Mike Butler: A new look at old roads, bridges, swamps

The biggest story of 19th century New Zealand is not missionaries, muskets, and the sovereignty wars, according to historian John McLean, it was the physical building of the country.

Sweat and toil – the building of New Zealand, tells the story of the building of New Zealand’s roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, viaducts, wharves, docks, lighthouses, tramways, telegraph, as well as massive reclamations as well as the draining of swamps.

Mclean did his Master’s thesis in history on the building of the Otira tunnel through the Southern Alps.