HistoryCrookston, 11kms from Tapanui, is a fertile valley which was originally settled as a sheep and crop farminng area. Prior to 1876, the district was known as McKellars Flat. In the 1990s, the area underwent a period of change as many farms converted to dairy. The Black Gully Recreation Reserve is located at Crookston, having been named for Brooksdale Station shepherd Jack 'Black' Main who established a hut in the gully. Today Black Gully is a popular picnic, camping, tramping and hunting area.
