Provides background on early mining operations, the construction of the railway, its expansion as silver mining gave way to iron, lead and zinc, the changes from steam to electric and diesel, and the development of the steel industry in whyalla. Ford the river, and continue along the straight, smooth tramway. While based at the katikati motel there are plenty of activities to keep everyone interested. With no hills to climb it follows the waitawheta river up through the waitawheta valley. Mapspast current and historical topographic maps of new zealand. Here is the map for waitawheta hut via the tram line tramway. The 10 best north island hiking trails tripadvisor. We recognise the increased uncertainty that coronavirus covid19 may be causing and would like to offer our reassurances that the health and wellbeing.
They built a tramway up the waitawheta valley to get the timber out to the gold miners working in the mt martha. We recommend booking gate pa memorial reserve tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Hiking on the waitawheta tramway, new zealand the global couple. From hot springs to crystal clear lakes, read our guide to the pacific nothwests best budget travel destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. For example, the domesday book records only a handful of settlements in the whole of west penwith. Waitawheta tramway, bay of plenty bethells beach, auckland the wildernessexploring photography of young design graduate matt dowdle is making me want to go and have some adventures out there, too.
Getting the timber to the mill took strength and courage the bushmen would haul massive logs that could slip or roll, along narrow, muddy tracks. The hut is reached via waitawheta tramway, which starts about 11 km from waihi. Swim zone te aroha is perfect for a fun family day out, with a. It is a relatively easy walk along the old tramway and has over half a dozen of display board explaining the history of kauri extraction in the. The 26bed hut must be booked but you dont need to book if you are camping outside. The younger children stayed on the old waitawheta tramway track while the older ones crossed the river to visit the ancient giant twin kauri trees hidden in the bush. Oct 08, 2016 waitawheta bush tramway, franklin rd, waihi. A forgotten history gate pa memorial reserve, tauranga. If you want us to keep in touch then please let us know, at the bottom of this form, that you consent to receive marketing from glasgow life by emailpost and sms. Maps of all routes covering all stages of development. Regardless of whether youre a history buff, a hiking enthusiast, or simply a curious sightseer, the karangahake gorge is a terrific place to walk, cycle or soak up the stunning sights of the area. See all 2 gate pa memorial reserve tours on tripadvisor.
Its content is intended for tramway enthusiasts interested in the history of the town tramway systems of the united kingdom and ireland. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. The piako county tramway was built in 188283, just south of te aroha. It flows from a point southeast of mount te aroha in the kaimai range to the karangahake gorge at the foot of the coromandel peninsula to reach the ohinemuri river at karangahake, five kilometres east of paeroa.
Then came the big otago rush of 1861 and ended when waiuta closed in 1953. Welcome to new zealand official site for tourism new zealand. Waitawheta tramline walk and scott point, casnell island and scandret regional park. After skirting the small settlement of waitawheta, the river flows through the increasingly narrow waitawheta gorge before reaching the karangahake gorge. Posts about gold mining history written by nzcrownmines. Sunlive water journey at waikino the bays news first. It is always a treat to have our history buff and botanical expert, des, lead a walk so we were looking forward to this walk very much. Venue was well situated easy to find, good and central with parking at the very door. Beginning at the confluence of the ohinemuri and the waitawheta rivers, this walk heads up the waitawheta river through the waitawheta gorge tunnels to the remains of the woodstock pumphouse and beyond.
The tramway museum story 1955 2015 crich tramway village. Various objection were raised to this scheme, and the corporation refused to allow tram lines to be laid in the high street and above bar. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. There is a bush track which can be used to avoid this last river crossing if needed. Waitawheta hut, bay of plenty part one forest family nz. The 10 best outdoor activities in tauranga tripadvisor. The waitawheta tramway walk takes you from the end of franklin road to waitawheta hut in about 34 hours, depending on your fitness and your disposition to stop and have a look around along the way.
The 5 best tauranga hiking trails with photos tripadvisor. The waitawheta tramway track is a relatively flat easy walk following the old tram line for 9km one way. Looking to expand your search outside of north island. Possibilities for fit members to take longer return via recently reopened dalys clearing loop bush track. The definitive work on the history of nsw government tram services in newcastle.
Her name is mable and she is now running short trips along the. It carried quartz from gold mines in the kaimai range to waterpowered batteries in the waiorongomai stream valley below it was built to the rare 2 ft 9 in 838 mm gauge, thought to be that used on bush tramways in the waitawheta and neighbouring. Bush trams and other log transport te ara encyclopedia of. Fascinating history of the bhp tramway that connects the mines in iron knob, australia with the port of whyalla. Karangahake gorge waitawheta tramway to waitawheta hut. Discover the beauty and rich history of the rocky karangahake gorge a short drive further, featuring a large cascading waterfall and. Find out where to go, where to stay, and how to get started.
