88-459: The Ahimanawa Range is a range of rugged hills in the northern Hawke's Bay region of the eastern North Island of New Zealand . It is located between Napier and Taupō . 39°00′S 176°27′E / 39.000°S 176.450°E / -39.000; 176.450 This Hawke's Bay Region geography article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hawke%27s Bay Hawke's Bay ( Māori : Te Matau-a-Māui )
176-458: A 2019 feasibility study had proposed repairs for that and other slips and concluded that there was an economic case for reopening the line. Cyclone Gabrielle closed the line north of Woodville after 13 February 2023. Bridges washed away were 176 in Waipawa, 212 and 216 north of Hastings, and Waitangi bridge, 217, north of Clive and some other areas of track were undermined. Reopening to Hastings
264-584: A head on crash at Whakaki, injuring 16 passengers, probably due to the drivers of the DA locomotive falling asleep. On 6 May 2005 part of a train (a 60-tonne crane and two wagons) repairing the bridge fell into the Nūhaka River at Nūhaka , when Bridge 256 collapsed beneath it, due to boring by teredo worms . No one was injured. Axle load limits were 16.3 tonnes, but the crane weighed up to 24.1 tonnes. Due to sales of lighter cranes, following privatisation , no other
352-901: A population of 175,074 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 8,706 people (5.2%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 23,895 people (15.8%) since the 2013 census . There were 85,497 males, 89,055 females and 516 people of other genders in 63,735 dwellings. 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 40.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 34,641 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 30,249 (17.3%) aged 15 to 29, 76,266 (43.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33,918 (19.4%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.3% European ( Pākehā ); 28.6% Māori ; 6.2% Pasifika ; 6.5% Asian ; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
440-554: A private company to take over construction and operation of the line in 1933. The proposal continued until a new government , the first Labour government , was elected in November 1935 . In early 1936, the new Minister of Public Works Bob Semple ordered the recommencement of work on the line. This led to the Napier – Putorino section being reopened on 17 October 1936. On 1 July 1937, the 275 metres (902 ft) long Mohaka Viaduct
528-573: A service between Napier and Wairoa on 3 July 1939, and when the line to Gisborne was completed, the Gisborne Express was introduced on 7 September 1942, running from Wellington through to Gisborne. This service typically operated twice-weekly except for holiday periods when it was more frequent, but it ceased to operate in 1955 and was replaced by more efficient railcars except for occasional reinstatement during holiday periods to cater for heavy loads. By this time, railcars had already replaced
616-413: A significant commodity. By the late 20th century, the emphasis had dramatically changed to long-distance bulk freight, including frozen meat, canned foods, and fertiliser from near Gisborne. The line between Fonterra 's Oringi Milk Transfer Station, just south of Dannevirke, and Palmerston North was used for hauling milk wagons that then formed part of the freight to Fonterra's Whareroa plant near Hawera on
704-495: A total of 103 km of railway built in six years. Construction slowed from this stage due both to the terrain and the beginning of the Long Depression . The next section, from Kopua to Makotuku , featured two viaducts; the 280 m (920 ft) long, 39 m (128 ft) high Ormondville viaduct and the 240 ft (73 m) long, 85 ft (26 m) high Makotuku viaduct. It opened on 9 August 1880. It
792-410: Is Splash Planet , an amusement and water park that is open in the summer. Cape Kidnappers , a headland at the south-eastern extremity of Hawke Bay, is a popular tourist attraction. The cape has been identified as an Important Bird Area due to being a breeding site for over 6500 pairs of Australasian gannets . Palmerston North-Gisborne Line The Palmerston North–Gisborne Line ( PNGL )
880-561: Is a region on the east coast of New Zealand 's North Island . The region is named for Hawke Bay , which was named in honour of Edward Hawke . The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings , while the more rural parts of the region are served by the towns of Waipukurau , Waipawa , and Wairoa . Hawke's Bay is named for the bay to its east, Hawke Bay , which was named in honour of Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke by Captain James Cook during one of his voyages along
968-748: Is a secondary main line railway in the North Island of New Zealand. It branches from the North Island Main Trunk at Palmerston North and runs east through the Manawatū Gorge to Woodville , where it meets the Wairarapa Line , and then proceeds to Hastings and Napier in Hawke's Bay before following the coast north to Gisborne . Construction began in 1872, but the entire line was not completed until 1942. The line crosses
