Libraries
In March 1866, a coach road opened from Christchurch through Otira Gorge & over Arthur’s Pass to West Coast goldfields
The Bealey, Hokitika Coach Road. From the album: Scenes of New Zealand
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
From 1866, stagecoaches ran a regular service across the Southern Alps until the Ōtira Tunnel opened for trains in 1923
Old Coaching days: Otira Valley in the Eighties
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
1860s: L. G. Cole’s Cobb & Co office (opened 1863) & Page's Livery and Commission Stables (opened 1862) in Christchurch
Coach outside a Cobb & Co office
Alexander Turnbull Library
1860s: Cobb & Co. throughbrace coach with leather strap suspension used between Springfield in Canterbury & Hokitika
Stagecoach; Cobb and Co.
Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
1865: A seventeen passenger Concord coach used on the Christchurch-Hokitika run from the 1860s to the early 1920s
Coach: Concord
Canterbury Museum
In 1874, Hugh Cassidy's coaches began contract for Cobb & Co's Royal Mail service from Hokitika to Christchurch
Cassidy's coach, West Coast Road near Otira Gorge, New Zealand, 1895
Trove
1875: Cobb & Co's coach crossing the Waimakariri River in flood
Cobb and Co's coach crossing the Waimakariri River during a flood
Alexander Turnbull Library
c.1880s: Mail coaches crossing the Bealey River, Canterbury
Mail coaches crossing the Bealey River, Canterbury
Alexander Turnbull Library
1880s: On the Bealey, West Coast Road
On the Bealey, West Coast Road
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
c.1882: Coaches outside the Bealey Hotel which was a changing place for horses
The old Bealey Hotel, photographed about 1882
Christchurch City Libraries
1880s: A mail coach crosses the swollen Ōtira River
The mail must get through
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
c.1890s: A section of Arthur's Pass road over the Southern Alps with a signpost that reads: `To Hokitika 53 Miles'
Creator unknown :Photograph of Arthur's Pass, Canterbury
Alexander Turnbull Library
1890s: Coach and passengers, alongside the Glacier Hotel in Bealey
Coach and passengers, alongside the Glacier Hotel, Bealey
Alexander Turnbull Library
1890: Horses being changed at the Bealey Hotel in Canterbury
The Bealey, West Coast Road, Canterbury
Auckland Libraries
c.1890: The Ōtira coach driven by Donald Cameron outside Jackson's Coaching Inn on the road between Otira & Hokitika
Donald Cameron's coach outside Jackson's Coaching Inn
Alexander Turnbull Library
1892: Six coaches, including Cobb & Co. at the Glacier Hotel at Bealey, Canterbury
Glacier Hotel and mail coaches at Bealey, Canterbury
Alexander Turnbull Library
c.1894/95: A stagecoach crossing the Ōtira River
A stagecoach crossing the Otira River in New Zealand, February 9th / Ring Photo
Trove
1895: Midland Coach travelling through the Ōtira Gorge
Midland Coach Otira Gorge, 1895
Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
From 1900, when the Midland Rail reached Ōtira from Greymouth, passengers would transfer from train to coach
Ready For The Trip Through The Great Otira Gorge, South Island
Auckland Libraries
1903: Two coaches with passengers in Springfield Hotel, Malven, Canterbury
View of Springfield Hotel, Malven, Canterbury
Alexander Turnbull Library
1906: Commencing the ascent of the Ōtira
Commencing the ascent of the Otira
Christchurch City Libraries
Two horse-drawn coaches travelling through the Ōtira Gorge
Two horse drawn coaches travelling through the Otira Gorge
Alexander Turnbull Library
In 1906, Midland Rail reached Broken River from Christchurch & passengers transferred by coach to/from Ōtira Station
A view of Broken River, showing the railway station
Christchurch City Libraries
1906: Coach leaving the bridge across the Ōtira River heads to Christchurch
Bridge across the across the Otira River
Auckland Libraries
1906: Coach after crossing the Ōtira River bridge heads to Hokitika
Scenes in Westland, where the political battle is now being waged. Just crossing the Otira River bridge at gorge to West Coast
Auckland Libraries
1907: A group of people and a stagecoach outside the Springfield Hotel, Canterbury
Coach leaving Springfield Hotel, Canterbury
Auckland Libraries
1908: Coach travelling from Ōtira to Broken River
The Otira-Broken River second coach
Christchurch City Libraries
1908: Ōtira-Broken River mail coach in Arthur's Pass
The Otira-Broken River mail coach in Arthur's Pass
Christchurch City Libraries
1908: A coach from Broken Hill crossing a roadside torrent near Ōtira
ON THE ROAD TO THE GREAT OTIRA TUNNEL: A COACH FROM BROKEN RIVER CROSSING A ROADSIDE TORRENT NEAR OTIRA, ON THE MIDLAND RAILWAY ROUTE, SOUTH ISLAND...
