Menu
This huge rock shot over the Gibson farm at Glengary in the lower Maruia in the Murchison earthquake. Mon, Jun 17 1929
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionThis photo is from the Murchison earthquake. This huge rock shot over the Gibson farm at Glengary in the lower Maruia. It buried Mrs Gibson and Thelma Ferguson who was visiting the Gibsons.
Thelma Ferguson is my Dad Jack Ferguson’s sister. At the time of the earthquake my Grandmother Maggie Ferguson and her children Clara, William,Doris,Olive, Thelma and Jack had a small farm in the lower Maruia. Dad, a young boy then was out in the paddock when the earthquake struck and he said the ground began rolling towards him like waves.Date of Photo Mon, Jun 17 1929Map[1] ContributorMaud Ferguson
Thelma Ferguson is my Dad Jack Ferguson’s sister. At the time of the earthquake my Grandmother Maggie Ferguson and her children Clara, William,Doris,Olive, Thelma and Jack had a small farm in the lower Maruia. Dad, a young boy then was out in the paddock when the earthquake struck and he said the ground began rolling towards him like waves.Date of Photo Mon, Jun 17 1929Map[1] ContributorMaud Ferguson
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)Lower MaruiaPersonMaggie FergusonJack FergusonClara FergusonWilliam FergusonDoris FergusonOlive FergusonLandmark (Place)Gibson farm EventThis huge rock shot over the Gibson farm at Glengary
Category Information
Category Tagearthquake
From Facebook
Date Created19th August 2025CommentsGeoff Roberts
This is at the present Maruia Falls.. known today as Gibsons slip.
DOC should have a monument to the dead at the falls as well as history of how falls were formed after the quake....Our little Shenandoah school was in the paddock South of the slip in 1950s.. before closing an being moved to Auckland Point school in Nelson as extra classroom.... Still there last time I looked...
Givernee Crickets
Is there a memorial at the site? I'd like to pay my respects when I pass through some day
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
Christopher Stephen Blue
Possible site??
May be an image of map and text
Linda Reedy
Great history Kel
Bruce Baldwin
what does it mean 'shot over'? are they meaning the earthquake somehow propelled it into the air and over some distance?
Christopher Stephen Blue
There might be another body under that rock??
May be an image of text that says 'FERGUSON GIBSON ThelmaMis Miss GIBSON ElizaMrs Eliza Mrs eonard Martin d.MatinMstr Mstr Mauia Valley Glengary Marvia Valley Gilengary Mariva Valley Glengary Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip'
Christopher Stephen Blue
Guess they're still under it?? they could have the biggest headstone in the world, should be in the Guinness World record book??Cathy Howat
My dad was twelve and at school in Cobden when it hit, I recall him saying
1h
Reply
Phil Millar
My Mum and her younger brother (Patience and brother Leslie Provis ) had just finished milking the cows when this happened at the Landing! Mum always said that the Cows knew that something was not right that morning, they lost all the milk that morning !
4h
Reply
Cathy Howat
Phil Millar My dad lost something else that required a, change of pants! ??
1h
Reply
Christopher Stephen Blue
Possible site??
May be an image of map and text
18h
Reply
Geoff Roberts
This is at the present Maruia Falls.. known today as Gibsons slip.
DOC should have a monument to the dead at the falls as well as history of how falls were formed after the quake....Our little Shenandoah school was in the paddock South of the slip in 1950s.. before closing an being moved to Auckland Point school in Nelson as extra classroom.... Still there last time I looked...
Linda Reedy
Great history Kel
Jo Evans
Darrin Evans
Christopher Stephen Blue
There might be another body under that rock??
May be an image of text that says 'FERGUSON GIBSON ThelmaMis Miss GIBSON ElizaMrs Eliza Mrs eonard Martin d.MatinMstr Mstr Mauia Valley Glengary Marvia Valley Gilengary Mariva Valley Glengary Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip'
Givernee Crickets
Is there a memorial at the site? I'd like to pay my respects when I pass through some day
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
SP Racer
That’s rather large
Christopher Stephen Blue
Guess they're still under it?? they could have the biggest headstone in the world, should be in the Guinness World record book??
Maud Ferguson
Christopher Stephen Blue Yes they are still buried under there. You can see how large it is by the size of the man standing on top of it. It is approximately opposite on the other side of the road near the Maruia Falls.