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#17327978974151056-488: Is an otherwise unremarkable hill in southern Hawke's Bay, not far from Waipukurau . Hawke's Bay Region covers 14,139.05 km (5,459.12 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 185,400 as of June 2024, 3.5 percent of New Zealand's population, with a population density of 13 people per km . Around 74 percent of the region's population lives in the Napier-Hastings conurbation . Hawke's Bay Region had
1144-527: Is concurrent with State Highway 50 passing by Taradale. The Hawke's Bay Expressway forms the next section of the road as it crosses over the Tutaekuri and Ngaruroro rivers. The road then bisects Hastings and Flaxmere. The road continues through the Heretaunga Plains into Central Hawke's Bay, connecting the towns of Ōtāne, Waipawa, and Waipukurau. It then heads towards Takapau where it meets
1232-529: Is dry and temperate, and the long, hot summers and cool winters offer excellent weather for growing grapes. Missionaries in the mid 19th century planted the first vines in Hawke's Bay and it is now an important place for full bodied red wines. The wine region is the second largest after the Marlborough wine region , with 4,681 hectares (11,570 acres) of vineyards and 91 operating wineries in 2018. Hawke's Bay
1320-536: Is home to Rocket Lab 's Launch Complex 1 , New Zealand's first orbital launch site, on Māhia Peninsula . Wairoa District is home to Space Coast New Zealand , a stretch of coastline from which space launches can be viewed. Rocket Lab launches its Electron rockets several times a year, after its first successful launch of Humanity Star in January 2018. Hawke's Bay is served by Hawke's Bay Airport (also known as Napier Airport). 452,000 travellers passed through
1408-538: Is one of only two places in New Zealand with a possessive apostrophe in its name, the other being Arthur's Pass . Captain Cook originally used an apostrophe in the name for the bay, but was inconsistent and wrote the name without an apostrophe a day later. Many New Zealanders spell the name without an apostrophe. Bay whaling stations operated on the shores of the bay in the nineteenth century. Hawke's Bay Province
1496-621: The Endeavour , which was modelled on the successful Southerner . Railcars survived on the run through to Gisborne until 30 May 1976, when they were replaced by an extension of the Endeavour. It ran once daily in each direction, but its quality gradually declined during the 1980s as the rolling stock was reallocated to other trains; this included the removal of a buffet car, necessitating lengthy refreshment stops in Napier and Palmerston North. On 8 March 1988, Cyclone Bola significantly damaged
1584-655: The Local Government Act , the public had the right to demand a binding referendum on whether the amalgamation should proceed; such a demand would be valid if it was signed by at least 10% of the affected electors in one of the affected districts. Two days after the final proposal was issued, a valid referendum demand signed by more than 10% of the affected electors in the Rangitikei district was received (there were only twelve affected electors in that district, therefore only two signatures were required to trigger
1672-623: The M class , and after the acquisition of the WMR, the U class also saw some use on the PNGL, especially on the Napier Express . The use of A class locomotives allowed timetables to be quickened in 1914; this again occurred with the introduction of the A class in 1925 and the K and J classes after World War II. B class locomotives were employed on the Manawatū Gorge stretch during
1760-512: The Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council (also known as Horizons Regional Council) since the 1989 local government reforms . Hawke's Bay is covered by five general electorates — namely Napier , Tukituki , Wairarapa , Rangitīkei , and Taupō . The bulk of the region is contained within the Napier and Tukituki electorates, the former comprising most of the northern part of the region (including Napier and Wairoa), whilst
1848-414: The Napier Express ; in 1954, the daily express was replaced by twice-daily services run initially by Standard railcars and then by 88 seaters . This markedly quickened the journey from Napier to Wellington from 7 hours to 5.5 hours. The railcars entered into service to Gisborne on 1 August 1955 and also ran twice daily; one return service terminated in Napier while one went through to Wellington. To augment
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#17327978974151936-686: The Richter magnitude scale , which killed 256 people. Napier rebuilt and now the city is world-famous for its Art Deco buildings, and celebrates its heritage each February with the Art Deco Weekend . MTG Hawke's Bay , formerly Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact. During the Second World War , the German submarine U-862 entered the waters around Napier undetected, surfacing by
2024-535: The Rimutaka Incline . Due to the isolation of Gisborne, a railway link to other centres was not initially given serious consideration. By 1900, a Railway League had been formed to pressure the government into building two lines, one via Rotorua to Auckland and another to Napier and thus Wellington. Gisborne's first railway, the initial portion of what became the Moutohora Branch , opened to
2112-563: The Wairarapa line from Woodville has been discontinued. The Palmerston North to Woodville section of the PNGL is also utilised for two daily trains between Palmerston North and Pahiatua in the northern Wairarapa , and two shunts operate between Napier and Hastings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Tunnels Nos. 3,4,5 near Woodville at the east end of the Manawatū Gorge were "daylighted" or opened out in May–November 2008 to allow
2200-446: The 1930s. On the line to Gisborne, locomotives of the A , J , and X classes were also employed. A last J -hauled train ran from Napier to Gisborne on 7 October 1966. Steam was fully replaced by diesel motive power in 1966, with D class locomotives predominant. By the 1980s, the DF class had been introduced, the use of the underpowered DBR class had caused some tardy operation of
2288-674: The Bay of Plenty and the Moutohora Branch was never completed. The line has not carried passenger trains since October 2001, when the Bay Express service was cancelled. The northern portion of the line, from Napier to Gisborne is currently inoperative due to damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. The section was mothballed north of Wairoa due to four significant washouts during a storm in March 2012. The whole Napier–Gisborne section
2376-733: The Endeavour, and the DA class was withdrawn by the late 1980s. During the 1990s, the DX and DC class locomotives were regularly used on the PNGL; the damage caused by Cyclone Bola meant that when repair work was undertaken, clearances were improved and the DX class were authorised to operate to Gisborne from September 1988. In the 2020s the dominant form of motive power on the PNGL is the DL class , with some services hauled by DF class locomotives and mainline shunts by DSG class locomotives. On 22 September 1925 three were killed and several others seriously injured after
2464-581: The Hawke's Bay Region into a unitary authority that would hold all local decision-making powers for the region. This proposal was initiated by an application from a group called "A Better Hawke's Bay" and followed the Government-led amalgamation of eight local authorities into the new Auckland Council in 2010 and a 2012 "prosperity study" that found a similar amalgamation in Hawke's Bay could save up to $ 25m per year. A previous proposal to merge Napier and Hastings, though supported by Hastings residents,
2552-523: The Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate. Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day is an annual day of celebration held on the Friday before Labour Day. It is celebrated throughout the old provincial boundaries of Hawke's Bay. The region is served by a variety of radio stations including Radio Kahungunu, The Hits 89.5, More FM, access station Radio Hawke's Bay (formally Radio Kidnappers) and local station Bay FM. As well, most of
2640-496: The MNPL. The number of services varied seasonally, but at peak was usually two each way per day. The transfer station closed in 2015. Freight is conveyed to Napier Port , which is located near the PNGL and accessed via the short Ahuriri Branch . Presently, two trains run on weekdays each way between Palmerston North and Napier, with a third service one or both ways if required. A past direct service between Wellington and Napier using
2728-515: The Manawatū Gorge, the line was not completed until 9 March 1891. Upon completion, a direct route between Napier and Wellington was established but required a change of trains in Longburn with the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company . On 11 December 1897, the Wairarapa Line was completed through to Woodville and this provided a through NZR connection from Wellington to Hawke's Bay, via
Ahimanawa Range - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-488: The Moutohora – Taneatua section. Semple promised these delegations that work would recommence following the end of hostilities. By late 1946, no further work had been undertaken; in 1947 a further promise was made of an "early connection" following a strong showing for the opposition at the 1946 New Zealand general election . In 1948 Semple retrenched his position, claiming that he had only ever promised an investigation of
2904-460: The PWD to NZR on 1 July 1939. Work persisted on the final section from Waikokopu to Gisborne through World War II and the final stage was completed in 1942. The PWD was able to operate freight trains through to Gisborne from 3 August 1942, passengers were carried from 7 September 1942, and the complete PNGL passed into NZR ownership on 1 February 1943. The original intention of the Moutohora Branch
2992-853: The Sound Shell. The submarine fired a torpedo at the Pukeko , a steamer leaving the Port of Napier, but narrowly missed. On the 13th and 14 February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle caused extensive damage in Hawke's Bay as it passed over the North Island. Power, phone service and internet access was cut to over 16,000 properties when the main Redcliffe substation was damaged in floodwaters after the Tutaekuri River burst its banks. Downstream, 1,000 people were evacuated from low-lying plains surrounding
3080-646: The WMR's route was incorporated into the NZR network, the Napier Express was re-routed to the west coast, with the Wairarapa Mail providing a connection from Woodville with towns in the Wairarapa. While the Express ran through the Wairarapa, W class locomotives hauled a feeder service between Palmerston North and Woodville. Following a trial run in 1938, NZR RM class Standard railcars began operating
3168-464: The Waipara river rose to record levels. The total cost and damages are unknown at this time. The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island . It bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay , a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Māhia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers . The Hawke's Bay Region includes the hilly coastal land around
3256-477: The Wellington to Napier mail train derailed just south of Opapa (Te Aute) due to excessive speed (about 50 mph (80 km/h)), when taking a 7.5 ch (500 ft; 150 m) curve , with a 25 mph (40 km/h) speed limit. The derailed locomotive was NZR A Class No.600. The driver was convicted of manslaughter and imprisoned for two years. On 23 March 1967 a freight train and railcar had
3344-424: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 20,490 (14.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 77,136 (54.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 36,423 (25.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 39,300, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 12,315 people (8.8%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
3432-493: The closure of the completed section, work recommenced on the line after the earthquake, and by September, all that was required to complete the Napier to Wairoa section was one tunnel, one viaduct ( Matahorua Viaduct), and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of track. Due to the toll of the earthquake and the Great Depression, the government recommended that work cease and the line be abandoned. The line remained in place for
3520-427: The coast, is the largest lake in Hawke's Bay, the fourth largest in the North Island and the 16th largest in New Zealand. The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, and the longest in the world according to the 2009 Guinness Book of Records. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
3608-427: The coasts of New Zealand. The Māori language name for Hawke's Bay is Te Matau-a-Māui ( lit. the fishhook belonging to Māui ). This name comes from a traditional story in which Maui lifted the islands of New Zealand from the waters. The story says that Hawke's Bay is the fishhook that Māui used, with Portland Island and Cape Kidnappers being the northern and southern barbs of the hook, respectively. Hawke's Bay
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3696-497: The construction of the line was plagued by natural disasters and a lack of money and government will to complete the project. The Great Depression following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 led to a temporary halt to the entire project. In January 1931 all the workers on the project were dismissed. In February that year the Hawke's Bay earthquake resulted in the closure of the completed Napier – Putorino section. Despite
3784-638: The councillors are: Between 2013 and 2015 the Local Government Commission considered amalgamating Hawke's Bay Regional Council, its four constituent territorial authorities ( Napier City Council , Central Hawke's Bay District Council , Hastings District Council and Wairoa District Council ), and the small parts of the Rangitikei District Council (the rural community of Ngamahanga ) and Taupo District Council (the rural community of Taharua ) that fall within
3872-471: The decades-old rolling stock meant that the Bay Express was cancelled from 7 October 2001. Since this time, the PNGL has been entirely freight only. In 2017 a report said one of the restrictions was a 70 km/h (43 mph) on the whole line. In the earliest years of the line, the emphasis was on local freight, primarily agricultural products. As land was cleared for farming, timber also constituted