It is a relatively easy walk along the old tramway and has over half a dozen. Train pictures cool pictures standard gauge classic hot rod train times rail car. Hotels near waitawheta tramway, tauranga on tripadvisor. The waitawheta is a serviced hut and sleeps 26 people, it is quite a busy hut, so make sure you book. Waitawheta hut the quickest access to the waitawheta hut is a 34 hour hike following the historic tramway track. It carried quartz from gold mines in the kaimai range to waterpowered batteries in the waiorongomai stream valley below. Subsequently, however, tramway development continued abroad, mainly in the united states of america, where many street railways were opened. One of the first major works written about the trams in new zealand, this book has now been published in a new edition. Waitawheta hut via the tram line tramway freewalks. So interesting, we are so so lucky to still have this historic area available waitawheta is one of the most spectacular bush tramways ever built. Follow an old tramline 1898 1928 on a relatively flat track through the. Click on a marker to see a detailed description and photos about this track point. As a young electrical engineer, francis crockers dream began in 1935 while he was on a trip to banning, california. After surveying many, but not all, remains the book draws some conclusions on how tramway traces became embodied in our present archaeological record.
Building a tramway through this narrow, twisting gorge provided a number of engineering challenges. To this extent gaining insight from a wide range of maps is often the best course of action. Opposite the falls is the bistro at the falls retreat, while adjacent is the selfcontained countrystyle accommodation of falls retreat. A walk from the end of franklin road, waitawheta along the old tramway formation. The easy, scenic river walk passes through beautiful bush and good swimming holes. One of the many swing bridges along the track waitawheta tramway is a super easy and relaxed tramp, providing plenty of history and views. Past events nz explorers auckland, new zealand meetup.
The waitawheta tramway is an easy hike in new zealands kaimai ranges. Day and overnight walking, hiking, and backpacking options in new zealand. Hike distance approx 19km doc track intermediate level the waitawheta tramway was constructed betweenmasked to transport kauri logs out of the waitawheta valley. The other two times it crosses at old tramway bridge sites and can require your feet to get wet.
Highest rated places of interest or tour operators on tripadvisor, promoting those where there is at least one tour or activity available to book on tripadvisor. A new phase in tramways history began in 2008 when a creative director was appointed for the first time to focus the visual and performance programmes, and explore relationships with audiences. Jan 29, 2020 the waitawheta tramway walk takes you from the end of franklin road to waitawheta hut in about 34 hours, depending on your fitness and your disposition to stop and have a look around along the way. Sep 05, 2018 tramway remnants and information boards showcase the history of the area and glorious rocky bluffs frame the valley. A relatively lengthy 14 km section survives in near pristine condition in a. In recent years, doc has rebuilt some of the suspension bridges on the historic waitawheta tramway, ensuring easier access to this hut, which was resited next to an old timber mill site where a tramway turntable and haul lines can be explored. Palm springs, ca the palm springs aerial tramway, constructed in the rugged chino canyon on the north edge of palm springs, did not just happen. Kaimai mamaku conservation park contains a number of historic mining and kauri logging sites and features several popular tramping tracks. Pemberton tramway, a tourist railway in western australia. The kauri logging history and beautiful river scenery makes for a delightful walk.
Step back in time with a trip on whanganuis fully restored tram. A few kilometres further west, waitawheta rd leads across the river from sh2 to owharoa falls. The mumbles railway act was passed by the british parliament in 1804, and this first horsedrawn passenger tramway started operating in 1807. The principal new zealand goldfields were coromandel. The tmsv was founded in 1962 when a group of members of the victorian division of the australian electric traction association decided to concentrate on the preservation of victorias rich tramway heritage for future generations of victorians. The 10 closest hotels to waitawheta tramway tripadvisor. The track then continues across the waitawheta river headwaters to the wharawhara stream, katikati. Katikati is the gateway to the bay of plenty, approximately 2 hours from auckland and taupo, 90 minutes from hamilton and rotoura, and the coromandel peninsula is 30 minutes away. It was worked by steam from 1877, and then, from 1929, by very large 106seater electric tramcars, until closure in 1961. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Crich tramway village is a brand name for the national tramway museum accredited with arts council england, solely owned and operated by the tramway museum society, incorporated in england with liability by guarantee no. Beyond here, the tramway once crossed the river on a wooden trestle.
