Arthur's Pass, a
mountain pass ( above sea level) in the
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Souther ...
of the
South Island
The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasma ...
of New Zealand, marks part of the boundary between the
West Coast and
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
regions. Located 140 km from
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
and 95 km from
Greymouth
Greymouth () ( Māori: ''Māwhera'') is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coas ...
, the pass comprises part of a saddle between the valleys of the
Otira River (a tributary of the
Taramakau River
The Taramakau River is a river of the West Coast Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It rises in the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana near Harper Pass, due east of Hokitika, and runs westward for into the Tasman Sea south of Gr ...
in the west) and of the
Bealey River
The Bealey River is a small river located in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It is a tributary of the Waimakariri River. Its valley forms the eastern approach to Arthur's Pass. The river and the Bealey settlement are named for Samuel Bealey, a ...
(in the east). Arthur's Pass lies on the border of the
Selwyn and
Westland districts.
A
township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...
of the same name (
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass, previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats, and for some time officially Arthurs Pass, is a township in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Selwyn district. It is a popular base for explorin ...
) lies about 5 km south of the mountain pass. The pass is named after
Arthur Dudley Dobson and a
memorial at the pass commemorates him.
History
For hundreds of years
Māori had crossed the
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Souther ...
by every pass free of snow in the summer months. The reason for making this difficult journey was greenstone (''
pounamu
Pounamu is a term for several types of hard and durable stone found in southern New Zealand. They are highly valued in New Zealand, and carvings made from pounamu play an important role in Māori culture.
Name
The Māori word , also use ...
''), highly prized both for its hardness and beauty and found only on the
West Coast of the South Island. By the time Europeans arrived, the only pass in regular use was is now known as
Harper Pass
Harper Pass (elevation ), previously known as Hurunui Pass or sometimes Taramakau Pass, is an alpine pass between Canterbury and the West Coast in New Zealand. It was the most important crossing for Māori to obtain pounamu. The first Europea ...
, north of Arthur's Pass. When
Leonard Harper was led in 1857 by Māori guides across the pass which now bears his name, Tarapuhi, chief at the Māori settlement of Māwhera (now
Greymouth
Greymouth () ( Māori: ''Māwhera'') is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coas ...
), told him about a route across the mountains at the head of the
Otira River that had not been used in living memory. Bad weather prevented Harper from exploring it on his return journey.
In 1860 writer and explorer
Samuel Butler had seen a pass at the head of the Bealey Valley, but was travelling alone and did not want to leave his horse unattended so "shirked investigation".
In 1864
Arthur Dudley Dobson (1841–1934) along with his brother Edward were the first Europeans to cross the pass. In 1863 Dobson went to the mostly unexplored West Coast for seven months of survey work. His area of work extended from the
Grey River to
Abut Head
Abut Head is a forested headland on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located north of the village of Whataroa and west of Harihari, and is southwest of the Westland District's main centre, Hokitika. On the southern side of ...
, and inland up to the
Main Divide
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Southern ...
. His brother Edward, meanwhile, was clearing a rough track over Harper Pass. Arthur Dobson returned to Christchurch and reported his findings to the chief surveyor,
Thomas Cass.

Cass then commissioned Arthur Dobson in 1864 to find out whether there was a suitable pass from the
Waimakariri watershed to the West Coast. George and Arthur Dobson set out in March 1864, later to be joined by their brother Edward at
Craigieburn. While George surveyed road lines there, Edward and Arthur proceeded to explore the high country. On 13 March 1864 they found the pass mentioned by Tarapuhi to Harper, which steeply descended to what became known as
Otira. They explored the gorge as far as the junction of the
Rolleston River, but saw no good sheep country so retraced their steps. Arthur prepared a report, which included a sketch of the pass which he described as the "Arahura Saddle", thinking it led to the
Arahura River
The Arahura River, for a time called the Brunner River after the explorer Thomas Brunner, is a river located on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
It is approximately in length and flows into the Tasman Sea eight kilometres nor ...
, and presented it to Cass.
Soon after, the discovery of gold triggered the
West Coast Gold Rush
The West Coast Gold Rush, on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, lasted from 1864 to 1867.
Description
The gold rush populated the area, which up until then had been visited by few Europeans. Gold was found near the Taramakau River in ...
. The provincial engineer, their father
Edward Dobson
Edward Dobson (1816/17? – 19 September 1908) was Provincial Engineer for Canterbury Province, New Zealand from 1854 to 1868.
Early life
Edward Dobson was born in London, probably in 1816 or 1817. His parents were John Dobson, a merchant, and ...
, was commissioned to examine every possible pass to the West Coast from the watersheds of the Waimakariri,
Taramakau and
Hurunui River
The Hurunui River is the fourth largest of the four principal rivers in north Canterbury, New Zealand, with a catchment area of . The river flows from the eastern side of the Southern Alps, to the Pacific Ocean.
Geography
The head of the Hurunu ...
s. After finishing his examination, he declared that "Arthur's pass" was by far the most suitable to get to the gold fields.
The provincial government decided that a road was to be built between Christchurch and Hokitika, a distance of , and Edward Dobson was put in charge of the project.
The road was opened on 20 March 1866.
The alpine pass became known as Arthur's Pass, with a
nearby village and a later a
national park
A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...
also taking this name.
Arthur Dobson had a long and distinguished career, was knighted in 1931, and after his death in 1934, calls for a memorial came up. The
Arthur Dudley Dobson memorial, a stone column of in height, was unveiled in April 1937 at the alpine pass that bears his name.
Road link
State Highway 73 passes over Arthur's Pass and is the highest of only three roads crossing the Southern Alps, the other crossings being the
Haast Pass
Haast Pass / Tioripatea is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. Māori used the pass in pre-European times.
The pass takes its name from Julius von Haast, a 19th-century explorer who also served as provinci ...
and the
Lewis Pass
Lewis Pass (el. 907 m.) is a mountain pass in the South Island of New Zealand.
The northernmost of the three main passes across the Southern Alps, it is higher than the Haast Pass, and slightly lower than Arthur's Pass. State Highway 7 trav ...
. However,
Porters Pass, on the same road, is higher (at 939 m) than Arthur's Pass, but it is not considered one of the alpine passes, as it is located in the Canterbury foothills not far away from
Springfield.
Previously prone to be blocked by landslides or avalanches, the road on the western side of the pass has seen extensive
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...
work in the late 1990s. Most notably, the impressive
Otira Viaduct, near the settlement of
Otira and spanning 440 metres of unstable terrain, was completed in 1999.
Rail link
The
Midland Line, connecting Christchurch and the West Coast, crosses the Main Divide by means of the
Otira Tunnel, between Arthur's Pass township and
Otira. When opened in 1923, the tunnel was the longest in the British Empire.
Image:Arthur's Pass.jpg, Otira Viaduct
File:ArthurDudleyDobsonMemorial03 gobeirne.jpg, Memorial inscription
File:Arthur's Pass from Avalanche Peak track, Arthur's Pass National Park, New Zealand.jpg, Arthur's Pass
File:Arthur's Pass 915.JPG, Boundary marker
References
Bibliography
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External links
Arthur's Pass mountaineering conditions
{{Authority control
Selwyn District
Rail mountain passes of New Zealand
Mountain passes of the Southern Alps
Westland District
Transport in Canterbury, New Zealand
Arthur's Pass National Park
Landforms of Canterbury, New Zealand
West Coast Gold Rush