Carluke

About 1906 Brownlees erected a big mill at Carluke (on the east side of the river from Rai Valley township) capable of cutting 20,000 feet of timber per day. (The mill and township were named Carluke after their home town in Scotland). There were about 100 whares and small cottages, and also a store, hall, school and post office. About one hundred men were employed here and the Blackball mill was still operating as well. They eventually had a tramline to near the head of Ronga Valley, half-way up the Opouri Valley, and well up the Tunakino Valley. Three steam locomotives operated on the lines and the biggest one hauled up to 24 trucks at a time. Brownlees only took the cutting rights over half the Opouri bush areas thinking that the rest would be theirs in due course. But such was not to be.