The Tasman River is an alpine braided river flowing through Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island. The river's headwaters are in Mount Cook National Park and flow south for 25 kilometres through the wide flat-bottomed Tasman Valley in the Southern Alps and into the northern end of the glacial Lake Pukaki.

The artist's love for this region is evident in his portrayal of musterers on horseback accompanied by Huntaway dogs. Bred in New Zealand for their outstanding sheep herding abilities, Huntaways are known for their intelligence, agility, loyalty and stamina. These stars of the South are able to work in the hills and mountains where it is difficult to walk or ride. They are becoming an increasingly popular breed in other countries, with a New Zealand Huntaway Club founded in Japan and Huntaways being bred in Australia for work and yard dog trials.