the Wakatipu diggings and in later years, from Riverton, (a Mr. Cassels being one of them, and the partnership of Newsome, Rice and McIntosh, another), via The Otautau area to The Lakes. However, many more accounts are given of waggoners taking supplies and gold to and from Invercargill to The Lakes. The main of the traffic to and from the goldfields situated in South Otago, to the north of Otautau, was through Dunedin and Port Chalmers, which is much different to what has been suggested or claimed in some contemporary accounts. The most accurate representation of the early Otautau area found to date, is from the book on Scotts Gap (just outside of Otautau, named after early run-holder, Matthew Scott): "Before the 1870s Otautau had very little settlement, being only an overnight camping stop for drovers and their wagons, quenching their thirst before fording the stream the next day to continue the journey inland." What can be proven without doubt, is that Otautau Township was not surveyed until March 1872, by E. Tanner, the resulting map being drawn by W.J. Percival in 1874. Even in the 1867 map of Aparima Hundred, from which land Otautau was taken, there is a large blank space where Otautau would later be. Giving further weight to the idea that the town may not have been founded in the 1860s as claimed, is the fact that the first general store in the township was not opened until 1876. This was owned by Robert Campbell, who was previously mining at Macetown. In records held at Archives NZ, information shows that the first land sale in the township was not made until late 1872. Although the locality was originally only a wagon stop on the way to the interior, a township later formed. A very important factor in the growth of Otautau, came from the decision of the Wallace County Council, to move their office from Riverton to Otautau. This move was made official at the opening in March 1898 and lasted nearly 100 years, until the amalgamation of county councils formed the new Southland District Council, in 1989. Having the seat of administration for the County in Otautau meant many of its members moved there. The work created by and for the WCC (Wallace County Council), drew others to settle in the town with the promise of jobs. Between this and early agriculture which had originated