110-534: Great Journeys New Zealand is the tourism division of KiwiRail that operate its three Scenic train services ( TranzAlpine , Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific ). The new division was launched in May 2017 and replaced the former tourism brand KiwiRail Scenic Journeys . It has continuity with the earlier InterCity Rail (1987–1995) and Tranz Scenic (1995–2011). Passenger trains in New Zealand were operated by
220-646: A $ 40 million allocation to KiwiRail from the PGF. In 2019, the government began a "Future of Rail" review, and in December 2019 released a draft New Zealand Rail Plan, outlining changes it proposed making to the rail transport industry and KiwiRail specifically. The draft plan proposes a number of major changes, the most significant being future funding of the rail network through the National Land Transport Fund, and charging rail operators to use
330-502: A bachelor's or higher degree, 464,022 (41.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 298,851 (26.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 44,600, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 160,164 people (14.2%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 605,601 (53.5%) people were employed full-time, 132,180 (11.7%) were part-time, and 39,441 (3.5%) were unemployed. Many ethnic groups , since
440-602: A gift of fifteen works of art by New York art collectors and philanthropists Julian and Josie Robertson – including well-known paintings by Paul Cézanne , Pablo Picasso , Henri Matisse , Paul Gauguin and Piet Mondrian . This is the largest gift ever made to an art museum in Australasia. Other important art galleries include Mangere Arts Centre , Tautai Pacific Arts Trust , Te Tuhi , Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery , Gow Langsford Gallery , Michael Lett Gallery, Starkwhite, and Bergman Gallery . Auckland Domain
550-639: A joint venture with the Northland Regional Council to build a branch line (the Marsden Point Branch ) to connect to Northport at Marsden Point. Anchor freight customers: Key anchor customers include Fonterra, Westland Dairy Products (Rolleston and Hokitika), Bathurst resources and the various freight forwarders including Mainfreight and port companies including Port of Tauranga. Freight wagons: KiwiRail operates 4,855 wagons . An additional 120 wagons were acquired in
660-587: A new brand of passenger trains geared toward the increasing tourism industry in New Zealand. The new brand, named KiwiRail Scenic Journeys, was launched with new AK-class carriages designed to showcase New Zealand's scenery, as well as providing long-distance passenger train services. During the transformation, the TranzCoastal train was rebranded as the Coastal Pacific and the Overlander became
770-614: A population of 1,402,275 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 56,442 people (4.2%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 178,734 people (14.6%) since the 2013 census . There were 692,490 males, 704,607 females and 5,178 people of other genders in 454,239 dwellings. 4.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 35.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 270,384 people (19.3%) aged under 15 years, 307,065 (21.9%) aged 15 to 29, 651,645 (46.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 173,178 (12.3%) aged 65 or older. Of those at least 15 years old, 290,814 (25.7%) people had
880-531: A strong boost to local commerce. This, and continued road building towards the south into the Waikato region, enabled Pākehā (European New Zealanders) influence to spread from Auckland. The city's population grew fairly rapidly, from 1,500 in 1841 to 3,635 in 1845, then to 12,423 by 1864. The growth occurred similarly to other mercantile -dominated cities, mainly around the port and with problems of overcrowding and pollution. Auckland's population of ex-soldiers
990-632: A timeframe of weeks to years before cessation of activity. Future eruptive activity remains a threat to the city, and will likely occur at a new, unknown location within the field. The most recent activity occurred approximately 1450 AD at the Rangitoto Volcano . This event was witnessed by Māori occupants of the area, making it the only eruption within the Auckland Volcanic Field thus far to have been observed by humans. The Auckland Volcanic Field has contributed greatly to
1100-1361: A total of 17 rail freight depots. In the North Island, these are Whangārei , Auckland, Hamilton , Tauranga, New Plymouth, Napier, Whanganui , Palmerston North , Masterton and Wellington . In the South Island they are Blenheim, Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. Inland Ports : KiwiRail serves a number of Inland Port yards, although does not own the tracks. These include Conlinxx (Wiri), Midland Port (Rolleston), Longburn International Freight Hub (Longburn, Palmerston North), Manawatu Inland Port (Palmerston North), MetroPort (Southdown in Auckland and Rolleston in Christchurch) and will include Ruakura (Hamilton) when it opens in 2019, and Ports of Auckland's site at Horotiu in Hamilton. Sea Ports : KiwiRail has major freight yards and sidings at Lyttelton port Company ( containers , logs , coal ), Port Chalmers (containers), Southport (Bluff), Timaru, Port of Tauranga (Mt Maunganui and Sulphur Point), Ports of Auckland, CentrePort (Wellington) , Port of Napier and New Plymouth. KiwiRail also has
1210-1040: A variety of cultural institutions, such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum , the Museum of Transport and Technology , and the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki . Its architectural landmarks include the Harbour Bridge , the Town Hall , the Ferry Building and the Sky Tower , which is the second-tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere after Thamrin Nine . The city is served by Auckland Airport , which handled 18.5 million passengers in 2024. Auckland
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#17327823799921320-768: Is 34.0 °C (93.2 °F) on 12 February 2009, while the minimum is −5.7 °C (21.7 °F) recorded at Riverhead Forest in June 1936 Snowfall is extremely rare: the most significant fall since the start of the 20th century was on 27 July 1939, when snow fell just before dawn and five centimetres (2 in) of snow reportedly lay on Mount Eden . Snowflakes were also seen on 28 July 1930 and 15 August 2011. Frosts in Auckland are infrequent and often localised. Henderson Riverpark receives an annual average of 27.4 ground frosts per year, while Auckland Airport receives an annual average of 8.7 ground frosts per year. Average sea temperature around Auckland varies throughout
