2 Sep 2025

Voices of those who built Manapouri hydro power station

From Nine To Noon, 11:25 am on 2 September 2025

Manapouri is the largest hydro power station in New Zealand. Located on the edge of Lake Manapouri's West Arm in Fiordland National Park - construction began in 1964 and over eight years, 1800 workers toiled on it in punishing conditions - constructing the power station 200 metres below a granite mountain in an underground cavern. Oral historian Dr Rosemary Baird has interviewed 18 workers who were part of the project - she's written a book about them - called The Middle of Nowhere - published by Canterbury University Press. She joins Kathryn with excerpts her interviews, who bring the story to life.