16 - Station Life in New Zealand by Mary Anne Barker

Station Life in New Zealand offers a delightful glimpse into the life of Lady Mary Anne Barker (née Mary Anne Stewart) through a captivating collection of her letters, which have become a cherished part of New Zealands literary heritage. These letters, penned between 1865 and 1868, chronicle her travels with her husband, Frederick Broomie, to the colonial sheep station they called home, Broomielaw, in the picturesque Province of Canterbury on New Zealands South Island. With a blend of humor and storytelling, Lady Barker shares the lighter and more whimsical aspects of colonization, while also confronting the profound tragedy of her baby sons illness and passing. Amidst the backdrop of Canterburys unpredictable weather, she recounts her struggles with the fierce norwester winds, the devastation of snowstorms that claimed their sheep, and the floods that wreaked havoc on their homestead. A spirited adventurer, she describes thrilling escapades, from a chilly overnight camping trip to breathtaking sunrises, to her determination to keep pace with nine skeptical men while hunting wild cattle. As one of the few women in her region, she also took it upon herself to enrich her community with books and education for children. Lady Mary Anne Barker and her husband returned to England in late 1868, leaving behind a tapestry of experiences that continue to resonate today. (Summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan)