Discover Burkes Pass: Heritage Walk and church history

Burkes Pass lies on State Highway 8 between Fairlie and Lake Tekapo. Farmland and gently rolling hills characterise the surrounding area. At the same time, the church, cemetery, schoolhouse and Heritage Walk tell different chapters of the town’s history. For planning your trip, the roadside location, rural landscape and historic sites each provide their own points of reference.

The Burkes Pass Heritage Walk

The Burkes Pass Heritage Walk begins at Musterer’s Hut and follows an original route through Burkes Pass. The track is 1.7 kilometres long, takes 30 minutes and is rated easy. It follows a mown grass track and boardwalks. Along the way, signs provide information about the individual historic sites; heritage information and photo panels add to the experience. The route also passes the Mount Cook Road Board Office.

The walk includes the children’s game “Where’s Sally”: children look for a working collie along the route. You can get a free printout at Musterer’s Hut. The Trust built the hut as a replica to commemorate the early workers. Inside are old photographs and stories, historic hut items and an original fireplace. Outside is an original limestone trough used by horse teams before they climbed over the pass into the Mackenzie District.

Church and local history

St Patrick’s Union Church was built by early settlers in 1872. It is considered the oldest Union Church still standing on its original site and in continuous use as a church. The church is open daily to the local community and visitors, and provides information about the earliest Union Church in South Canterbury. Opening hours may change, so check them before your visit.

Burkes Pass Cemetery has graves dating from 1873 onwards. Several mountaineers who died in accidents on Mt Cook are also buried there. Burkes Pass School and the schoolhouse were built in 1878. Together with the church, built in 1872, these dates provide different chronological reference points for the town’s history.

The two main points of interest differ when planning a visit: the Heritage Walk is a described route with a stated duration of 30 minutes; the church is open daily, although you should check the opening hours in advance.

Three Creeks and the rural surroundings

Three Creeks brings together a general store, a 1950s petrol station, a blacksmith’s workshop and a trading store to create a distinctive historic setting. The range includes artworks, crafts, gifts, retro collectables and wooden furniture. There is also a retro coffee cart at Three Creeks. Along with the farmland and gently rolling hills, this place offers a different focus from the history of the church and the pass: here, the emphasis is on a historic commercial setting and a variety of art and practical items.

In the wider Mackenzie District

The wider Mackenzie District also has its own connection to church history: the Church of the Good Shepherd stands in Tekapo. It opened in 1935, was the first church built in the Mackenzie Basin, and is listed as a Category 1 Historic Place.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kimbell, Twizel, Lake Tekapo, Fairlie, Albury, Mt Cook.

Back to the main travel guide: Mackenzie District.