This view captures a fenced-off Hine Road Recreation Area in the 1870s or 1880s. Of course, in that era, the reserve area was farmland.
Here are some interesting observations:
- Moness, a homestead owned by the Sinclair family is in view.
- The home of the McIlvride family is in view.
- The shaft belonging to Colemans Tunnel is just visible in the upper-right of the photo.
- There is no Maintenance Road as that was constructed in the early 1920s..
- The Wainuiomata River appears to be in flood. This image may date from around the time the dam was nearing completion, and was severely damaged by the floods of 1883 to 1884.
- The surrounding hills are stripped of trees A sawmill operated by the Sinclair family is just out of view to the right / east in what is now the intersection of Whitcher Grove and Moores Valley Road. The Sinclairs logged present day Moores Valley, Reservoir Valley, Skerretts Gully / Sunny Grove valley, and the Hine Road area.
