The riders headed northeast from Dunedin to the Waitaki river mouth, up the river to Omarama, to Ahuriri and through the Lindis to the upper reaches of the Clutha River.

Then, it was southwest to Wilkins Station near the junction of the rivers draining Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, before heading along the Cardrona range. They climbed to the top of a ridge to scout the view.

Mountains, mountains, and more mountains – a grand but dismal sight for hopeful farmers. It was enough to make four of the six pack it in – but not W.G.and Nicholas von Tunzelmann.

They pressed on further south along the Crown Range. On their next ride to a ridge top, they were rewarded with the first sight of what would become known as “The Promised Land of Rees”.

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