3960-406: The election of the first Labour government in 1935, Bob Semple promised work on the Moutohora – Taneatua section would commence once men and equipment were available. Prior to the 1938 New Zealand general election a new work camp and worksops were established at Taneatua, and pegging parties began to mark out the route from Taneatua to Opotiki. This work came to an abrupt end in the weeks following
4048-419: The express trains and railcars, numerous other mixed trains and local passenger services also once operated on the PNGL between various destinations, including intermediate termini such as Waipukurau, but these had all ceased by the 1960s. In 1968 and 1971, cuts were made to the services as the railcars wore out, and on 6 November 1972, they were cancelled entirely on the Wellington to Napier run and replaced by
4136-695: The first section opened to Hastings on 13 October 1874; from Napier's railway station, it followed a coastal shingle ridge to Clive , and then turned inland. From Hastings, the line proceeded inland through the initially easy country but became steadily more difficult. It was thickly wooded at the time and the upper reaches and tributaries of the Manawatū River provided engineering difficulties. The line opened to Pakipaki on 1 January 1875; Te Aute on 17 February 1876; Waipawa on 28 August 1876 and Waipukurau three days later on 1 September 1876. Takapau followed on 12 March 1877, then Kopua on 25 January 1878 for
4224-607: The general election. In 1939 £45,000 was provided for extension from Taneatua to Opotiki and a route pegged out as far as a proposed Waimana railway station. The outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 ensured the Government had a justification for not bringing the project to a halt, while promising that the halt was only temporary. With the completion of the Napier – Gisborne section in 1943, further delegations were made by Gisborne business interests to complete
4312-530: The inland Ngatapa route and began work on the coastal route. At this time, the route from Napier to Wairoa was also under construction. The first sod had been turned in Napier in 1912, but delays meant the line was not opened to Eskdale by the PWD until December 1922 and handed over to the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) on 23 July 1923. The next section, to Putorino , was handed over to NZR on 6 October 1930. At this point,
4400-407: The introduction of Mixed-Member Proportional elections in New Zealand, both electorates have been held by both Labour and National members of parliament, often shifting in a way similar to that of the nation as a whole. Hawke's Bay is also covered by three Māori electorates — namely Ikaroa-Rāwhiti , Waiariki , and Te Tai Hauāuru . The vast majority of the population of the region is within
4488-462: The latter comprises much of the central parts of the region and the area around Hastings, including Havelock North and Clive. Wairarapa, which extends across parts of Greater Wellington and Manawatū-Whanganui, includes much of Central Hawke's Bay District, including Waipukurau and Waipawa. The Rangitīkei and Taupō electorates do not contain much of any population within the region. Napier and Tukituki are often called ' bellwether ' electorates. Since
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#17327978974154576-621: The level below regional is organised into territorial authorities , consisting of Hastings District , Wairoa District , Central Hawke's Bay District , and Napier City . The localities of Taharua in the Taupo District and Ngamatea in the Rangitikei District are also within the boundaries of the region. It does not include the Tararua District , Dannevirke , Woodville or Norsewood , which have been under
4664-429: The line between Napier and Gisborne, resulting in the truncation of passenger services to Napier. Passenger services never ran beyond Napier in regular service again. On 11 December 1989, the Endeavour was replaced by the Bay Express . This train restored the standards of the original 1972 Endeavour, and it operated throughout the 1990s. Declining patronage and an unwillingness on the part of Tranz Scenic to replace
4752-535: The link with the WMR was established, the earliest incarnation of the Napier Express began operating. It first required a change of trains at Longburn , then, when the Wairarapa Line opened, it operated directly through to Wellington. Difficulties associated with the Rimutaka Incline meant the journey via the Wairarapa actually took over an hour longer than the west coast route of the WMR, and once
4840-631: The main centres up north – including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, and Taupō. It travels through the hilly interior of the region. It meets up with State Highway 2 after passing through Eskdale. The Taihape-Napier Road serves as an inland route between Hawke's Bay and the Rangitikei and Ruapehu districts, creating a connection to the towns of Taihape , Waiouru , and Ohakune . State Highway 50 starts in Ahuriri in Napier and after being concurrent with State Highway 2, splits off and connects
