George Lyon

In John Mazey's words:

In May 1959, three years after Nelson Lakes National Park was established, George Lyon was appointed as the ranger for the park with his base at St Arnaud. He and his wife Jean became Mr and Mrs Nelson Lakes National Park until their retirement in July 1980. Twenty-one years of dedicated service for protection of park values and assistance to park visitors.

George was a well-known local identity who was born at Richmond as the fourth child in a family of five. His early life was in many ways similar to that experienced by rural people of his generation. Upon the death of his father, when aged 13 years, he had to leave school to help his family on their farm near Murchison. At age 15 years the family had to leave the farm during the depression years.   After a short period working on a farm in Southland he managed to obtain an apprenticeship as a carpenter in Nelson where he stayed until World War 2 saw him in the army in 1940, the year he married Jean.

After discharge from the army he returned to his trade for a short period until offered the job of driving the service car between Murchison and Nelson - a daily run that lasted for 18 months. His connection with St Arnaud and the lakes over a period of 34 years started when he took over the Lake Rotoiti-Nelson passenger and mail service - a service he ran in all weathers on unsealed roads for nine years until the business was sold. After just over a year working as a builder at Lake Rotoiti (St Arnaud) and for Alex McConochie at Lake Station he was appointed the first manager of the park.

George and Jean had their own home at St Arnaud, which for many years was home, office, first aid room, search and rescue headquarters, visitor centre - in fact everything for those early years. Their involvement with park matters had started even earlier when George was appointed as a member of the first Nelson Lakes National Park Board.

George was the designer of the famous Lyons bridge, constructed with netting and wire rope and could be built at a fraction of the cost of other bridges at that time.