Gebbies Pass by Landcruiser and Drone in 4K

Ahuriri Scenic Reserve, also known as Ahuriri Bush Scenic Reserve, is a public scenic reserve in the Port Hills south of Christchurch, New Zealand. It sits on the west side of the Summit Road, south of Cooper's Knob at the head of the Ahuriri Valley. It is the most significant remnant of a forest type that once covered the Port Hills. History The valley below the bush was farmed from the 1850s by the Rhodes brothers and was part of an extensive landholding named by them Ahuriri Station. When the Rhodes brothers ended their partnership in 1875 they sold the valley block to R.J.P. Fleming of Port Levy, who subdivided it and sold 1,300 hectares to R.M. Morten, who in turn handed Ahuriri over to one of his sons, Richard May Downes Morten. At this time there were two areas of native bush at Ahuriri Station: 80 hectares remained in the valley after extensive milling in the 19th century, and a smaller patch towards the skyline. Confusingly, both have been referred to as "Ahuriri Bush". The larger area is still in private hands, one of the biggest existing patches of privately-owned native forest on Banks Peninsula. Beginning in 1900, politician Harry Ell ran a campaign to preserve access to walking tracks and the remnants of native bush on the Port Hills. In 1903 he was instrumental in getting the Scenery Preservation Act through Parliament. Ell had secured the purchase of Kennedys Bush, and by 1914 had erected a red stone tea house there and secured more reserve land around Cass Peak. In 1914 he approached Richard M.D. Morten and convinced him to present 10 hectares (25 acres) of the skyline bush to public, to be known as "Ahuriri Bush Reserve The Summit Road was extended south from the reserve to Gebbies Pass in the early 1920s. A caretaker was appointed for Kennedy's Bush in 1920, who acted as a ranger for other Summit Road reserves, and prevented Ahuriri Bush from being damaged by fire in 1921. Vehicle : Toyota Landcruiser Assistant : Cayleb Clayton Drone : Supplied