Old Invercargill Friday Flashback - THC Milford/Te Anau Brochure

It’s been a year or three but Friday Flashback is back and presented by Old Invercargill.

To kick things off we have this vintage brochure from THC Resort Hotels really captures the spirit of adventure and the lush beauty of New Zealand’s Fiordland. Flipping through its pages is like stepping into a time machine; you can almost feel the excitement and allure of exploring the untouched landscapes.

Each page is packed with vibrant photos and inviting descriptions that showcase the natural wonders and the amenities of the Te Anau and Milford hotels. It’s fascinating to see how the brochures from the past combined beautiful scenery with the promise of comfort and adventure. They make you want to pack your bags and go!

**Text from above.** Te Anau, a THC Resort Hotel, makes a Fiordland Holiday a memorable experi-ence. Strategically placed on the lake front the hotel is truly ‘at the Gateway to Fiordland’. Here is a starting point for exciting day and night excursions: a day trip to Milford Sound, aerial sight-seeing, jet boating on the Waiau river between lakes Te Anau and Manapouri. Or explore the lake by launch and dis cover the awe-inspiring Te Ana-au caves, where you pass through the water-worn limestone caverns of an underground river which culminates in a magical glow-worm cave. Perhaps a visit to Glade House at the beginning of the Milford Track, or to Lake Manapouri, Deep Cove and the West Arm Hydro Electric Pro-ject. Yet the hotel is a varied and exciting holiday in itself. From the spacious lounge you gaze across beautiful lake waters on to majestic forbidding moun-tains. You can relax in the Explorer’s Bar and indulge in fine foods and wines in the Mackinnon Room. The Coffee Shoppe is informally yours for continental breakfasts, light re freshmentsduring the day and television by night. And the games room – cum – cinema offers further enter-tainment. Then there is the hotel’s own heated swimming pool and the nearby golf course. Lakeside bedrooms and two de luxe suites also present magnificent views of Lake Te Anau and the mountains beyond. There is also comfortable chalet-style accom modation in a garden setting. All bedrooms have private facilities. You live well at Te Anau Hotel. Photo: Old Invercargill

I love how the brochure isn’t just selling a room—it’s selling an experience. From taking a boat trip through the dramatic Milford Sound to exploring the serene Lake Te Anau, it really emphasizes the uniqueness of the region.

**Text from above.** As day breaks the curtain of mist rises to reveal a scene of unbelievable beauty. A triangular mountain – mile-high Mitre Peak – takes up position centre stage waterfalls appear against the dark backdrop and as the light increases the rocky walls themselves take shape — The Elephant, The Lion. Sometimes shafts of sunlight spotlight snow-covered mountain tops. Sometimes rain creates hundreds of new waterfalls. The stage is set for another memorable day at Milford Sound. Yet only a privileged few are able to attend the first act of the day’s drama. They are the guests of Milford Hotel who, from the comfort of fiord-facing bedrooms look out on Nature’s transformation scene. Others may enter the amphitheatre later in the day to be enthralled by the sheer magnificence of the scenery. Few will be able to remain for the finale — the curtain of night that ends a Milford Day. The guests at Milford Hotel – they number fewer than one hundred nightly — enjoy other privileges. Even though it is imprisoned by rock walls of a remote glacier-age fiord, Milford Hotel makes no compromise with comfort. Its guests enjoy centrally heated bedrooms with private facili-ties. There is a spacious lounge and cocktail bar and the Restaurant-The Lobster Pot-serves sea food specialities that would be the envy of the biggest city hotel. Photo: Old Invercargill

The copy is filled with a sense of wonder and exclusivity, suggesting that staying at these hotels isn’t just a holiday—it’s an adventure.

Text from above. Illustrated bottom, left to right. Guarded by the mightiest peaks of Fiordland-Milford Hotel (in centre of picture). Float planes put limit bags within easy reach. Fast, modern launches explore the beauriful backwaters of Lake Manapouri. Fiordland, one of the world’s largest national parks. It is wild, untamed and incredibly beautiful. Fierce peaks of rock stand proud; waterfalls hurl themselves from craggy heights; melting snows feed turbulent streams which flow into lakes large and small; the placid waters of fiords penetrate deeply into the bushclad coastline. Here is a three million acre playground with something for everyone. The adventuresome may shoot rapids in a jet boat, hunt wapiti in virgin forest, fish for trout in mountain streams and lakes. For the holidaymaker who shoots with a camera his bag is limited only by the amount of film he can carry. Although Fiordland occupies the southernmost portion of the South Island’s west coast, it is among the most accessible of National Parks. It is little more than two hours by car from Invercargill, southernmost city on NAC’s trunk air route. Mount Cook Airlines inland route from Christchurch through Mount Cook and Queenstown has its terminal halfway between Te Anau and Manapouri. Photo: Old Invercargill

For anyone interested in the history of travel or the allure of New Zealand’s epic landscapes, this brochure is a gem. It not only promotes a destination but also captures the essence of an era when travel was about discovery and stepping into the unknown. It’s a cool piece of travel nostalgia that reminds us how destinations like Fiordland have been captivating travelers for decades.