Auckland Libraries
1908: Two men with a bicycle on top of the carriage crossing the plain in the Ōtira Gorge, Arthur's Pass
Crossing the plain in the Otira Gorge coaching trip
Auckland Libraries
1908: Hugh Cassidy, coach proprietor & contractor for West Coast Mail, with 3 of his drivers
Mr Cassidy and three of his coach drivers
Christchurch City Libraries
c.1910: Carriage & passengers alongside Cobb & Co office
Carriage and passengers alongside Cobb & Co
Alexander Turnbull Library
c.1910: Coaches & passengers alongside the Glacier Hotel at Bealey
Coaches alongside the Glacier Hotel at Bealey
Alexander Turnbull Library
1911: Coaches loading for the journey from Ōtira Rail Station to the Cass Station in Canterbury, which opened in 1910
Preparing For The Journey From Rail-Head To Rail-Head
Auckland Libraries
1911: View of the Bealey showing the old coach road & the Waimakariri River in the foreground
On The Route Of The Midland Railway, Canterbury, New Zealand
Auckland Libraries
1911: Coaches crossing the Waimakariri River, en route from Ōtira to Cass
On The Route Of The South Island Midland Railway
Auckland Libraries
1911: A coach fording the Waimakariri River near Bealey Flat, on the road to the West Coast
One of the risks of New Zealand backblocks travelling
Auckland Libraries
1912: View of the Ōtira valley showing the coach road & Mt Rolleston in distance
In the Otira valley showing the coach road, and Mt Rolleston in distance.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
1918: Mail coach passing through Ōtira in winter
Otira in winter : striking view of the mail coach in Arthur's Pass, the connecting road between Canterbury and Westland, over the southern alps, in...
Auckland Libraries
1918: Arrival of coaches to celebrate the piercing of the hole between the two ends of the Ōtira Tunnel
Arrival of the coaches with the West Coast party
Christchurch City Libraries
1919: A winter scene showing a mail coach following a wagon across a river in Ōtira Gorge
The frozen way : a winter scene showing the mail coaches passing through Otira Gorge, the overland route between Canterbury and Westland, South Isl...
Auckland Libraries
1919: A horse-drawn coach on a snow covered road in Arthurs Pass
A cold journey: coaching in Arthur's Pass, the overland route over the Southern Alps between Canterbury and Westland
Auckland Libraries
1919: Mail coach rounding a sharp bend in the road through the Ōtira Gorge
A sharp corner in the Otira Gorge, Canterbury, South Island of New Zealand: the mail coach in sight
Auckland Libraries
1919: A loaded horse-drawn coach leaving the station at Arthur's Pass to cross the Southern Alps
A cold journey: the coach leaving Arthur's Pass railway station, Canterbury, for the Southern Alps to Otira, Westland
Auckland Libraries
c.1919: Three stagecoaches on road through Arthur's Pass
Three stagecoaches on road through Arthur's Pass.
Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum
1920: Coach arriving at Bealey Flat on the Canterbury side of Arthur's Pass
The coach arriving at Bealey Flat on the Canterbury side of Arthur's Pass
Auckland Libraries
1921: Horse-drawn coach and party ready to embark on journey through the Ōtira Gorge
Coaching in the South Island of New Zealand: a party about to start for the trip through the Otira Gorge
Auckland Libraries
1921: A horse-drawn coach crossing the railway line at Arthur's Pass, with a steam train at the station in background
The coach at Arthur's Pass, the overland route between Canterbury and Westland
Auckland Libraries
1922: Coach passengers walking up a steep part of the Ōtira Gorge
Giving the horses a spell: passengers walking up a steep part of the Otira Gorge, between Canterbury and Westland
Auckland Libraries
1923: A passenger coach leaving Arthur's Pass for Ōtira
A passenger coach leaving Arthur's Pass for Otira
Christchurch City Libraries
1923: Porters Pass between Springfield & Arthur's Pass. (Cars now mainly railed to avoid fording Waimakariri River)
Porters Pass, between Springfield and Arthur's Pass
Christchurch City Libraries
On 4 August 1923, Ōtira Tunnel opened for trains to travel through Arthur's Pass between Greymouth & Christchurch
The Otira railway tunnel
Auckland Libraries
See DigitalNZ story about the building of the Otira Tunnel & its official opening
Otira railway tunnel "breakthrough" celebration and official opening
DigitalNZ
Plan showing position of Arthur's Pass Tunnel
Christchurch City Libraries
Alpine passes
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Tourists began taking their cars aboard the train through Ōtira Tunnel rather than over Arthur's Pass road (Image: 1933)
When the motor-car ceases to be a competitor with the railway services
Auckland Libraries
The old coach road over Arthur's Pass is now State Highway 73 (Image: 2008)
Highway 73
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
You may get to meet kea on the Arthur's Pass road! (See DigitalNZ story: Inquisitive kea meets tourist in Arthur's Pass)
Inquisitive kea meets tourist in Arthur's Pass
DigitalNZ
Find out more:
- Department of Conservation: Historic Arthur's Pass
- Jane Tolerton, 'Coaches and long-distance buses - History of coaches', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/coaches-and-long-distance-buses/page-1
- Francis Minehan. 'Cassidy, Hugh', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c12/cassidy-hugh
- Wikipedia: Otira, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otira
- Wikipedia: Otira Tunnel, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otira_Tunnel
This DigitalNZ story was compiled in August 2023