VON TUNZELMANN, PAUL NICHOLAS BALTHAZAR (1828-1900) was the son of Major Tunzelmann von Adlerflug, an officer in the Russian army, and was born in Oesel, Livonia. Educated on the continent and in England (including University College, London), he had some training in veterinary science and was naturalised in England at the age of 21. He came to New Zealand in 1858, and shortly afterwards joined Hankinson, Rees and three others on an exploration from Oamaru towards western Otago. Rees and von Tunzelmann alone, travelling up the Cardrona valley, reached the Crown range, from which they saw Lake Wakatipu and the open country they were in search of. Rees decided to settle on the eastern shore, near where Queenstown is, and the von Tunzelmanns established themselves at Fern Hill, on the western shore. Rees and von Tunzelmann explored a good deal in the vicinity of Wakatipu, giving names to the Von river, Mount Nicholas and other features. After the gold rushes they carried on until they were ruined by the ravages of rabbits. Nicholas spent some time in New South Wales and then returned to Otago, dying at Walter Peak on 31 Jul 1900.

EMANUEL JOHN F. VON TUNZELMANN (1839-98) was an accomplished linguist, and when the station failed he found employment in different schools as a teacher of languages. He was thus employed at Nelson College (1875-76), at Wellington College, at Canterbury College and Christ's College (1878-80). He then returned to Southland and was for 10 years in charge of the primary school at Woodlands. Eventually he was at The Neck, Stewart Island, as missioner for the Presbyterian Church and native school teacher. There he died on 26 May 1898.

Beattie; Nelson Coll. O.B. Reg.; Roberts, Southland; Hight and Candy; Gilkison; Southland Times, 28 May 1898, 3 Aug 1900.

Reference: Volume 2, page 219

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