1430-409: Is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise (SOE) responsible for rail operations in New Zealand and operates inter-island ferries. Trading as KiwiRail and headquartered at 604 Great South Road, Ellerslie , KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand . KiwiRail has business units of KiwiRail Freight, Great Journeys New Zealand and Interislander . The company was formed in 2008 when
1540-530: Is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand . It has an urban population of about 1,531,400 (June 2024). It is located in the greater Auckland Region , the area governed by Auckland Council , which includes outlying rural areas and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf , and which has a total population of 1,798,300 as of June 2024. It is the most populous city of New Zealand and
1650-453: Is a major land owner in New Zealand, and manages over 18 thousand hectares of land, has in excess of 1,500 property assets with a combined value of over $ 965 million (Annual Report 2016). Increasingly, KiwiRail is pursuing a commercial approach to asset management, and in the 2016 financial year received over $ 18 million from property sales. Re-branded along with Interislander as the single brand The Great Journeys of New Zealand in 2017, it
1760-401: Is currently, as of January 2022, unclear what direction KiwiRail intends to take, Project Restart suggests a shift to multi-day land-cruises, a form of Experiential tourism . This decision, or potential decision, has been seen by many New Zealand-based transport advocacy groups as an abandonment of interregional rail by KiwiRail. Campaign for Better Transport described it as the "latest stage in
1870-477: Is defined by Statistics New Zealand under the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA18), spans 607.07 square kilometres (234.39 sq mi) and extends to Long Bay in the north, Swanson in the north-west, and Runciman in the south. Auckland's functional urban area (commuting zone) extends from just south of Warkworth in the north to Meremere in the south, incorporating
1980-555: Is fed entirely by basaltic magma sourced from the mantle at a depth of 70–90 km below the city, and is unrelated to the explosive, subduction -driven volcanism of the Taupō Volcanic Zone in the Central North Island region of Aotearoa, New Zealand, ~250 km away. The Auckland Volcanic Field is considered to be a monogenetic volcanic field , with each volcano erupting only a single time, usually over
2090-625: Is home to several notable yacht clubs and marinas, including the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Westhaven Marina , the largest of the Southern Hemisphere . The Waitematā Harbour has several swimming beaches, including Mission Bay and Kohimarama on the south side of the harbour, and Stanley Bay on the north side. On the eastern coastline of the North Shore, where the Rangitoto Channel divides
2200-543: Is now experiencing rapid double-digit annual growth, due to the growth of Chinese tourism to New Zealand, so much so that KiwiRail in 2017 may purchase an additional eight carriages to the 17 AK carriages purchased in 2012. In 2021, following a decline in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, KiwiRail announced the suspension of the Coastal Pacific and Northern Explorer as part of Project Restart '22. While it
2310-518: Is one of the largest parks in the city, it is close to the Auckland CBD and has a good view of the Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto Island . Smaller parks close to the city centre are Albert Park , Myers Park , Western Park and Victoria Park . While most volcanic cones in the Auckland volcanic field have been affected by quarrying, many of the remaining cones are now within parks, and retain
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#17327823799922420-480: Is one of the world's most liveable cities in the world, ranking third in the 2023 Mercer Quality of Living Survey and at ninth place in a 2024 ranking of the Global Liveability Ranking by The Economist . The Auckland isthmus was settled by Māori around 1350, and was valued for its rich and fertile land. Many pā (fortified villages) were created, mainly on the volcanic peaks. By
2530-523: Is responsible for consists of: The Engineering division provides mechanical assistance to the Freight and Passenger businesses, as well as to Auckland Transport. Engineering maintains, refurbishes and occasionally builds rolling stock for the network. In 2012, KiwiRail announced it was putting its Hillside Engineering division on the market. and subsequently sold part of the division and transferred remaining work to Hutt workshops. KiwiRail now operates
2640-448: Is set to grow to an estimated 1.9 million inhabitants by 2031 in a medium-variant scenario. This substantial increase in population will have a huge impact on transport, housing and other infrastructure that are, particularly in the case of housing, that are considered to be under pressure already. The high-variant scenario shows the region's population growing to over two million by 2031. In July 2016, Auckland Council released, as
2750-507: Is the company's largest business unit, making up the majority of KiwiRail's revenue with $ 390 million in the financial year ended July 2016. In the same year, KiwiRail moved around 18 million tonnes of freight and carried about 16% of New Zealand's total freight task (tonnes-km). Traffic grew from 2017 to 2019, dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and largely recovered in 2022. Freight types: Timber and dairy products formed 60% of
2860-555: Is the long-distance passenger transport subsidiary of KiwiRail, operating the Northern Explorer , TranzAlpine and Coastal Pacific . The passenger trains are predominantly patronised by tourists to NZ, with the exception of the Capital Connection, which is a commuter train. In 2012, KiwiRail attempted to sell Tranz Scenic , but was unsuccessful, and KiwiRail continues to run these services. The division
