For three weeks, WG and Von Tunzelmann probed the plains and peaks along the northern shores of the lake.

It was an eventful journey – by horse, driftwood raft, and finally on foot. Along the way, they encountered quicksand, fought off wild dogs and rats, narrowly escaped a bushfire, and endured the pangs of hunger.

Six weeks after their departure from Dunedin, they returned – ragged and gaunt – to file sketch maps of what they had seen and to lodge their claims to grazing rights.

Rees gained rights to graze more than 240,000 acres in the Wakatipu basin – provided he could stock the land quickly.

That meant driving 3,000 merino sheep across the rugged mountain ranges and fast-flowing rivers that stood between Coal Creek and the Arrow River basin.

It was a daunting task that WG had to accomplish before his grazing rights would be confirmed.

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