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Story: Geological exploration

Camp cook

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Camp cook

Large geological field parties usually had a camp cook. Jack Tolmie, probably the last Geological Survey cook, worked on surveys of the Reefton goldfield and later the Greymouth coalfield. Harking back to his army days, punctuality was important to Jack, and meals were always ready on time. Note the pocket watch hanging from the mantelpiece, just to the right of his head.

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Maxwell Gage

by Maxwell Gage

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How to cite this page

Simon Nathan, Geological exploration – Mapping, volcanoes and geophysics: 1900–1965, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/8201/camp-cook (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 2 March 2009.