Storyboard Information
Tekapo Trails recognised a need for storyboards to tell some of the local stories and history. These stories depict what made the district unique. Early Māori came to hunt, fish and gather food, followed by early European settlers who came to try and carve a life by farming. This environment, sculpted by glaciers and braided rivers, of harsh climate and barren landscapes, of snow, ice and droughts meant settlers had to be tough and communities strong.
Alongside The Tekapo Trails Society, five other contributing organisations have been involved in this project: Takapō Regional Park, Tekapo Lions, Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, The Church of the Good Shepherd, and Genesis Energy. Each organisation worked with Tekapo Trails to adopt the same panel design. These panels depict some history, information on ecology, the Church of the Good Shepherd, the Hydro Power Scheme, and the Dark Sky Reserve.
The map indicates the location of the storyboards.
Note: Tekapo and Takapō are interchanged throughout depending on the context.
Below is a brief description of the storyboards at each location:
1. Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve: the origins of this organisation and the importance of the Tekapo Dark Sky Reserve.
2. Genesis Energy: the history of the Tekapo Power Scheme; the raising of the lake and the building of the canal system which transports water through eight hydro stations between Lake Tekapo and the ocean at Oamaru. The scheme generates a significant portion of New Zealand’s electricity. Additionally, find out why the lake is so blue.
3. The Church of the Good Shepherd: the history of the famous church built with local stone gathered by local people; rimu timber from the Coast and English oak furnishings. It stands as a sanctuary of faith, memory and belonging.
4 and 5. The Community and the Sale Yards: Tekapo was and still is, a great place to spend a childhood with a history of the Sale Yards which are used today. Discover how communities came together for fun activities and how the sheep sales were a social calendar highlight for locals.
6. Birds of the Mackenzie: identify some of the special and endangered birds you may see in the forests, lakes and braided rivers.
7. The Lupin Story: find out how the beautiful lupins came to be here, and how they are good for farming. On the contrary, lupins are regarded as a pest, especially in the waterways.
8 and 9. Weather, farming and isolation: discover how the land has been shaped by mountains, glaciers, ice and snow affecting farmers who are at the mercy of the weather and how they persevered to produce fine merino wool that is in demand world-wide today.
10 and 11. People and Places, and the Sky by Night: find out about some of the quirky legends of the people's past. Learn how invasions of pests have created ongoing problems to overcome. Learn about the work of the Tekapo Trails Society that strives to form a connected network of trails for all to enjoy. Discover how to interpret the Southern night sky, and the Milky Way.
12. The Story Of Quiet Men and Loyal Dogs: information on how Dog Kennel Corner got its name; the history of the Station boundaries, the boundary riders and their dogs.