4928-471: The money from that and go and invest it in upgrading the roads and, and making investments in flood protection and other things.” In 2023 local bodies in the region proposed that the Wairoa-Gisborne section of the line be re-opened at an estimated cost of $ 80.5 million; including a new 500m tunnel to bypass a section of track washed away when a hillside collapsed in November 2021. KiwiRail said that
5016-441: The more interior sections of the region – including the settlements of Fernhill , Maraekakaho , Tikokino , Ongaonga , and Ashley Clinton . The road terminates at an intersection with State Highway 2 near Takapau. The region is governed by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, which has its main office and council chamber in Napier. The council consists of eleven elected members and holds elections every three years. As of 26 October 2022
5104-605: The national commercial and non-commercial operators have transmitters covering the region. Hawke's Bay is home to numerous parks, forests, beaches and various other natural attractions. Napier and Hastings are home to many parks, with major parks including Cornwall, Frimley, and Windsor Parks in Hastings, and Anderson Park, Park Island, Taradale Park and the Botanical Gardens in Napier. Located in Windsor Park
5192-405: The next four years with no work occurring on its completion, gradually deteriorating. A petition of 8,000 signatures to recommence construction of the line was presented to parliament, and in the November 1931 New Zealand general election , Gisborne MP Douglas Lysnar lost his seat to Labour candidate David Coleman on Labour's promise to recommence construction. There was briefly a proposal for
5280-629: The north in 1902. In 1910 a route south was approved. This was proposed to follow an inland route to the Wairoa River , which would then be followed to the town of Wairoa before proceeding along the coastline to Napier. Work began in April 1911, and the first 18 kilometres (11 mi) to Ngatapa was essentially complete by December 1914. The economic impacts of World War I led to the suspension of construction beyond Ngatapa towards Waikura, and it did not recommence until 1920 after further surveying
5368-582: The northern and central bay, the floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, the wide fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings in the south, and a hilly interior stretching up into the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges . The prominent peak Taraponui is located inland. Five major rivers flow to the Hawke's Bay coast. From north to south, they are the Wairoa River , Mohaka River , Tutaekuri River , Ngaruroro River and Tukituki River . Lake Waikaremoana , situated in northern Hawke's Bay, roughly 35 km from
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#17327978974155456-551: The other end of State Highway 50. After Takapau it heads into the Tararua District and through the towns of Norsewood and Dannevirke . State Highway 2 is the main route heading south from Napier-Hastings to get to major centres such as Palmerston North and Wellington . State Highway 5 enters Hawke's Bay from the north-west as the Napier-Taupo Road. It serves as the main connection between Hawke's Bay and
5544-426: The plains. In the hilly parts of the region sheep and cattle farming predominates, with forestry blocks in the roughest areas. Hawke's Bay has 17,886 ha (44,200 acres) of horticultural land, the third largest area in New Zealand behind Canterbury and Marlborough . The largest crops by land area are apples (4,750 ha), wine grapes (3,620 ha), squash (3,390 ha), and peas and beans (1,360 ha). The climate
5632-536: The poll ). The referendum was held by post. Voting concluded on Tuesday 15 September 2015. Because 66% of electors opposed the change, the proposal was defeated and did not progress further. Results broken down to the council level showed that only Hastings district electors favoured amalgamation (52% in favour). Napier (84% opposed), Wairoa District (88% opposed) and Central Hawke's Bay (58%) were opposed. Only four votes were returned from Rangitikei (two each way); no votes were returned from Taupo district. Government at
5720-593: The port from late 2017 due to a surge in forestry log traffic. In February 2018 it was announced that $ 5 million from the Provincial Development Fund would be allocated to reopen the section for forestry trains. The first train on the Napier–Wairoa line for six years ran from Napier to Eskdale on 6 June 2018 to make a ballast drop. The Napier–Wairoa section was reopened in June 2019. In 2021, it
5808-448: The rail link. Following this response, local Gisborne interests realised that the battle was lost. Motouhora was to remain a branch line, which closed in 1959. The ECMT was redefined in 1978 as Hamilton – Kawerau, leaving Taneatua as a branch, eventually being closed to traffic in 2001. Until the completion of the line from Napier to Palmerston North, passengers were catered for solely by slow mixed trains that also conveyed goods. Once
