Lake Ada - Milford Sound

Into the wilderness

From the 1870s and 1880s, intrepid photographers such as Alfred Burton, Frederick Muir, and George Moodie travelled to New Zealand’s ‘most difficult and interesting places’ to capture their scenic wonders. Photography at the time was expensive and technically difficult, and few tourists took their own photographs. Instead, they purchased professional prints like these as reminders of their experiences.

By the early 1900s, with tourism burgeoning, postcards had appeared on the scene. They were immediately popular – a cheaper and far more convenient souvenir.