2970-564: The 2017 budget the government announced a further $ 450 million in capital funding for KiwiRail, and that the company's operations would be placed under another major review, believed to relate to future funding models. The $ 450 million was earmarked for repairs following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake and for further locomotive and rolling stock purchases. As part of the Turnaround Plan's agenda to standardise locomotives and wagons, in 2016 KiwiRail announced it would effectively switch off
3080-582: The Auckland Province until the provincial system was abolished in 1876. In response to the ongoing rebellion by Hōne Heke in the mid-1840s, the government encouraged retired but fit British soldiers and their families to migrate to Auckland to form a defence line around the port settlement as garrison soldiers. By the time the first Fencibles arrived in 1848, the Northern War had concluded. Outlying defensive towns were then constructed to
3190-463: The Auckland Region , an administrative region that takes its name from the city. The region encompasses the city centre, as well as suburbs, surrounding towns, nearshore islands, and rural areas north and south of the urban area. The Auckland central business district is the most built-up area of the region. The CBD covers 433 hectares (1,070 acres) in a triangular area, and is bounded by
3300-549: The Auckland waterfront on the Waitematā Harbour and the inner-city suburbs of Ponsonby , Newton and Parnell . The central areas of the city are located on the Auckland isthmus , less than two kilometres wide at its narrowest point, between Māngere Inlet and the Tamaki River . There are two harbours surrounding this isthmus: Waitematā Harbour to the north, which extends east to the Hauraki Gulf and thence to
3410-598: The Crown and the Church . Soon after signing the treaty, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a strategic gift of 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of land on the Waitematā Harbour to the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson , for the new capital , which Hobson named for George Eden, Earl of Auckland , then Viceroy of India . Auckland was founded on 18 September 1840 and was officially declared New Zealand's capital in 1841, and
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3520-530: The DC class (reclassified DCP), and two EF class electric locomotives. Tranz Rail intended to sell the remaining 50% share in Tranz Scenic, but this sale never eventuated. West Coast Rail withdrew several long-distance trains that were not profitable, retaining the routes that had sufficient passenger numbers (see below). Tranz Rail was taken over by Australian transport firm Toll Holdings in 2003. The company
3630-530: The Department of Conservation , and the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority . The Auckland urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 605.67 km (233.85 sq mi). The urban area has an estimated population of 1,531,400 as of June 2024, 28.7 percent of New Zealand's population . The city has a population larger than the entire South Island (1,260,000). The urban area had
3740-532: The Hibiscus Coast in the northeast, Helensville , Parakai , Muriwai , Waimauku , Kumeū - Huapai , and Riverhead in the northwest, Beachlands-Pine Harbour and Maraetai in the east, and Pukekohe , Clarks Beach , Patumāhoe , Waiuku , Tuakau and Pōkeno (the latter two in the Waikato region) in the south. Auckland forms New Zealand's largest urban area . The Auckland urban area lies within
3850-551: The Hutt Workshops in the Hutt Valley of Wellington , along with a number of small wagon maintenance depots, for example, at Addington (Christchurch) and Frankton. Most rail operations are a 'there and back' service with motive power being held in a few key strategic locations. Motive power stabling yards are as follows: Some of the more prominent rail facilities used by KiwiRail include: The table below lists only
3960-773: The InterCity Rail branding. New Zealand Rail Limited was privatised and sold to a consortium named TranzRail Holdings Limited in 1993 and changed its name to Tranz Rail in 1995. As part of the rebranding exercise, InterCity Rail was renamed Tranz Scenic . As part of a restructuring programme, in November 2001 Tranz Scenic was incorporated as stand-alone subsidiary Tranz Scenic (2001) Limited. Tranz Rail then sold 50% of Tranz Scenic for $ 33 million to Donald Gibson and Gary McDonald, who were also directors of Australian rail operator West Coast Railway . The sale included long-distance passenger rolling stock and ten diesel locomotives of
4070-792: The New Zealand Railways Department from 1880 to 1981, alongside private rail operators such as the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company . The Department was corporatised as the New Zealand Railways Corporation (NZRC) in 1982, and later reorganised as a state-owned enterprise in 1986. A consulting study commissioned by the NZRC and carried out by Booz Allen Hamilton recommended re-orientation of long-distance passenger services toward tourist operations. The Fourth Labour Government passed
4180-556: The Northern Explorer ; whereas the TranzAlpine 's name was retained. In July 2012, it was revealed that KiwiRail was considering selling the remaining services. No buyers were found and the long-distance passenger services remain operated by KiwiRail Scenic Journeys. Meanwhile, KiwiRail's ferry brand, Interislander , was building on its core business taking vehicles and freight across Cook Strait and looking to promote
4290-698: The Trewartha climate classification and according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), the city's climate is classified as humid subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters (Trewartha climate classification Cfbl ). It is the warmest main centre of New Zealand. The average daily maximum temperature is 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February and 14.7 °C (58.5 °F) in July. The maximum recorded temperature
