Floatplanes and flying boats have been a part of the history of Fiordland since the building of the West Arm power station in the late 1960's and have been operating from Te Anau ever since. Older generation pilots and residents of Te Anau remember a Short Sunderland, Grumman G73 Mallard, and a Catalina aircraft landing on Lake Te Anau in the early 60’s.
Ritchie Air Services (RAS) was the first commercial float plane operation in Te Anau. Started in 1960 in Gore by Ian Ritchie with a Cessna 180 ZK-BQJ and a Dominie ZK-ALB the airline opened its Te Anau operation in 1962.
https://www.go2newzealand.nz/destinations/fiordland/history-of-seaplanes-in-Fiordland