Packed full of photographs and maps, historian, teacher, ornithologist, tour guide and naturalist Lloyd Esler, of Invercargill, has produced a fact-filled 266-page history of the Waiau Valley, which focuses mainly below Lake Manapouri, including Lake Hauroko and the full width of Te Waewae Bay, west of Orepuki towards Puysegur Point.
Book number 12, or possibly number 13, for Esler, he hoped West to the Waiau would fill the "big gap" in the previous lack of published history of the area.
"People had been asking me about a good book on the Waiau basin for a long time. Other authors had written a few small ones, but there was a ‘big gap for a more comprehensive edition.
"As well as the story of human settlement and the many changes that have taken place over the years, it covers more than the Waiau catchment area, and includes the power projects, including West Arm/Manapouri and Monowai; and Southern Fiordland," he said.
Chapters include its people, its various terrain, lakes and waterways, various towns, the railway, schools, churches, Fiordland National Park, industries including flaxmills and sawmills, such as Port Craig, minerals including gold and platinum, chemicals and walking tracks.
Indulging his life-long interest in nature, Esler has also included some natural history including some photographs of fungi, which show the diversity of some of the colours, including the beautiful blue fungi which features on the New Zealand $10 note.
Birds, fishing, whitebaiting and toheroa are also mentioned.
Although Mr Esler regularly asked and advertised for information and photographs for the book, he said there were bound to be gaps, so was still interested in hearing from people who might have stories to share, as well as photographs, which he would like to add to a possible updated version of the book in the future.
West to the Waiau can be bought by contacting Lloyd Esler on 021 176 6580.
