Toxic Maungatpau Gold Murderer's Trail Mountainbike
Established 1997

40km Trail - Pelorus Bridge to Nelson over the infamous Maungatapu - the Sacred Mountain

The Event
From the picturesque and tranquil Pelorus Bridge Reserve riders follow a gravel road approximately 12km to the foot of the Maungatapu. An 8km climb to the saddle at 740m passes 'Murderers Rock' - from here there's an 8km descent into the Maitai Valley, known to be technical, where many an experienced rider has misjudged sections and 'bit the dust'.
Around 12km (a mix of gravel and seal) takes riders to the finish at Branford Park.

Maungatapu / Pari-kaiaia
(The Cliff of the Sparrow Hawk)

The Maungatapu Ridge received it's name in an interesting manner. A tribe of Maori living where Havelock now stands, were at feud with a Motueka tribe, and determined to attack their enemy by surprise. They formed their taua (warparty) and moved up the Hoehere (Pelorus River) till they came to the junction of the Herenga stream. Here their chief halted them while he went to consult the omens, and pray to his gods. Climbing up the ridge, from the top of which he could look towards Motueka, he set up his tuaahu (sacred placed selected by a tohunga for purposes of divination) and recited his karakia. After a time he returned to his followers, and said, "The signs are favourable, the gods will give us success. Follow me." The taua then climbed the ridge and, avoiding Whakatu (Nelson), traveled down the Aniseed Valley into the Waimea Plain, and so over the Moutere Hills. Stealthily making their way to the back of their enemies' pa at Motueka, they took it by surprise, in the early dawn, and exacted their utu (revenge). Without delay they returned by the way they had come, and when they reached the ridge where their chief had prayed, the conquering warrior said to his followers, "This is Maungatapu (Sacred Mountain). Here I set up my tuaahu. There will I go, and offer thanks to the gods. Pass on, and henceforth let no man set foot on the Mountain, for it is tapu!"


The View from behind the Maungatapu Murderer's Rock (courtesy of Paul Webster 2008)

1866 The Maungatapu Murders
Murdered:
12 June: James Battle
13 June: James Dudley; John Kempthorne; Felix Mathieu; James Pontius.
Monument erected in 1867 at Wakapuaka Cemetery

The Murderers:
Burgess, Richard (alias Hall)
Kelly, Thomas (alias Hannon and Noon)
Levy, William (Alias Phil Levy)
Sullivan, Joseph Thomas (Alias John)

Some facts from our gruesome history:
Burgess and Kelly arrested near Porcellis Oyster Bar, Bridge Street
Levy arrested in Wakatu Hotel
Sullivan arrested in Mitre Hotel (Cnr Bridge/Collingwood Sts)
All were Londoners who came to NZ via Australia.

Were guilty of committing numerous crimes on the Otago then West Coast Goldfields.
Sailed to Nelson in June 1866 - broke and desperate but carried with them knives, poison, firearms and, a wicked plan! After dosing down for a night they headed for the goldfields of Deep Creek. Following their arrival in Canvastown, Levy made his way up the Wakamarina Valley to Deep Creek to spy out a potential victim. He returned with the news that four diggers were set to leave the next day for Nelson, carrying their gold and money with them.

June 12 - James Battle, a Flax cleaner, was robbed of 3 pounds and some shillings near Franklyns Flat as he walked to Nelson hoping to work his passage to Tasmania.

June 13 - At about one in the afternoon, four hard working men, arrived on foot at Franklyns Flat on the Maungatapu Track. The robbers, laying in wait, pounced, held the men at gunpoint, tied their hands behind their backs, marched them into the bush and performed the famous grizzly murders.

The murderers returned to Nelson with their stolen loot totaling 300 pounds in gold dust and notes. Their obvious rags to riches made them quite conspicuous and they were soon arrested. They were identified by other travelers on the Maungatapu that day who described seeing four 'suspicious looking characters'.

Before the case was tried, one of the accused murderers, Joseph Sullivan, offered to turn Queen's evidence in a deal to spare his life. His testimony and that of many other witnesses led to 'Guilty' convictions for all and Burgess, Kelly and Levy were put to death by hanging at Nelson Jail in Shelbourne Street on 5th October, 1866.

Sullivan's execution was commuted to 'penal servitude for life'. He served only eight years in Dunedin prison before being pardoned and sent back to England aboard the Hondustan on 3rd April 1874. His pardon stipulated he was not to return to New Zealand. He, however made his way back to Australia, where he was again arrested (1874) and released 2 years later and supposedly died in inland Australia. Some speculate that he intended to return to Nelson and the scene of the crime to collect hidden bags of gold, stashed by the murderers on the Maungatapu Track. (Maybe he did!)

For more information on the Maungatapu Murders check out THE PROW

Records:

Men					Women
	Under 16	Sean Gardner	1.50.32	2007	Michelle Bellamy	2.13.31	2003
	Under 20	Richard Anderson	1.43.45	2009	Michelle Bellamy	2.09.53	2004
	20-39	Tim Vincent	1.38.38	2005	Sandy Kunz	2.00.46	2006
	40-49	Wayne Pool	1.50.28	2009	Ann Rigg	2.13.51	1998
	50-59	Robert Kennedy	1.51.12	2005	Liz Eskrick	2.21.06	2006
	60-69	Tom Sharland	2.24.28	1997
	70+	Kerry Bateman	2.47.28	2008
	Tandem	Chris Burr/Brenda Clapp	1.54.15	2003