4400-700: The Wairarapa Connection service. Suburban rail passenger operations in Auckland and Wellington are contracted by their respective local governments and not operated by KiwiRail. In Auckland rolling stock is owned by Auckland Transport which has contracted operation to Auckland One Rail , while in Wellington rolling stock is owned by Greater Wellington Regional Council which has contracted operation to Transdev Wellington. The KiwiRail Infrastructure and Engineering division, formerly known as ONTRACK, has three main areas of operation: The network it
4510-672: The Whau local board area. Europeans formed the plurality in the Henderson-Massey , Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Papakura local board areas, and formed the majority in the remaining 11 local board areas. Māori did not form a majority or plurality in any local board area but are in the highest concentrations in the Manurewa and Papakura local board areas. Immigration to New Zealand is heavily concentrated towards Auckland (partly for job market reasons). This strong focus on Auckland has led
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4620-486: The fifth largest city in Oceania. While Europeans continue to make up the plurality of Auckland's population, the city became multicultural and cosmopolitan in the late-20th century, with Asians accounting for 34.9% of the city's population in 2023. Auckland has the fourth largest foreign-born population in the world, with 39% of its residents born overseas. With its sizable population of Pasifika New Zealanders ,
4730-475: The 1740s onwards, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei became the major influential force on the Auckland isthmus. The Māori population in the area is estimated to have been about 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans. The introduction of firearms at the end of the eighteenth century, which began in Northland , upset the balance of power and led to devastating intertribal warfare beginning in 1807, causing iwi who lacked
4840-562: The 2023 census, where people could identify as more than one ethnicity, the results were 44.0% European ( Pākehā ); 12.2% Māori ; 18.7% Pasifika ; 34.9% Asian ; 2.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 91.5%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 5.3% and other languages by 32.0%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language
4950-479: The Asian population had reached 18.0 per cent in Auckland, and 36.2 per cent in the central city. New arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea gave a distinctive character to the areas where they clustered, while a range of other immigrants introduced mosques, Hindu temples, halal butchers and ethnic restaurants to the suburbs. The boundaries of Auckland are imprecisely defined. The Auckland urban area , as it
5060-721: The Governments energy and emissions policies, and while the government is also actively considering extending the North Island electrification for the first time since the 1980s. KiwiRail has made use of the Government's Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). In 2019 KiwiRail signed an agreement with the New Zealand Transport Agency , Palmerston North City Council to construct a road, rail and air distribution centre in Palmerston North , following
5170-551: The NIMT electrification in late 2017 and replace the electric locomotives with an additional eight DL locomotives (additional to the 15 as reported in the 2016 Annual Report). On 30 October 2018 that capital funding was made available to by the new Labour-led Coalition government to refurbish 15 of the surviving 20 EF locomotives at the Hutt Workshops extending the service life by 10 years for their continued use, in line with
5280-548: The New Zealand Government confirmed funding of NZ$ 39.9 million for 17 AK Class carriages for the TranzAlpine and Coastal Pacific . The class are the first passenger carriages to be designed and built in New Zealand for many years and were built at KiwiRail 's Hillside Workshops in Dunedin , with three cars entering service on the Coastal Pacific on 2 November 2011. Further AK carriages were deployed on
5390-620: The New Zealand Railways Corporation (trading as ONTRACK). As part of this acquisition, Toll agreed to pay ONTRACK "Track Access Charges" (TACs) in exchange for exclusive network access for 66 years, subject to a "use it or lose it clause": if freight and passenger volumes fell below their 2002-2004 average for three or more years, Toll would lose its exclusive access. The agreement set a base track access fee but left future track access fees open to negotiation between ONTRACK and Toll. After several years of negotiations,
5500-585: The New Zealand Railways Corporation Restructuring Act 1990 on 28 August of that year. Two months later, on 28 October 1990, the New Zealand government removed core rail transport and shipping operations from the New Zealand Railways Corporation, creating a separate entity called New Zealand Rail Limited , a Crown Transferee company created under the Act. New Zealand Rail Limited's long-distance passenger trains carried
5610-726: The Pacific Ocean, and Manukau Harbour to the south, which opens west to the Tasman Sea . Bridges span parts of both harbours, notably the Auckland Harbour Bridge crossing the Waitematā Harbour west of the central business district. The Māngere Bridge and the Upper Harbour Bridge span the upper reaches of the Manukau and Waitematā Harbours, respectively. In earlier times, portages crossed
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#17327823799925720-406: The Palmerston North-Wellington Capital Connection and the SR class carriages, which KiwiRail owns and leases for the Te Huia Hamilton to Auckland regional service. Twelve carriages are also being overhauled to replace the current S class carriages and will be deployed in two sets of six. Auckland Auckland ( / ˈ ɔː k l ə n d / AWK -lənd ; Māori : Tāmaki Makaurau )
5830-401: The Royal New Zealand Navy , and the Museum of Transport and Technology . The Auckland Art Gallery is the largest stand-alone gallery in New Zealand with a collection of over 17,000 artworks, including prominent New Zealand and Pacific Island artists, as well as international painting, sculpture and print collections ranging in date from 1376 to the present day. In 2009, the Gallery was promised
