Ohai Line and the Wairio Branch

New Zealand's last surviving branch railway is a lifeline, for the people of Nightcaps, Ohai and Wairio, and for the two big industries involved. One is a Coal Mine, the other is Fonterra's Temuka Dairy Factory, which runs on the coal railed in from here.

These two little towns, either side of Nightcaps by a few kilometres in each direction by road, are here thanks to the coal seams that run throughout the district. One mining company remains, therefore the rail line remains open.

Ohai, which grew here on what was a farm called Birchwood Station, used to have a Post Office, school, School of Mines, Mines Rescue Station and a Hotel, is now just home to the mine and a few miners.

Wairio and Ohai are speckled with run down and worn out business buildings from the last century. But, rightfully, the offices of the former Railway Board here in at 86 Main Street Wairio are Category One Heritage listed. They represent, even in their post-museum retirement phase, the very centre of the reason that these little towns are placed where they are and the reason that many of the early settlers were from Newcastle, UK.

The railway line was a private one, and though it is now in Railways ownership, it remains the longest and last running branch line in New Zealand.

Image Credits: Google Maps