The Cameron Family
The Cameron family has been involved in farming and shepherding for many generations.
James Cameron married Jane Keddie on 8 June 1835, and they spent the first years of their married life at Peebles, Scotland. James managed the Tontine Hotel for the Tweedale Shooting Club for 12 years. James & Jane also farmed at Innerleithen. Subsequently they lived at "Ardentrive", a free farm, which James bought in 1843, on the Island of Kerrera, opposite Oben, Argyllshire. James stocked his farm at Ardentrive with some very fine cattle, for which he was noted. Sadly, in 1850, he was caught in a storm, and took a chill from which he died.
Jane Cameron died at Ardentrive in 1856. Two years after her death the family went to live at Sorab House, Oben, where Jane's sister Isabella (nee Keddie) and her husband Duncan MacArthur lived. Here, the eldest daughter, Jane, died in 1859.
It was then decided that the remaining family of six should go to New Zealand. On the 18th of November 1859 they sailed in the "Gala" under Captain Fisher - and arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday the 22nd of February 1860, at Port Chalmers, Dunedin. Catherine, at 21 years, was the eldest member of the family when they made their long voyage to New Zealand. The youngest, Edward, was only 11 years old!
With such a strong farming background it was natural that Hugh Cameron's decendents should continue in the same line, raising sheep on Ben-Ohau over the last 100 years.
Run 87 was first named "Beinn Achiu", gaelic for "Hill of the Dog". It consisted of all the land between the Ohou and Pukaki Rivers.
In 1867 was sold to Messrs Ostler and Dawson. Ostler died after straining himself whilst trying to stop a wool bale falling from a wagon into the Ohou river. Goldsborough & Co. took over running the property until its sale in 1889.
In 1891 James Preston bought Ben Ohou, including 16,800 sheep. Preston considered Ben Ohou to be a bad risk run and tried to abandon it. He eventually succeeded in 1897, when his manager-nephew J.E.P. Cameron was granted a lease. J.E.P. spent the next 20 years nurturing the run back to its former glory.
Originally 80,356 acres, Ben Ohou was reduced to 57,277 acres with the release of runs by the Crown in 1911. Somewhere during this era the name Lake Ohou changed to Lake Ohau, probably through a misprint on Government maps. Ben Ohou also became Ben Ohau, which is a blend of Gaelic and Maori. This translates to "Hill of the long windy valley".
J.E.P. Cameron rescinded 41,806 acres to the Crown for soldier settlement in 1920, leaving 15,471 acres of the better quality land as a small grazing run. John's son took over farming from 1937 until 1976, when his son S J Cameron became a partner. Hydro development in the late 1970s further reduced the area to its present 5,811 hectares (14,359 acres).
