Flock Hill station is located in New Zealand's South Island high country, in the Waimakariri River basin, 75 minutes drive from Christchurch on State Highway 73 which is now commonly known as The Great Alpine Highway between Castle Hill Station and Cass near Lake Pearson.
Flock Hill Station was originally farmed as part of the original Craigiburn run. This was a huge expanse of land that extended from Broken River to Lake Pearson and from the Waimakariri River to the Craigieburn Range. It was in 1857 that Craigiburn was first taken by Joseph Hawdon who had come out from Australia where he made his fortune. When the West Coast Road was opened in 1865, Hawdon realized an opportunity and established a Hotel below the station at the bend in the road halfway down from Lake Pearson. There are no remains of the Hotel today.
Hawdon sold Craigieburn in 1867 to the Campbell brothers who went their separate ways by 1872, and the property was then managed by Reginald Foster of Avoca Station. Thomas Whillians Bruce from Cora Lynn had a hand in the run until 1881 when it was then taken over by Loan and Mercantile Company followed by Jones and Stronach and then sold again in 1906 to Frederik Savill. It wasn't until 1917 when the lease came up for review that the run was divided into three. James Milliken IV [1880-1947] took up two of the blocks and named the run "Flock Hill". Milliken derived the name from the scattered limestone rocks near Cave Stream which many believe to look like flocks of stone sheep. At the time of purchase James Milliken also owned the adjoining station "Castle Hill" but disposed of this in 1919 to Mr W. B. Clarkson so he could concentrate on developing his new holding.
Flock Hill Station is owned by the University of Canterbury and leased. Flock Hill Station is managed by Richard and Anna Hill and continues to be a working station stocking half-bred sheep and cattle.
River boundaries contain this 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) retreat at Broken River to the South and 16 km of upper Waimakariri River frontage in the East as well as 2 km of frontage bordering the scenic Lake Pearson. Flock Hill shares its only fenced northern boundary with Craigieburn station, while the western boundary is Craigieburn State Forest and a cluster of club skifields including Broken River, Craigieburn, Mount Cheeseman and Porter Heights. At its lowest point, the station is 500 metres above sea level, rising to 2000 metres at Mount Constitution.
This wilderness expanse includes seven alpine rivers and streams meandering for 66 km through the landscape, that are reportedly some of the best fishing waters. The TranzAlpine railway (known as one of the seven most scenic train journeys in the world) winds for over 25 km through the property up Broken River and along Slovens Stream.
Flock Hill was the setting for the climactic final battle between Aslan's forces and the powerful army of the White Witch, led by the fierce minotaur, General Otmin, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe(2005). The grass-scapes became the land called Narnia and the distant peaks of the Torlesse Range provided a dramatic backdrop for the White Witch's palace.
Flock Hill was the site for the Alpine Unity New Year's festivals in 2002 and 2003.
The property also hosts a world-class luxury lodge, including the FLOCKHILL Homestead which has received many awards and accolades.
Arthur's Pass National Park is located in the South Island of New Zealand and covers 1,185 km2 of mostly mountainous terrain. Adjacent to it lies Craigieburn Forest Park. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation.
Arthur's Pass is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. The pass sits 920 metres or 3,020 feet above sea level and marks part of the boundary between the West Coast and Canterbury regions. Located 140 km from Christchurch and 95 km from Greymouth, the pass comprises part of a saddle between the valleys of the Ōtira River and of the Bealey River. Arthur's Pass lies on the border of the Selwyn and Westland districts.
The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in Canterbury, on the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It flows for 151 kilometres (94 mi) in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean.
Craigieburn is the name of a settlement and several geographic features in northwest Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island.
Selwyn District is a predominantly rural district in central Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Selwyn River / Waikirikiri, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of the country by horse, foot, boat and canoe, leaving in his wake a sprinkling of locations that now bear his name.
Castle Hill is a location and a high country station in New Zealand's South Island. It is located at an altitude of 700 metres, close to State Highway 73 between Springfield and Arthur's Pass. It is private property and located within the Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area.
The Hells Canyon Wilderness is a wilderness area in the western United States, in Idaho and Oregon. Created 49 years ago in 1975, the Wilderness is managed by both the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service and contains some of the most spectacular sections of the Snake River as it winds its way through Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge and one of the deepest gorges on Earth. The Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984 added additional acreage and currently the area protects a total area of 217,927 acres (88,192 ha). It lies entirely within the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area except for a small 946-acre (383 ha) plot in southeastern Wallowa County, Oregon which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The area that is administered by the Forest Service consists of portions of the Wallowa, Nez Perce, Payette, and Whitman National Forests.
Cass is a small locality in inland Canterbury on New Zealand's South Island, near Arthur's Pass. It is known for its small railway station which was the subject of the 1936 painting Cass by Rita Angus, voted in 2006 New Zealand's favourite work of art. It is also the location of a University of Canterbury field station established in 1914. Cass currently has a single permanent resident.
Broken River is a club skifield in South Island, New Zealand. Run by the Broken River Ski Club, it is located at about 110 km (68 mi) from Christchurch. The skifield claims to often have the longest ski season anywhere in Australasia. Also, by connecting with Craigieburn Valley, it claims to have the largest skiable area in New Zealand, at 900 hectares.
Porters, is a commercial ski resort just over an hour's drive (98 km) west from Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand. Originally functioning as a club skifield, it has one beginner magic carpet, one platter tow, one chairlift and three t-bars. The difficulty of the slopes is distributed as 15% beginner, 35% intermediate and 50% advanced. Modern grooming equipment is used, and snowmaking facilities operate along the main pistes along the chairlift.
The Craigieburn Range forms part of the Southern Alps in New Zealand's South Island. The range is located on the south banks of the Waimakariri River, south of Arthur's Pass and west of State Highway 73. The Craigieburn locality is adjacent to the Craigieburn Forest Park.
Eagle Cap Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon, within the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest. The wilderness was established in 1940. In 1964, it was included in the National Wilderness Preservation System. A boundary revision in 1972 added 73,000 acres (30,000 ha) and the Wilderness Act of 1964 added 66,100 acres (26,700 ha) resulting in a current total of 361,446 acres, making Eagle Cap by far Oregon's largest wilderness area.
Craigieburn Forest Park is a protected area in the South Island of New Zealand, adjacent to Arthur's Pass National Park to the north.
Castle Hill Village is an alpine village in Canterbury, New Zealand that started in 1982.
The Styx River runs along the northern boundary of Christchurch, New Zealand before flowing into the Waimakariri River close to its mouth via Brooklands Lagoon.
Arthur's Pass, previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats, and for some time officially Arthurs Pass, is a township in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Selwyn district. It is a popular base for exploring Arthur's Pass National Park.
State Highway 73 is a major east-west South Island state highway in New Zealand connecting Christchurch on the east coast with Cass/Hokitika via the Southern Alps. It is mostly two lane, with some single-lane bridges north of Springfield but is mostly dual carriageway in Christchurch. The fourth and fifth-highest points of New Zealand's state highway network are on this road at Porters Pass and Arthur's Pass respectively.
The Cass River is an alpine river in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It rises near the Cass Saddle in the Craigieburn Forest Park and flows generally northeast alongside the Craigieburn Range before turning north to meet the Waimakariri River. State Highway 73 and the Midland Line both cross the lower reaches of the river near a farming locality named Cass.
Lake Hawdon is a small high country lake in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Korowai / Torlesse Tussocklands Park is a protected area in Canterbury, New Zealand. Covering around 21,000 hectares, it is located on both sides of State Highway 73, from east of Porters Pass to south of Castle Hill Village.