Douglas Falconer 1933-1992

Castlepoint Station - Centennial of Estate of CA Johnson March 1976

The following is a photographic account of the rehearsal of the reenactment of the first landing at Castlepoint Station in 1876 to celebrate the centennial of the Estate of CA Johnson. The full rehearsal on Tuesday 16 March was filmed by TV One (now TVNZ) and screened in Today At One on Friday 19th March. The reenactment, with Douglas (Doug) Falconer as the bullocky (providing and working the bullock team) and Ernest (Ernie) Falconer as the wrangler, and acting as liaison for the TV producer, was held on Saturday 20 March 1976. The front page coverage in The Wairarapa Times on the following Monday reported that "The spectacle, was watched by about 4000 people attending the annual race meeting on the beach, was part of the Castlepoint centenary celebrations." The newspaper reported on the beach race results on an inside page.

As stores and supplies were also shipped into the station in the early days, the lighter made two runs. The first run to deliver stores and collect bales of wool from the station for export; the second to deliver the landing settlers. The stores shipped in were necessities for early farming development such as grass seed, wire and a bundle of slasher handles for the station as well as a keg for the pub!


Rehearsal of The Reenactment
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Waiting to begin the rehearsal of the wool loading

Waiting to begin the rehearsal of the wool loading


The Bullocky - Doug Falconer

The Bullocky - Doug Falconer


We're off

We're off


At the water's edge.

At the water's edge.


John Broad, the labourer employed to help load the wool, about to mount the dray.

John Broad, the labourer employed to help load the wool, about to mount the dray.


That's as deep as we can go. The deck of the dray must be clear of the water to keep the wool dry. Now we wait for the lighter - TV cameraman in attendance.

That's as deep as we can go. The deck of the dray must be clear of the water to keep the wool dry. Now we wait for the lighter - TV cameraman in attendance.


Here they come - the lighter's in sight.

Here they come - the lighter's in sight.


Closer now.

Closer now...


Tying up to the dray.

Tying up to the dray.


Still securing the lighter to the dray.

Still securing the lighter to the dray.


Nearly done - John places a buffer between the dray and the lighter

Nearly done - John places a buffer between the dray and the lighter.


The transfer begins - first the grass seed supplies

The transfer begins - first the grass seed supplies.


Now the fencing wire.

Now the fencing wire.


The first of the wool bales goes aboard the lighter.

The first of the wool bales goes aboard the lighter.


Remainder of Photographic Account  Next Page

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