Page:Gillespies Beach Beginnings • Alexander (2010).pdf/79

 but unfortunately she did not live to see it officially opened. However, the land alongside, thanks to Constable Ted Best, was hastily approved as a cemetery so that she could be buried there. Fred’s holdings were eventually subdivided by his sons into separate properties. Constable Ted Best, incidentally, was among the victims shot by Stanley Graham during the manhunt at Kowhitirangi in 1941 which has now become part of West Coast lore.

Nine years before Julia died, Michael and Jack Sullivan, decided to build a hostel to house travellers to the area - government men, surveyors, tourists and climbers among others - to relieve their sister of the heavy workload of accommodating visitors. They could see that Julia was growing older and most of her family had left home.

The brothers established a small saw-mill and engaged the Duncan brothers of Hokitika to build a hostel which was open for travellers by Christmas, 1928. The hostel, built of rimu wood, was capable of accommodating about 20 people with both brothers holding equal shares. The power station for the hostel was on Clearwater Creek, three-quarters of a mile below the bridge. Thus began an new era in this community, which would, over the years play its part in making tourism into a multi-million dollar industry. Lawrence Sullivan, Mick and Jack’s brother, helped work Sullivan land for a time. Uncle La as he was called by us children was a confirmed bachelor, and did not become a significant figure in the development of the area, perhaps because he did not have a particularly robust constitution. He is known to have spent some considerable time in Australia.

As mentioned previously, the alpine environment and glacier brought people to the area in increasing numbers as did the beauty of nearby Lake Matheson which, on clear days, reflected the snow-capped mountains at the head of the valley. Photographs of the bush-clad lake would appear on postage stamps and be used in