Historic Copland Track (c1901-13)
Tourist and Health Resorts Department
In 1901 New Zealand became the first country in the world to form a government department to develop and promote tourism.
Along with places such as Rotorua, the Chateau (Tongariro) and Milford, The Hermitage and the Southern Alps were becoming popular destinations with
the growing number of international tourists.
Track workers, early 1900s
The Copland Track was built by the Tourist and Health Resorts Department to provide a tourist route across the Southern Alps linking the West Coast with the Hermitage, a popular lodge at Mt Cook.
Construction
The track was constructed over several years from c1901-1913. Construction was slow and hampered by labour shortages. The harsh alpine weather made it impossible to work on the track during winter, so work was restricted to the summer months. Work was also delayed by the unstable nature of the landscape and high rainfall in the area. This meant sections of track often had to be rebuilt due to damage from flooding, erosion and landslides.
At first the track was little more than a blazed line through the bush that had the tendency to become quickly overgrown. Eventually the track was widened and developed into a pack track.
There were no other tracks of this scale constructed solely for tourist use on the West Coast. The doggedness with which the completion of the track was pursued by the Government highlights the importance the Copland Track had in their plans for tourism in the South Island.
Welcome Flat hot pools
People soaking in the hot pools at
Welcome Flat
During the construction of the track, workers came across the natural hot pools at Welcome Flat. This was a great find - thermal attractions were proving popular with visitors and seen by the government as key to stimulating tourism. The hot pools, surrounded by snow clad mountain peaks, were prized by tired trampers.
The route quickly became a popular tourist trip and was one of the key tourist attractions that sustained the fledgling tourist industry in the area.
Today
The tramp is in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, part of the Te Wahipounamu South West NZ World Heritage Area. It is a very popular tramp providing spectacular forest, river and mountain scenery. The natural hot pools at Welcome Flat are an added attraction for weary trampers.
Getting there
The start of track is off State Highway 6, 26km south of Fox Glacier township.