5940-415: The Second World War, the city's transport system and urban form became increasingly dominated by the motor vehicle. Arterial roads and motorways became both defining and geographically dividing features of the urban landscape. They also allowed further massive expansion that resulted in the growth of suburban areas such as the North Shore (especially after the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in
6050-488: The associated lack of international migration. At the 2018 Census, in the local board areas of Upper Harbour, Waitematā, Puketāpapa and Howick, overseas-born residents outnumbered those born in New Zealand. The most common birthplaces of overseas-born residents were mainland China (6.2%), India (4.6%), England (4.4%), Fiji (2.9%), Samoa (2.5%), South Africa (2.4%), Philippines (2.0%), Australia (1.4%), South Korea (1.4%), and Tonga (1.3%). A study from 2016 showed Auckland has
6160-463: The census question. Recent immigration from Asia has added to the religious diversity of the city, increasing the number of people affiliating with Buddhism , Hinduism , Islam and Sikhism , although there are no figures on religious attendance. There is also a small, long-established Jewish community. Auckland is experiencing substantial population growth via immigration (two-thirds of growth) and natural population increases (one-third), and
6270-426: The central North Island. These excursions have been discontinued as of 2017. Three Cook Strait passenger ferries operate under the brand Interislander : KiwiRail Scenic Journeys's former Capital Connection train is not included in the Great Journeys of New Zealand brand. It is, however, operated by KiwiRail and subsidised by the Greater Wellington Regional Council as a long-distance commuter train. In March 2009,
6380-440: The city is also home to the largest ethnic Polynesian population in the world. The Māori-language name for Auckland is Tāmaki Makaurau , meaning "Tāmaki desired by many", in reference to the desirability of its natural resources and geography. Auckland lies between the Hauraki Gulf to the east, the Hunua Ranges to the south-east, the Manukau Harbour to the south-west, and the Waitākere Ranges and smaller ranges to
6490-504: The city's cultural diversity include the Pasifika Festival , Polyfest, and the Auckland Lantern Festival , all of which are the largest of their kind in New Zealand. Additionally, Auckland regularly hosts the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet . Auckland is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of music. Important institutions include the Auckland Art Gallery , Auckland War Memorial Museum , New Zealand Maritime Museum , National Museum of
6600-482: The contract to supply 57 new locomotives for KiwiRail. Stadler Rail stated the contract was worth 228 million Euros, or NZD $ 403 million. The 2022 budget allocated $ 661.5 million to KiwiRail, with $ 312.3 million for improving the national rail network and $ 349.2 million for completing the replacement of "ageing" locomotives and freight wagons, including up to 29 new light-duty locomotives. The total government investment increases to $ 8.6 billion. KiwiRail Freight
6710-406: The country's container trade in 2015. The face of urban Auckland changed when the government's immigration policy began allowing immigrants from Asia in 1986. This has led to Auckland becoming a multicultural city, with people of all ethnic backgrounds. According to the 1961 census data, Māori and Pacific Islanders comprised 5 per cent of Auckland's population; Asians less than 1 per cent. By 2006,
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#17327823799926820-460: The cultivation of crops, such as kūmara . Following European arrival, many of the maunga were transformed into quarries to supply the growing city with aggregate and building materials, and as a result were severely damaged or entirely destroyed. A number of the smaller maar craters and tuff rings were also removed during earthworks. Most of the remaining volcanic centres are now preserved within recreational reserves administered by Auckland Council ,
6930-419: The current locomotives in service with KiwiRail. The majority of passenger carriages in New Zealand are now owned by Auckland Transport , Greater Wellington Regional Council and Dunedin Railways . KiwiRail operates a small fleet of New Zealand built AK class carriages for long-distance passenger trains and heavily rebuilt former British Mark 2 carriages in several configurations, the S class carriages for
7040-405: The decline of what was once an extensive passenger rail service which serviced most of New Zealand". An announcement is expected by July 2022. Until 2016, KiwiRail division Tranz Metro had the contract to operate the Wellington services but lost a bid to renew this contract in 2015. KiwiRail is sub-contracted by Transdev Wellington to provide and operate the diesel locomotives required to haul
7150-426: The early 1700s, Te Waiohua , a confederation of tribes such as Ngā Oho , Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi, became the main influential force on the Auckland isthmus, with major pā located at Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill , Māngere Mountain and Maungataketake . The confederation came to an end around 1741, when paramount chief Kiwi Tāmaki was killed in battle by Ngāti Whātua hapū Te Taoū chief Te Waha-akiaki. From
7260-402: The establishment of KiwiRail, rail transport in New Zealand has been under both public and private ownership. Government operators included the Public Works Department (1873–1880), New Zealand Railways Department (1880–1982), and the New Zealand Railways Corporation (1982–1990). New Zealand Rail Limited was split off from the Railways Corporation (which continued to own the land beneath
7370-515: The first chair of the KiwiRail board, a position he held until 1 July 2010. Bolger's government had privatised New Zealand Rail Limited in 1993. A number of commentators, including Winston Peters , view this as ironic. In response, Bolger acknowledged his involvement in privatising New Zealand Rail, remarking that "my life is full of ironies," and added that "the world has changed." In 2011, KiwiRail proposed splitting its land and rail corridor assets from its rail operation assets. On 27 June 2012 it
