Tapawera and Valleys Museum

Image Credit: Derek Smith and Maclean Barker Photographers

NZPlaces has an obsession with tiny libraries. In Tapawera, they have met us, and raised us one with their TINY MUSEUM.

This pint-sized treasure trove was the former rail station at a place called Kiwi, away up the Tadmore Valley from Tapawera, between Tadmore and Tui. While the line closed in 1955, it was 50 years before a local group restored this old station, relocated it to the Tapawera roadside rest area, evening installing a bit of rail track for atmosphere.

Inside is railway history and other taonga. The rest of Tapawera's attributes are abundantly clear to any visitor, it is a lush healthy river valley, currently supporting horticulture by way of berries and hops, as well as dairy, sheep and beef farming. The river itself is said to be full of trout and Kahurangi National Park is on the doorstep.