Blue Duck Station owner Dan Stelle
A RECENTLY published book takes a look at the well-established King Country tourism venture and conservation outpost, Blue Duck Station.
Blue Duck Station: The land, the rivers and the people, is written by Nicola McCloy and published by Bateman Books. It contains many stunning photos of the beautiful area.
Nestled alongside Whanganui National Park, where the Whanganui and Retaruke rivers converge, the operation combines traditional farming practices with tourism, conservation and new ways of doing things.
The book tells the story of the owner, Dan Steele, his wife, Sandy, their four children, plus Dan’s parents, Richard and Rachel Steele.
Dan is a longtime advocate for native wildlife who now welcomes people from around the world to experience a place where adventure and environmental initiatives go hand in hand.
The book includes tales of the rivers, the land and the tangata whenua, the arrival of European settlers, the balloting of land by returned soldiers, the riverboats, the building of the nearby Bridge to Nowhere, and the gradual consolidation of smallholdings into larger farms.
It recounts the story of the Steele family, the beginnings of Blue Duck Station, and how the property has become a tourism destination and a conservation success story.
While most farm books focus on properties that have been handed down through generations, Blue Duck Station was created more recently out of several smaller properties owned by Dan Steele.
While this is primarily his story, it also provides stories of some real characters who made their lives in the valley.
Dan said he was committed to protecting endangered wildlife, and native bush and preserving the historic buildings on the property.
He also loves sharing his knowledge of the local wildlife, especially the whio, or blue duck from which the property takes its name.
“This is such a rich, historical, scenic and mystical area that is close to the hearts of so many and gets under your skin when you see it.
“As the backcountry is struggling and pines are taking over, conservation is at our forefront,” he said.