7480-614: The following points: Two of KiwiRail's major customers, Mainfreight and Fonterra , invested heavily in rail-related infrastructure in line with the Turnaround Plan. Mainfreight has allocated $ 60 million for investment in new railhead depots, while Fonterra has invested $ 130 million in a new rail hub complex in Hamilton and another in Mosgiel . The plan has had mixed success, with company Chairman John Spencer stating in 2013 that for its first three years, rail freight revenue had increased by over 25%. Similar progress in attaining new customers and increasing freight volumes has been made over
7590-442: The fourth largest foreign-born population in the world, only behind Dubai , Toronto and Brussels , with 39% of its residents born overseas. Religious affiliations in the 2023 census were 35.7% Christian , 6.1% Hindu , 3.3% Islam , 0.9% Māori religious beliefs , 2.1% Buddhist , 0.3% New Age , 0.2% Jewish , and 2.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 42.7%, and 6.0% of people did not answer
7700-422: The government renationalised above-rail operations (having previously renationalised the network in 2004) and inter-island ferry operations, then owned by Toll Holdings. In 2021, the government launched the New Zealand Rail Plan, with funding for rail projects to come from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), and with KiwiRail remaining an SOE but paying Track Access Charges (TACs) to use the network. Prior to
7810-412: The growth and prosperity of the Auckland Region since the area was settled by humans. Initially, the maunga (scoria cones) were occupied and established as pā (fortified settlements) by Māori due to the strategic advantage their elevation provided in controlling resources and key portages between the Waitematā and Manukau harbours. The rich volcanic soils found in these areas also proved ideal for
7920-435: The growth of Chinese tourism to New Zealand, leading KiwiRail to announce that it may purchase eight AK-class carriages to add to the seventeen purchased in 2010. In 2021, KiwiRail announced the suspension two of its three services, the Northern Explorer and the Coastal Pacific . KiwiRail restarted the services from September 2022. The Great Journeys of New Zealand operates three Scenic train services: Capital Connection
8030-400: The immigration services to award extra points towards immigration visa requirements for people intending to move to other parts of New Zealand. Immigration from overseas into Auckland is partially offset by the net emigration of people from Auckland to other regions of New Zealand. In 2021 and 2022, Auckland recorded its only decreases in population, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and
8140-464: The inner Hauraki Gulf islands from the mainland, there are popular swimming beaches at Cheltenham and Narrow Neck in Devonport , Takapuna , Milford , and the various beaches further north in the area known as East Coast Bays. The west coast has popular surf beaches such as Piha , Muriwai and Te Henga (Bethells Beach) . The Whangaparāoa Peninsula , Orewa , Ōmaha and Pākiri , to the north of
8250-401: The lack of good public transport, and increasing housing costs have been cited by many Aucklanders as among the strongest negative factors of living there, together with crime that has been rising in recent years. Nonetheless, Auckland ranked third in a survey of the quality of life of 215 major cities of the world (2015 data). One of Auckland's nicknames, the "City of Sails", is derived from
8360-463: The late 1950s), and Manukau City in the south. Economic deregulation in the mid-1980s led to very dramatic changes to Auckland's economy, and many companies relocated their head offices from Wellington to Auckland. The region was now the nerve centre of the entire national economy. Auckland also benefited from a surge in tourism, which brought 75 per cent of New Zealand's international visitors through its airport. Auckland's port handled 31 per cent of
8470-407: The late 20th century, have had an increasing presence in Auckland, making it by far the country's most cosmopolitan city. Historically, Auckland's population has been of majority European origin, though the proportion of those of Asian or other non-European origins has increased in recent decades due to the removal of restrictions directly or indirectly based on race . Europeans continue to make up
8580-471: The life of the Plan to date (other than with coal). Steady and at times rapid progress has been made on the enabling parts of the Turnaround Plan, such as new locomotives and wagons, lengthening of the rail ferry and track destressing, but not always effectively. The 10 Year Turnaround Plan was quickly undermined by a series of adverse events, including: Partially as a response to the events outlined above, in
8690-573: The main urban area, are also nearby. Many Auckland beaches are patrolled by surf lifesaving clubs, such as Piha Surf Life Saving Club the home of Piha Rescue . All surf lifesaving clubs are part of the Surf Life Saving Northern Region . Queen Street , Britomart , Ponsonby Road , Karangahape Road , Newmarket and Parnell are major retail areas. Major markets include those held in Ōtara and Avondale on weekend mornings. A number of shopping centres are located in
8800-859: The middle- and outer-suburbs, with Westfield Newmarket , Sylvia Park , Botany Town Centre and Westfield Albany being the largest. A number of arts events are held in Auckland, including the Auckland Festival , the Auckland Triennial, the New Zealand International Comedy Festival , and the New Zealand International Film Festival . The Auckland Philharmonia is the city and region's resident full-time symphony orchestra, performing its own series of concerts and accompanying opera and ballet. Events celebrating
8910-668: The morning and dies down again in the evening. The early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather, before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as 1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails...". Fog is a common occurrence for Auckland, especially in autumn and winter. Whenuapai Airport experiences an average of 44 fog days per year. Auckland occasionally suffers from air pollution due to fine particle emissions. There are also occasional breaches of guideline levels of carbon monoxide . While maritime winds normally disperse
