While not in the Horowhenua District, the Transmission Gully motorway provides an important link between Horowhenua and Wellington City to the benefit of commuters from both regions.

The road opened to traffic on the 31st of March 2022, and Foxton photographer Jacob Brookie took this photograph in May of that year. Jacob used a c.1948 Mamiya Six folding camera to make this exposure from the rear seat of a Mazda SUV. The Mamiya was an advanced camera for its day and was a popular choice of Allied forces stationed in Japan at the time. Jacob's Mamiya has a worn, somewhat cloudy lens which reduces contrast so is used for 'special effects'.

The photograph was taken travelling southbound over Transmission Gully.

The 'National Airlines Corporation'  (NAC) was founded in 1945 as a government-owned airline. It mainly serviced domestic routes, with a few international Pacific services included before merging with international airline 'Air New Zealand' in 1978.

The Douglas DC-3 was a revered passenger airliner used around the world. Variants also served as cargo planes and the military versions (most commonly the C-47) saw extensive service during World War Two. DC-3s were the mainstay of NAC from its establishment right up until the 1960s. The airline kept a few DC-3s for rural airstrips until the middle of the 1970s! 

This slide was used to advertise the Nelson fights in Paraparaumu, with the town's airport being used. A 'Paper's Past' search reveals that test flights using this route were carried out in 1952, with the service becoming permanent shortly afterwards. NAC advertised this short flight over the Cook Strait as being perfect for a day excursion and added it to a growing list of Kapiti Coast services.

But not everything went to plan. Three children died when a DC-3 crash landed on final approach from Christchurch to Paraparaumu airport in 1954. NAC subsequently ordered all flights with unattended children to have cabin crew on board.

These slides may have also been shown (in a modified form) in Horowhenua- although this has not been confirmed. However, many Horowhenua locals would have flown with NAC!

Printed on front of mounting board, top right, with black ink: “P 74”

Penciled on back: “ATL [Alexander Turnbull Library] Coach on the beach road.”

Stamped on back with black ink: “Horowhenua Historical Society. “

Three unidentified women sitting atop a Cobb and Co stagecoach crossing a river, on the beach ‘road’. The coach is drawn by four horses and driven by a male driver. The three women share two parasoles to protect them from the sun. A boy wearing a cloth cap and another person are barely visible inside the coach.

1 B&W photo print copy, mounted – damaged – surface removed lower left hand corner.

See also 2000.103.0001 (duplicate, includes negative)

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”