Historic ferry survives floods

3.00pm

While Scott's Ferry might still be a disaster scene, the restored original ferry that was feared lost during last week's floods has been found.

It was lodged against a stand of macrocarpa trees some 50m from where it stood before the flood.

Resident Dawn Nitschke, whose late husband, Frank, was responsible for the ferry's restoration, said its survival was good news for the settlement, which had lost much.

"It's good to see that it is still here. People need something good in their lives," she said. "The spirit here has been wonderful, but it's nice to have something to be happy about at a time like this."

The settlement, 19km southwest of Bulls, is named after Thomas Scott, who arrived in New Zealand from Scotland in 1842.

Mr Scott carried the mail from Wellington to Taranaki, a 695km trek that took him a fortnight on foot and for which he was paid £1 a week.

Unable to swim, he would ford rivers by making a raft of flax, tying it to his back and dog-paddling.

He settled in what is now Scott's Ferry in 1849 and operated a ferry across the Rangitikei river, initially by canoe but later by the barge that still is in the area.

"The barge had been brought up the Whanganui River, where the owners used it to get stock across the river," Mrs Nitschke said.

"When they updated their ferry, the old one was sent down to Wanganui for restoration but it was forgotten. Frank and some friends dug it out and brought it back in 1990.

"It was a dream he had and I'm so glad that it survived."