9020-674: The narrowest sections of the isthmus. Several islands of the Hauraki Gulf are administered as part of the Auckland Region, though they are not part of the Auckland urban area. Parts of Waiheke Island effectively function as Auckland suburbs, while various smaller islands near Auckland are mostly zoned 'recreational open space' or are nature sanctuaries. Under the Köppen climate classification , Auckland has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb ). However, under
9130-552: The new Northern Explorer and The TranzAlpine . The Capital Connection uses 1970s built British Rail Mark 2 carriages, refurbished in New Zealand as the S Class . The Tranz Scenic brand and blue livery has been replaced by white KiwiRail livery with the introduction of AK carriages on the Coastal Pacific, TranzAlpine and Northern Explorer. In 2004, Tranz Scenic withdrew the Northerner overnight Auckland – Wellington service, citing poor patronage. This
9240-503: The new capital. Hobson named the area after George Eden, Earl of Auckland , British First Lord of the Admiralty . Māori–European conflict over land in the region led to war in the mid-19th century. In 1865, Auckland was replaced by Wellington as the capital, but continued to grow, initially because of its port and the logging and gold-mining activities in its hinterland, and later because of pastoral farming (especially dairy farming) in
9350-540: The new weapons to seek refuge in areas less exposed to coastal raids. As a result, the region had relatively low numbers of Māori when settlement by European New Zealanders began. On 20 March 1840 in the Manukau Harbour area where Ngāti Whātua farmed, paramount chief Apihai Te Kawau signed the Treaty of Waitangi . Ngāti Whātua sought British protection from Ngāpuhi as well as a reciprocal relationship with
9460-446: The outcome of a three-year study and public hearings, its Unitary Plan for Auckland. The plan aims to free up to 30 percent more land for housing and allows for greater intensification of the existing urban area, creating 422,000 new dwellings in the next 30 years. Positive aspects of Auckland life are its mild climate, plentiful employment and educational opportunities, as well as numerous leisure facilities. Meanwhile, traffic problems,
9570-449: The plurality of the city's population, but no longer constitute a majority after decreasing in proportion from 54.6% to 48.1% between the 2013 and 2018 censuses. Asians now form the second-largest ethnic group, making up nearly one-third of the population. Auckland is home to the largest ethnic Polynesian population of any city in the world, with a sizeable population of Pacific Islanders ( Pasifika ) and indigenous Māori people . In
9680-483: The pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible as smog, especially on calm winter days. The city of Auckland straddles the Auckland Volcanic Field , an area which in the past, produced at least 53 small volcanic centres over the last ~193,000 years, represented by a range of surface features including maars (explosion craters), tuff rings , scoria cones, and lava flows. It
9790-454: The popularity of sailing in the region. 135,000 yachts and launches are registered in Auckland, and around 60,500 of the country's 149,900 registered yachtsmen are from Auckland, with about one in three Auckland households owning a boat. The Viaduct Basin , on the western edge of the CBD, hosted three America's Cup challenges ( 2000 Cup , 2003 Cup and 2021 Cup ). The Waitematā Harbour
9900-482: The publicity) the service continued, operating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during winter and daily in high summer. In 2009 a resumption of seven-day-a-week operation was announced, a result of increasing passenger numbers. However, the Overlander ceased operations in 2012, being superseded by the Northern Explorer service, again on limited days of the week. KiwiRail KiwiRail Holdings Limited
10010-482: The rail network via Track Access Charges. A number of other projects are proposed under the draft plan. They include a new train control centre in Auckland, replacing two Interislander ferries and rolling stock. On 17 March 2020 KiwiRail released a tender for the supply of new mainline locomotives. 2021 New Zealand budget allocated NZD $ 722.7 million to purchase new mainline locomotives, shunt locomotives and wagons. In October 2021, Stadler Rail announced it had won
10120-405: The rail network) in 1990, privatised in 1993 and then renamed in 1995 to Tranz Rail . In 2004 Tranz Rail's rail, ferry and trucking operations were acquired by Toll Holdings and renamed Toll NZ , with the central government buying back the rail network outside of Auckland for $ 1 (the Auckland metro rail network had already been purchased by the government in 2001). The rail network then came under
10230-565: The single brand The Great Journeys of New Zealand in 2017, The Interislander is the company's second largest business unit. It operates ferry services across Cook Strait between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island . In the financial year 2012, $ 123.9M of KiwiRail's revenue came from the Interislander, with the majority of the Interislander's revenue coming from rail and road freight transport. KiwiRail
10340-480: The south, stretching in a line from the port village of Onehunga in the west to Howick in the east. Each of the four settlements had about 800 settlers; the men were fully armed in case of emergency, but spent nearly all their time breaking in the land and establishing roads. In the early 1860s, Auckland became a base against the Māori King Movement , and the 12,000 Imperial soldiers stationed there led to
10450-432: The surrounding area, and manufacturing in the city itself. It has been the nation's largest city throughout most of its history. Today, Auckland's central business district is New Zealand's leading economic hub. The University of Auckland , founded in 1883, is the largest university in New Zealand. The city's significant tourist attractions include national historic sites, festivals, performing arts, sports activities and
