By Brooke Clemett
Hanmer Springs History
Maori on ara pounamu (greenstone trails) were the first to enjoy the thermal water, as a rest stop on the long journey to the West Coast. The first known European discovery of the thermal area was in April 1859 by William Jones, a farm manager from Culverden, who was drawn to what appeared to be "a remarkable fog". The village was named after Thomas Hanmer a early settler. Early deveoopment was hindered by inaccessibility, the first Ferry Bridge blew down in a strong nor’wester and wasn’t replaced until 1874.
Thermal Pools
In 1879 an iron bathing shed set up on the site and a manager appointed and the first proper swimming pools were dug. A bathhouse was created in 1883. Invalids and injured servicemen have enjoyed the curative mineral waters. While, from the outset the thermal pools were used for recreational swimming, they were early recognised for health rehabilitation. A sanatorium was built there in 1914. Treatment included both swimming in and drinking of the thermal waters. The sanatorium burnt down in the same year and was replaced with the Queen Mary Hospital in 1916. It was used for convalescent soldiers returned from World War I. Later the hospital was used for hydrotherapy and treatment of functional nervous disorders until 1971, and then as an alcoholic rehabilitation centre.
Hanmer Springs Forest
In 1902 the Government planted a wide variety of introduced trees at Hanmer Springs as an experiment for New Zealand’s fledging plantation logging industry. Today, Hanmer Forest is unique in New Zealand as a near-natural woodland of European trees.
Information from www.hanmernz.com/history.htm
