McColl's House, Maben Road, Lake Rotorangi.
'This cottage was built by Ted Hurley when he took up farming in 1907 up the Pātea River valley. With the help of his brother, Miney, all the timber was pit sawn. The bricks for the fireplace [and chimney - now demolished (REL 2016) ] were brought in by packhorse and the roofing iron rafted up the river from the suspension bridge.'
From: Condon, M P: Hurleyville School & District Centennial, 1992
Later, the McColl family farmed the area. The only access to the farm was by a pedestrian suspension bridge at the end of Ball Road. This was replaced by McColl's Bridge which was opened by local MP & Minister of Lands, Venn Young in February 1980 to provide vehicle access to the Patea hydro-dam site. The first car to cross the new bridge was that of the McColl family.
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