After an initial walk across farmland, the track is wide, reasonably flat and doc has recently erected bridges across all but one river crossing. Turn right into victoria street and follow this as it becomes frankton road, then waitawheta road. The waitawheta tramway was constructed between 1896 and 1910 to transport kauri logs out of. Swim zone te aroha all you need to know before you go. From the karangahake reserve car park begin by crossing both the suspension bridge over the ohinemuri river and then the lower waitawheta gorge bridge. Remnants of the mining tram tracks are still visible in many places, while only the foundations of the. A walk from the end of franklin road, waitawheta along the old tramway formation leads to the old timber mill and kauri dam. The track crosses the river eight times, with six being bridged. Explore or search old texts and modern research of the historic and natural heritage of the ohinemuri district. Apr 5, 2020 set at the base of mount te aroha in a natural bush setting, the outdoor heated leisure pools are the perfect place to relax or play. Thirtyfour keen walkers with an age spread of 20 to 80 years started at karangahake gorge, crossing the ohinemuri river bridge 10 at a time. Historic trails waitawheta print email ohinemuri regional history journal 28, september 1984.
The track is now cleared 23 metre wide track most of the way and is still being cleared by doc by a small digger. Tramway is also one of the key venues for glasgow international festival of contemporary art. The easiest route to waitawheta hut from franklin road is along the 7. A look back to an important part of nz timber industry history. Waitawheta sawmill started operation in 1923 they built a tramway up the waitawheta valley to get the timber out to the gold miners working in the mt martha gold mine in waihi and just down the road in the karangahake gorge. Pioneered by benjamin french, using a converted stagecoach, it was the first such tramway in the united kingdom, and also the first in the world, to carry farepaying passengers. This busy tramway operated from 1898 to 1928 and involved three companies. The stunning scenery makes this a very enjoyable walk. From steam to electric all rolling stock is meticulously detailed.
The waitawheta gorge tramway was constructed in 19091910 to enable the extraction of kauri from the kaimai mamaku forest in the bay of plenty. Ten top things to do in the bay of plenty, nz the big bus. January february 2015 auckland natural history club. Ohinemuri regional history journal 28, september 1984. This theme brings together a group of gold mining sites that began with the small coromandel rush of 1852, followed by another small rush in 1857 at aorere in golden bay. After about 9 km, turn off waitawheta road into franklin road. Jonathan boston,simon chapplepublished on 20140616 by bridget williams booksjonathan boston and simon chapple have written the definitive book on child. Waitawheta tramway tauranga 2020 all you need to know.
It flows from a point southeast of mount te aroha in the kaimai range to the karangahake gorge at the foot of the coromandel peninsula to reach the ohinemuri river at karangahake, five kilometres east of paeroa after skirting the small settlement of waitawheta, the river flows through the. Graham stewart is widely regarded as being new zealands best authority on tram history. Waitawheta is one of the most spectacular bush tramways ever built. There are plenty of waterfalls and places to stop for a scenic picnic. Forget the overcrowded campgrounds, steep entrance fees, and longwinded lists of dont touch rules at yosemite or yellowstone. From 1885 to 1940, the city of melbourne, victoria, australia operated one of the largest cable systems in the world, at its peak running 592 trams on 75 kilometres 47 mi of track, though during its heyday, sydneys network was larger, with about 1,600 cars in service at any one time at its peak during the 1930s cf. Waitawheta tramway hike to site of historic sawmill and waitawheta hut. It seems highly unlikely that the region was all but empty, but given this was an economic text and not a history one it is not too surprising either. New zealand tramper a community for good, keen trampers. This book provides a valuable insight into the neophyte enthusiast into our citys tramways. From waitawheta hut, retrace your steps down the valley to the waitawheta campsite. The waitawheta valley is where all the history on the old days of kauri logging. An important part of taurangas history gate pa memorial.
For details, see the book the era of the bush tram in new zealand. The 10 best bay of plenty region hiking trails with. Tramway remnants and information boards showcase the history of the area and glorious rocky bluffs frame the valley. We walked up the crown tramway track, on the left side of the waitawheta river gorge, enjoying spectacular views of. Waitawheta tramway is located in the karangahake gorge. By 1872, tramways were becoming fashionable and the british and foreign tramway company approached southampton corporation with a view to setting up a tramway in the town. For a full day hike rich in history and easy on the knees, retrace the waitawheta tramway upriver into the heart of old kauri country, reaching the site of the historic waitawheta sawmill next to waitawheta hut.
Relics and replicas bring the history to life along the waitawheta tramway. It required foresight, planning, financing and, most of all, vision. Trip reports mayjune 2017 auckland natural history club. A relatively lengthy 14 km section survives in near pristine condition.
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