David Matheson arrived in Wanaka in 1892 and first worked as a musterer and shepherd. In about 1915 he went started a carrying business in partnership with William Trevathan. Initially working with six- and eight-horse wagons, the men carted produce from farms to the nearest railhead. They bought a solid-rimmed Dennis truck with a top speed of 25 km/hr, which is shown loaded with bales of wool from the Stuart and Kinross farm at Wanaka.
Matheson and Tevathan were the first carriers in the district to change completely to motor lorries. The business was sold to Don McLeod in 1939 and later bought by Reid Transport. It is now known as Upper Clutha Transport.
David married Ida Jamieson Ironside at the Upper Clutha (Wanaka) Presbyterian church on 16 February 1910. They had two sons: John Wade Matheson (born about 1912) and Charles Irvine Matheson (born about 1914). Both served in the Second World War, and Irvine (as he seems to have been known) was killed in Italy in December 1944. Ida died on 15 August 1920 aged only 38. David died in 1964 aged 81. John worked as a truck driver, and died on 23 March 1966 when his truck plunged over a bank on the Coronet Peak road. He was 54 and single. David, Ida and John are buried in the old area of the Wanaka cemetery.
Information on the origin of the road name from Queenstown Lakes District Council
Photos from Trevathan family history website.
Presbyterian church archives.