Christopher Stephen Blue
Maud Ferguson Massive alright, we had one come down and block the road at the Gates of the Haast, early one Sunday morning in 1980, a pebble compared to that monster, but still took us all day to drill, blast, and push the pieces over the edge and into the river.
Bruce Baldwin
what does it mean 'shot over'? are they meaning the earthquake somehow propelled it into the air and over some distance?
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
Kelly Reedy
Pete Lusk oh yes was just talking about this with my son as we went up the top gorge. My nana watched them leap down the hillside.
Jodi Timms
Pete Lusk the epicentre was near Kahurangi Lighthouse which is closer to Karamea then Murchison.
This is at the present Maruia Falls.. known today as Gibsons slip.
DOC should have a monument to the dead at the falls as well as history of how falls were formed after the quake....Our little Shenandoah school was in the paddock South of the slip in 1950s.. before closing an being moved to Auckland Point school in Nelson as extra classroom.... Still there last time I looked...
Givernee Crickets
Is there a memorial at the site? I'd like to pay my respects when I pass through some day
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
Christopher Stephen Blue
Possible site??
May be an image of map and text
Linda Reedy
Great history Kel
Bruce Baldwin
what does it mean 'shot over'? are they meaning the earthquake somehow propelled it into the air and over some distance?
Christopher Stephen Blue
There might be another body under that rock??
May be an image of text that says 'FERGUSON GIBSON ThelmaMis Miss GIBSON ElizaMrs Eliza Mrs eonard Martin d.MatinMstr Mstr Mauia Valley Glengary Marvia Valley Gilengary Mariva Valley Glengary Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip'
Christopher Stephen Blue
Guess they're still under it?? they could have the biggest headstone in the world, should be in the Guinness World record book??Cathy Howat
My dad was twelve and at school in Cobden when it hit, I recall him saying
1h
Reply
Phil Millar
My Mum and her younger brother (Patience and brother Leslie Provis ) had just finished milking the cows when this happened at the Landing! Mum always said that the Cows knew that something was not right that morning, they lost all the milk that morning !
4h
Reply
Cathy Howat
Phil Millar My dad lost something else that required a, change of pants! ??
1h
Reply
Christopher Stephen Blue
Possible site??
May be an image of map and text
18h
Reply
Geoff Roberts
This is at the present Maruia Falls.. known today as Gibsons slip.
DOC should have a monument to the dead at the falls as well as history of how falls were formed after the quake....Our little Shenandoah school was in the paddock South of the slip in 1950s.. before closing an being moved to Auckland Point school in Nelson as extra classroom.... Still there last time I looked...
Linda Reedy
Great history Kel
Jo Evans
Darrin Evans
Christopher Stephen Blue
There might be another body under that rock??
May be an image of text that says 'FERGUSON GIBSON ThelmaMis Miss GIBSON ElizaMrs Eliza Mrs eonard Martin d.MatinMstr Mstr Mauia Valley Glengary Marvia Valley Gilengary Mariva Valley Glengary Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip Gibsons Slip'
Givernee Crickets
Is there a memorial at the site? I'd like to pay my respects when I pass through some day
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
SP Racer
That’s rather large
Christopher Stephen Blue
Guess they're still under it?? they could have the biggest headstone in the world, should be in the Guinness World record book??
Maud Ferguson
Christopher Stephen Blue Yes they are still buried under there. You can see how large it is by the size of the man standing on top of it. It is approximately opposite on the other side of the road near the Maruia Falls.
Christopher Stephen Blue
Maud Ferguson Massive alright, we had one come down and block the road at the Gates of the Haast, early one Sunday morning in 1980, a pebble compared to that monster, but still took us all day to drill, blast, and push the pieces over the edge and into the river.
Bruce Baldwin
what does it mean 'shot over'? are they meaning the earthquake somehow propelled it into the air and over some distance?
Pete Lusk
The same 1929 quake threw some big rata trees into the air from the top of a cliff and into the Little Wanganui River which was 150 m away.
In 1970s, a subdivision was laid out under the same cliffs. Now there’s a score of homes there, waiting for the next quake!
Kelly Reedy
Pete Lusk oh yes was just talking about this with my son as we went up the top gorge. My nana watched them leap down the hillside.
Jodi Timms
Pete Lusk the epicentre was near Kahurangi Lighthouse which is closer to Karamea then Murchison.
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel Edit
Click on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (21st Aug 2025). This huge rock shot over the Gibson farm at Glengary in the lower Maruia in the Murchison earthquake. Mon, Jun 17 1929. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 21st Mar 2026 04:40, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/35115