Ōkaihau to celebrate 100 years of rail

The historic Ōkaihau Railway Station first started operating 100 years ago on October 29, 1923.

The tiny Northland settlement of Ōkaihau is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of its railway branch this weekend.

And while the train line to Ōkaihau ceased operations in 1987, on Sunday it will celebrate the anniversary of the line opening.

The final stage of the link opened on October 29, 1923, and a group of passionate locals from the Ōkaihau community have developed a railway-themed rest area along Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail to commemorate the significant event.

The Ōkaihau railway branch would have opened years before 1923, but work on the line stopped with the outbreak of World War I. There was a shortage of men available to work, and the country’s funds were diverted towards the nation’s war effort.

Volunteers working on a shelter near Ōkaihau Railway Station ahead of its centenary celebrations on Sunday.

Ōkaihau was a hive of activity in the 1940s and ‘50s, with six trains a week coming through the station. The service moved to freight-only in 1976. Finally, with relaxed road transport laws and a decline in forestry, the branch line closed in late 1987.

However, the influence of the railway is still seen and felt in the area. The Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail runs along the old route between Ōkaihau and Kaikohe, and the rail tunnel in the centre of town is a quiet reminder of what might have been had the government of the day pursued the line north.

The rest area looks out to the site of the old railway station, and includes a charming shelter where trail users can pause and ponder what this place would have been like in its heyday. Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail Trust has supported the project by clearing the site and creating a bilingual interpretation board that tells the history of the railway in Ōkaihau.

Members of the Ōkaihau community, local businesses and organisations, including the Ōkaihau Lions Club, Ōkaihau Transport and the Ōkaihau Community Association, have donated many hours, resources and funding to complete this project in time for the anniversary.

Local resident and owner of Ōkaihau Rail Stay, Noeline Inverarity, has been key in bringing the project to life. The railway is an important piece of Ōkaihau’s history, and the community wanted to do something significant to commemorate the anniversary, says Inverarity.

An historic aerial view of Ōkaihau Railway Station.

“It’s been heart-warming to see the community support this project. Locals have volunteered their time in various ways, whether helping with construction at the site like Mike Richardson, who built the shelter, or providing historical photographs for the storyboard. Everyone has done their bit. We even had Jack Winwood telling stories about his time working at the Ōkaihau Railway Station to raise money for the project.”

A blessing of the site and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on the site off Lake Rd at 11am on Sunday, and will be followed by a community picnic at Two Ponga Park, Ōkaihau. A shuttle service leaves Ōkaihau Hall for the site ahead of the ceremony, or people can walk to there along the cycle trail.