During the 1850’s James MacKenzie, sheep thief, musterer, and enterpreneur moved flocks of sheep - sometimes stolen, from South Canterbury to Otago.  Combating extreme weather, mountain passes and swift flowing rivers MacKenzie drove his sheep hundreds of kilometres into the heart of the South Island High Country to avoid detection.

STATION ONE Mackenzie, by night russles a thousand sheep from The Levels Station, near Timaru, owned by the Rhodes Brothers of Purau - near Lyttelton, and with a pocket full of money, his dog Friday ( some say had its bark removed by a little operation to the tongue ) and a pack full of food, heads with his droving bullock up through a secret route now known as MacKenzie Pass pushing the sheep ahead of him.

STATION TWO Unbeknown to MacKenzie, the Station Manager - Mr Sidebottom, his shepherd Tikao, and a hired trouper are hot on his heels following the tracks of the flock.  As MacKenzie rests after his fourth busy day and admiring the view ahead, he is startled by gun fire and surrenders to the barrel of a gun.  He is handcuffed, his boots removed, and is cleaned out of his cash.  Sidebottom - the man with the moustache and Tikao hide in the scrub keeping watch incase of an accomplice.  Cunning James, as night falls struggles free and escapes his captors.

STATION THREE James MacKenzie realises his time is up and plans his escape to Australia where he has family.  As James queues to board a sailing ship at Lyttelton the police spot him and arrest him.  The Christchurch Judge gives him five years hard labour building roads in the new province.  Lyttelton was the principle Jail for the South Island.  MacKenzie’s dog Friday - is the only dog in New Zealand’s history to stand trial in a New Zealand court.  The Judge named her Witch and sentenced her to death.  MacKenzie who always pretends to only speak Galic could suddenly speak fluent English when they sentenced his dog to die.  MacKenzie escapes after just four months but is recaptured hiding in the roof of a cottage.  This time MacKenzie gets put in 18Lb leg irons, but yet again he escapes.

STATION FOUR MacKenzie’s  Pardon.  James has a lucky break when the Canterbury Superintendent Hendry Tancred visits him in jail.  MacKenzie explains how he was on the pay roll of a Mr Mossman who was known to Sidebottom and had paid the money to take the sheep.  Governor Gore Brown believes this story and James MacKenzie is a free man.  Before more trouble and witnesses testify against him James is taken to the first ship out of Lyttelton.

MacKenzie’s reputation was so illustrious he became an immediate and admired Folk Hero.  Before long in Inland South Island High Country that includes Mount Cook is named after this likeable sheep stealer.  The MacKenzie Country is now a tourist destination that attracts thousands of visitors every year.