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A trip into Boatmans water powered sawmill, Reefton Goldfield - 1991

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DescriptionThe sawmill situated in upper Boatmans Creek appears to have been operated by Frederick William Archer who gained a sawmill licence in 1905 (No.1523). It seems he was quite active in the Boatmans area where he was also involved in mining and possibly had a store at Boatmans. The sawmill appears to have operated for about 10 years or so from newspaper clips. Date of PhotoBetween 1st January 1991 and 31st January 1991Map^[1]ContributorMalcolm Gollan

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Location (city or town)Boatmans

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CommentsKevin Douglas
There was a small saw bench a fair way up Boatman’s creek that was driven by a waterwheel, I visited it in 1952/53, we accessed it from the dam that held water for the Waitahu gold sluicing mine, via a wooden flume that ran along the hillsides above Boatman’s creek, the flume was on trestles over the gully’s and in one spot through a tunnel to reach an elevation allowing the water to flow along the flume to the dam.
My understanding was the little mill was to supply timber for the construction and maintenance of the flume. There was a accomodation hut on the hill, it had been used by person responsible for keeping the flume ect operational, the last person I think was a Mr Kellow who later lived on a small property opposite the Burke’s cemetry

Malcolm Gollan
Kevin Douglas Thanks. Great little bit of history there. Not sure you're talking about the same mill? This one is also a fair way up Boatman's but right beside the creek where the hut is also adjacent. I remember the blades still in the hut, which was starting to collapse. Never went up to the water race but I've seen it marked on the old topo maps. It went through a tunnel into the head of station creek I think.

Allan Archer
Thats the one Kevin, still there 15 years or so when I went , had a drive through to tap Station Creek on the Waitahu when water was low, They cut the timber, then floated it down the race, through tunnels, prob timber for tunnel support ? used for fluming & trestles etc for the sluicing claim you mentioned, pretty cool.

Glenn Johnston
Allan Archer. Malcolm Gollan or others. I've a few questions re the water race and mill in upper Boatmans Creek. From what I can garner it was operating in the early 1930's and cut timber for the sluicing claim mentioned earlier in the thread but was abandoned within a decade. What year did this sawmill commence operating? Am I correct in thinking this is unlikely to be the same mill pertaining to FW Archers License of c.1905? Were the water races constructed anew for the "Waitahu Sluicing Claim" or were they old water races that were repurposed?

Allan Archer
Glenn Johnston , Def not FW Archer's licence. Water race was for the Waitahu Sluicing Claim, not for anything else , nor exsisting, that I know of, may have stopped & started up again ? I thought the claim went into the 1950's. As far as I know the mill was for the cutting of timber for the race only, getting it out of there would have been hard going, hence they floated the boards down the race to where required.

Allan Archer
Glenn Johnston Long time since I have been there, very cool be a good bush canopy over it now., was hard going to get in there, be far harder now I would imagine,,add age on the body to that too

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