5896-694: The region coming south from Gisborne, connecting the East Cape region to Hawke's Bay. It continues through Nūhaka and then Wairoa, crossing over the Mohaka River near the Mohaka Viaduct . It then winds through the hills of northern Hawke's Bay, passing by Lake Tūtira . It meets the ocean and then passes through Whirinaki where it intersects with the end of State Highway 5. After cutting by Bay View , it passes by Hawke's Bay Airport as it enters Napier next to Pandora Pond . As it goes through Napier it
5984-553: The river, where significant parts of Taradale, Meeanee and Awatoto were submerged. The floodwaters destroyed 4 bridges, including Redcliffe Bridge, a major crossing just south of Taradale. SH2 and SH51 bridges were heavily damaged, but did not collapse. A span of the Palmerston North-Gisborne Line crossing the Tutaekuri River also collapsed. The Ngaruroro River also breached its banks, flooding
6072-403: The route. With the change in government following the 1949 New Zealand general election , a further delegation from Gisborne presented to new Minister of Works Stan Goosman (who was also Minister of Railways) a case for completing the link. Goosman would not make any commitment to the project, and pointed to a new highway parliament had authorised between Opotiki and Gisborne as an alternative to
6160-411: The runway of Gisborne Airport , one of the world's few railways to do so since Pakistan's Khyber Pass Railway closed. In conjunction with the Moutohora Branch that ran north from Gisborne between 1900 and 1959, the line was originally intended to connect to the East Coast Main Trunk , described in 1875 as the North Island trunk line, but the difficult inland section between the Tāneatua Branch in
6248-468: The terminal in the 12 months to June 2013. This increased to 652,426 in the 12 months to June 2017. Hastings Aerodrome is a smaller uncontrolled airport in Bridge Pa near Hastings. Inter-regional travel into and out of Hawke's Bay is served by State Highway 2 and State Highway 5 , as well as the Taihape-Napier Road . State Highway 38 also connects inter-regionally, although it is less used due to being partially unsealed. State Highway 2 enters
6336-481: The town of Omahu where 20 people required evacuation via helicopter. In Wairoa, the Wairoa River breached its banks, flooding approximately 15 percent of the town. Access to Wairoa was cut off after extensive damage on SH2's Mohaka River Bridge in the south, and landslides also closing SH2 to the north. Water supply in Central Hawke's Bay failed, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for eastern Waipawa after
6424-484: The use of "hi-cube" containers on the line. The work was carried out by HRS, a subsidiary of Downers. Following a storm in March 2012, the Wairoa–Gisborne section of the line was mothballed. The Napier–Wairoa section remained open for forestry traffic until December 2012, when it too was mothballed. In October 2016 KiwiRail and the Port of Napier announced an intention to reopen the section of line between Wairoa and
6512-540: Was announced the number of trains on the section would double with a weekday service added by KiwiRail. Steam locomotives operated most trains on the PNGL until the 1960s, when all passenger duties were taken by railcars and remaining trains were dieselised . The earliest motive power was provided by F class tank locomotives . J class tender locomotives were introduced for the Napier Express upon its commencement and were later augmented by N class locomotives. The Ns sometimes worked in conjunction with members of
6600-472: Was available for the job. The report also mentioned an engineering manager's opinion that the standard and frequency of ageing timber bridge inspections had fallen below desirable levels and that there were insufficient engineering staff. The bridge reopened in July 2005. In February 2023 the rail bridge at Awatoto was wiped out by Cyclone Gabrielle. A slip near Whareongaonga worsened in November 2021, but
6688-566: Was completed; at 97 metres (318 ft) high, it is New Zealand's highest viaduct. The full line from Napier to Wairoa and Waikokopu opened on 23 August 1937. Severe flooding in February 1938 forced the closure of the entire line beyond Putorino and killed 21 construction workers on the final stage between Waikokopu and Gisborne in the Kopuawhara disaster . The line was restored to operational standards by December 1938 and transferred from
6776-516: Was constructed in two distinct phases. The southern portion between Napier and Palmerston North was built between 1872 and 1891, while the northern portion from Napier to Gisborne followed at a much later date, 1912 to 1942. Hawke's Bay featured in Julius Vogel 's " Great Public Works " scheme of 1870 to create a cohesive national transport network, and in 1871, a line south from Napier was officially authorised. Construction commenced in 1872 and
