Thomas Brunner was born in April Thomas was from a family of colonists so he had adventure in his blood. He was an upper class English-man who worked for an Oxford architect and surveyor. He was employed as an assistant by the New Zealand Company. When they arrived in Nelson there was a shortage of land for grazing and growing crops. This made Thomas undertake three intrepid journeys between 1846 and 1848.

“We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started... and know the place for the first time.”

 In late winter Thomas explored the top of the Motueka River. But he had to leave the testing of Maori stories (of the grassy plains between Rotoiti and the West Coast) for a later expedition.  1846 February – Charles Heaphy with Brunner and Fox with a Maori guide Kehu, they resumed the search for an accessible grazing ground in Nelson. The heavily laden party reached Rototi and went on to Buller (Its southern course the Howard) and over the ridge to Rotorua. They crossed to Tiraumea (Mangles) and travelled down the Buller to below the junction of the Matakitki and the Matiri.  st March – They returned.

 nd March – Heaphy and Brunner set out again, this time by the coast to find the mouth of the Buller. With the faithful Kehu they crossed the isthmus from Golden Bay to the West Wanganui and, travelling steadily south.  st April – They camped by the Kawatiri and decided that this was the Buller which sprang from the lakes.  st May - They continued on to reach the Mawhera (Grey)  26th May – Then the Taramakau.  27th May – Arahura was their furthest point south. The local Maoris gave them much important information including details of the greenstone route over the Alps, but could not be induced to accompany them.  1846 Late August - The heavy return journey past flooded rivers bluffs and hampering tides brought the party back to Nelson by the same route.

 th December – Brunner set out on his third expedition for the year with Kehu and his friend Pikewate, both of whom were accompanied by their wives. Dillon and Stafford’s run on the Motueka was their last contact with civilisation, Fraser, the manager, accompanying them to Rototi. Brunner explored Rotoroa in more detail.  1847 February – in the Murchison-Matakitaki area. Below here the Buller offered only weeks of hunger and danger in its gorges, with the added risk of crossing tributary streams between rain-sodden hills. Progress was painfully slow through bad weather difficult travelling, and halts to allow the Maoris to snare birds. So desperate was their situation at one stage that Brunner consented to kill his dog for food.

 th June – They reached the deserted pa at the river mouth. Continuing south they were at Mawhera and nine days later arrived at the Taramakau. Here, to Brunner’s disappointment, the Maoris insisted on remaining for the winter as there were no supplies of food further south.  th October – Eventually in company with four local Maoris, he set out to explore the coastline.  th October – They crossed the mouth of the Hokitika.  nd October – and Okarito  th November – While passing Titihaia Head (Titiera), and encumbered as usual with a heavy pack, Brunner slipped on the rocks, crushing his foot and twisting his ankle. He managed to return to Paringa where he rested. Brunner managed to return to Paringa where he rested.

 th December - He reluctantly decided to return. The party reached the Mawhera on Christmas Day, and until the end of January, the time was passed in small journeys south to Hokitika, Lake Kaniere and elsewhere.  th January - Thomas and his four Maoris set off to the Mawhera as part of a small Nagai Tahu journey of four canoes. Six miles upstream he sighted a coal seam and kept going up the tributary stream.   th March - Four days later Brunner was certain he could see the plains of port cooper from a hill. – Buller junction,

 rd of March – They were at the Inangahua – Buller junction, Thomas having linked by exploration the Buller and grey systems.  th April - Brunner found that he had lost the use of his leg and was horrified to hear pike water urging Kehu to leave him. Pikewate and his wife departed but the faithful Kehu remained to help Brunner during the week he lay cripple.  th March - He was still limping badly when they reached Maruia.  th June-They pushed on steadily to reach Fraser’s.  1874 April – Thomas Brunner died in Nelson.

Explorer of the Century I think Thomas Brunner deserves this award as he travelled from Nelson to Grey mouth without giving up. That is Resilience. He achieved his goal in life because he never gave up.

Thomas Brunner’s Family I could not find any information on Thomas Brunner’s relatives except a picture of his wife and his coat of arms.

Bibliography  _cease_from_exploration_and_the_end/ html _cease_from_exploration_and_the_end/ html  thomas/1 thomas/1  coat-of-arms coat-of-arms

R. D. Lading  “Creative people who can't help but explore other mental territories are at greater risk, just as someone who climbs a mountain is more at risk than someone who just walks along a village lane.”