Constructing the Haast Road on the West Coast

Last issue we outlined the development of construction company Contract Cultivation. Contract Cultivation was a West Coast construction company founded in the late 1920s by Jock and Clare Smith, originally from Timaru. Through their company the Smith family established many Coast connections which exist to this day. The Karamea Airfield and the Haast Road are just two of the construction projects they completed.

Construction of the Haast Road was a particularly challenging project that took all the skill and ingenuity the company and its crew of gallant workers could muster.

We take a look here at three new videos of various aspects of the project. The videos reveal just what a challenge the construction of the road was. They show the heavy machinery of the times and the often-difficult terrain the crews had to work in.

Haast Pass construction 1958-1965 – 1

Haast Pass construction 1958-1965 – 2

 Haast Pass construction 1958-1965 – 3



Constructing the Haast Road on the West Coast