Overview In this interview, Terry outlines the history of his family in New Zealand. His Grandfather was Ernie Govan who leased the Te Anau Hotel and administered the Milford Track. Terry's early years were spent in Mossburn but due to ill health he also spent time in Te Anau. Terry took over his father's transport business in 1953. The business prospered due to the increased activity in the Te Anau area and in 1964 he amalgamated the business into Northern Southland Transport, where he stayed until...

Overview In this interview Kathy talks about her early years in Timaru and Invercargill. After leaving school Kathy worked for an accountancy firm. On her first visit to Te Anau in 1953 she met Terry Gilligan who had just started a transport business in the town. They were married in 1957 and Kathy moved to Te Anau. Conditions in the town at that stage were very different from Invercargill. Kathy found work in the local post office exchange and for Fiordland travel and in 1960 she became involved in the...

Overview In this interview, Jock talks about his early life in Fairfax. His first job on leaving school was at a saw mill near Otautau. Jock worked at other mills as he became more experienced. When he was 19 Jock joined the army and spent about 18 months in Japan. From an early age Jock got involved with deer hunting and on his return from Japan he became a deer culler for the Department of Internal Affairs and worked for 5 years without a break. Jock married in 1960, He then became involved in a...

Overview In this interview Jean describes her early life in Waipukurau, meeting her husband Harold and moving to Manapouri Station. She talks about home life on the farm and raising a family. Jean was involved in setting up the first school at Mararoa. She goes on to describe life in the district, the people and social activities, the arrival of electric power, and farming. Harold and Jean moved to Te Anau in 1974 and she concludes the interview talking about the changes she has witnessed and the...

Overview In this interview Joe talks about his early life in Otago, Waikouaiti and then Dunedin. On leaving school Joe took up shearing. Joe then recounts his experiences of WWII in some detail. Joe served in the air force and was prisoner of war from 1943 to the end of the war, after his plane was shot down in Egypt. On his return Joe married and took on a lease for Elmwood Station at The Key. Initially Jo grew fescue, which was exported to the US, and made more money than sheep. Joe goes on to...

Overview In this interview, Bill talks about his life on Redcliff Station, a vast sheep and cattle station bordering the Waiau River and Fiordland National Park on the west, and the Takitimu Mountains to the east. Bill discusses his early schooling by correspondence, then boarding at schools in Canterbury before going to university at Otago. Bill talks about growing fescue as an extra to sheep and cattle farming on the station and issues with rabbits. He goes on to talk about developments in the area,...

Overview In this interview, Jim recounts his family history and his early life on the West Coast. He began his working life saw milling but his passion was hunting deer. Jim then became involved in the deer culling programme in Fiordland. After an accident involving his hunting dog Jim then worked on the Doubtful Sound track and ran a passenger boat service. He built a house in Manapouri before moving to Australia for 4 years where he continued with hunting. On his return to New Zealand he took up...

Abstract Person recorded: Terence John (Terry) Gilligan Date of interview: 9 February 2004Interviewer and abstractor: Morag ForresterTape counter: Sony TCM 393Tape 1 Side A001: Opens giving his full name: TERENCE JOHN GILLIGAN and DOB: 21 September 1929 in INVERCARGILL. His parents lived in MOSSBURN. 013: Says his FATHER was a TRANSPORT OPERATOR; he’d started a business in MOSSBURN.018: Mentions his FATHER...