6864-583: Was defeated in a public referendum in 1999. The Local Government Commission released an initial proposal in November 2013. After taking public submissions on the proposal, the Commission issued a final proposal in June 2015. The final proposal was that Hawke's Bay would be governed by a unitary council comprising a governing body (one mayor elected at-large and eighteen councillors elected across five wards) with subsidiary decision-making made by five local boards (each with six to nine elected members). Under
6952-400: Was estimated at $ 50,251 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 1.14 billion (13.9%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 1.84 billion (22.3%), service industries contributed $ 4.56 billion (55.3%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 707 million (8.6%). The region is renowned for its horticulture, with large orchards and vineyards on
7040-481: Was founded in 1858 as a province of New Zealand , after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858. The Province was abolished in 1876 along with all other provinces in New Zealand. It was replaced with a Provincial District. On February 3, 1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated by New Zealand's worst natural disaster, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on
7128-503: Was nearly four years until the next section, 7 km to Matamau , opened on 23 June 1884. On 1 December 1884, the major centre of Dannevirke was reached. Beyond Dannevirke, the terrain became somewhat easier and the line reached Woodville at the eastern end of the Manawatū Gorge on 22 March 1887. However, work from the Palmerston North end had not begun until 1886, and due to significant engineering troubles associated with
7216-567: Was officially mothballed (but not closed) in December 2012. The Napier–Wairoa section reopened for forestry traffic in June 2019, but has been mothballed again following Cyclone Gabrielle. The section between Wairoa and Gisborne has suffered from further slips and washouts since 2012. The Gisborne City Vintage Railway has a lease agreement over the Gisborne to Muriwai section of the line, which it uses for its seasonal vintage trains. The PNGL
7304-585: Was on 3 April, but 5 piers of bridge 217 were washed away which delayed reopening of the line to Napier until 15 September. The line to Wairoa suffered extensive damage and will take even longer to reopen. In December 2023 the Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon , indicated that the Napier-Wairoa line wouldn't be reopened, saying, “My personal view is that railway is a low priority and it is something that we shouldn’t be progressing. I’d sooner take
7392-533: Was shown on the map, after which it became a stock road and then Wairoa aerodrome . In 1920, work began on a short isolated branch from Wairoa to the port of Waikokopu ; it was completed in 1924 and was built initially to ship meat from a freezing works in Wairoa. In 1924, an engineer's report recommended this branch be incorporated as the southernmost portion of a new coastal route from Wairoa to Gisborne. The Public Works Department (PWD) accordingly abandoned
7480-608: Was spoken by 96.5%, Māori language by 7.2%, Samoan by 1.9% and other languages by 8.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.5, compared with 28.8% nationally. The major local Māori tribe is Ngāti Kahungunu . Religious affiliations were 33.6% Christian , 0.9% Hindu , 0.5% Islam , 3.3% Māori religious beliefs , 0.6% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.5%, and 6.5% of people did not answer
7568-435: Was that 69,846 (49.7%) people were employed full-time, 18,585 (13.2%) were part-time, and 3,948 (2.8%) were unemployed. Below is a list of urban areas that contain more than 1,000 population. Other towns and settlements in Hawke's Bay include: The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Hawke's Bay was estimated at NZ$ 8.67 billion in the year to March 2019, 2.9% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita
7656-538: Was to connect Gisborne with Auckland via Rotorua. As the East Coast Main Trunk (ECMT) extended into the Bay of Plenty, surveys focused on connecting the Moutohora branch with ECMT. A 1928 survey proposed a route from Matawai to reach the ECMT railhead at Taneatua via Opotiki. This scheme was shelved in 1931 (along with the construction of the Napier – Gisborne section) due to the Great Depression. Following
7744-399: Was undertaken. This work may have included some tunneling but no trace of this exists today. Work also recommenced at the other end of the inland line in 1919, with about 20 men, later 54, working at Frasertown in 1920, though hampered by concrete shortages. Alternative routes, including the coastal route, were surveyed in 1923. As late as 1934 the partly-built Wairoa to Frasertown line
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