10560-410: The tonnage moved in 2022. Bulk commodities include coal, logs, milk ( dry and wet ), IMEX (import/export intermodal) and domestic intermodal freight . Formerly large scale freight types such as petroleum products have entirely been withdrawn, and fertilizer has almost disappeared. The freight trading revenue by sector, as per the December 2016 Half Year Report is: Rail freight depots : KiwiRail has
10670-454: The transfer of the administration from Russell (now Old Russell ) in the Bay of Islands was completed in 1842. However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson (later renamed Wellington ) was seen as a better choice for an administrative capital because of its proximity to the South Island , and Wellington became the capital in 1865. After losing its status as capital, Auckland remained the principal city of
10780-400: The trip as an iconic tourism experience and a scenic alternative to flying. In 2017, KiwiRail decided to bring its rail and ferry operations together under one brand, The Great Journeys of New Zealand , which offers a connected passenger service throughout New Zealand, from Auckland to Greymouth , via train and ferry. The division is now experiencing rapid double-digit annual growth, due to
10890-680: The two parties could not come to an agreement on the amount that Toll should pay. On 1 July 2008, the government announced the purchase for $ 690 million of Toll Rail, the rail and ferry assets of Toll NZ, but not its trucking operation, which continued under the Toll brand. The new company was named KiwiRail and launched on 1 October 2008 at a ceremony at Wellington railway station. The New Zealand Railways Corporation then owned both KiwiRail and ONTRACK, with both companies merging to create one company that controls both rail and ferry operations and rail infrastructure. Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger became
11000-533: The west and north-west. The surrounding hills are covered in rainforest and the landscape is dotted with 53 volcanic centres that make up the Auckland Volcanic Field . The central part of the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitematā Harbour on the Pacific Ocean. Auckland is one of the few cities in the world to have a harbour on each of two separate major bodies of water. The Auckland isthmus
11110-526: The year ending 2016, with over 1,000 new wagons added since 2008. One of KiwiRail's stated aims is to progressively move towards standardized wagons, with the container flat-top being overwhelmingly the dominant type (carrying curtain sided swap bodies , liquid containers , Log cradles and so on to meet almost all freight tasks). The Norwegian coupling is progressively being replaced with semi-automatic Janney coupler on all wagons. Key freight routes: Re-branded along with KiwiRail Scenic Journeys as
11220-487: The year. The water temperature is warmest in February when it averages 21 °C (70 °F), while in August, the water temperature is at its coolest, averaging 14 °C (57 °F). Prevailing winds in Auckland are predominantly from the southwest. The mean annual wind speed for Auckland Airport is 18 kilometres per hour (11 mph). During the summer months there is often a sea breeze in Auckland which starts in
11330-417: The years following. In support of the turn-around plan, from July 2008 to December 2016 KiwiRail received over $ 2.1 billion of Crown investment, which was mostly spent on infrastructure and new rolling stock. The focus of the Plan is to increase rail traffic volumes, revenue and productivity, modernise assets and separate out the commercial elements of the business from the non-commercial. The plan included
11440-550: Was also previously part of KiwiRail Scenic Journeys. KiwiRail trialled excursions with its refurbished Silver Fern railcar to destinations including Napier and on the now mothballed Gisborne line as part of its Explore By Rail trips. Other Silver Fern tours included a Queen's Birthday day tour to Napier, tours to the Tui brewery via the Manawatū Gorge, an Easter Weekend trip to Gisborne, Valentine's Weekend and ANZAC Weekend tours to
11550-430: Was announced by the company that the value of the land and rail operations would be written down from NZ$ 7.8 billion to $ 1.3 billion, and KiwiRail would continue as the rail and ferry operator, while the New Zealand Railways Corporation would manage KiwiRail's land. The de-merger took effect on 31 December 2012. In 2010 KiwiRail released a 10-year turnaround plan and significant government investment in support of this in
11660-426: Was far greater than that of other settlements: about 50 per cent of the population was Irish, which contrasted heavily with the majority English settlers in Wellington, Christchurch or New Plymouth . The majority of settlers in the early period were assisted by receiving cheap passage to New Zealand. Trams and railway lines shaped Auckland's rapid expansion in the early first half of the 20th century. However, after
11770-417: Was first settled c. 1350 and was valued for its rich and fertile land. The Māori population in the area is estimated to have peaked at 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans. After a British colony was established in New Zealand in 1840, William Hobson , then Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, chose Auckland as its new capital . Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a strategic gift of land to Hobson for
11880-565: Was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 44.9, compared with 28.8% nationally. At the 2023 census the Pasifika population formed the majority in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local board area and the plurality in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Manurewa local board areas. The Asian population formed the majority in the Howick and Puketāpapa local board areas and the plurality in
11990-572: Was renamed Toll NZ and did not retain any of the Tranz Rail directors. In July 2004 the 50% share of Tranz Scenic was purchased by Toll, as one of the West Coast Railway directors had died and the business was not performing adequately. In May 2008 the New Zealand Government agreed to buy the rail and sea transport assets of Toll NZ Limited for $ 665 million. The government branded the new company KiwiRail . In 2011, KiwiRail developed
12100-626: Was the last overnight service in New Zealand. Tranz Scenic also reduced the number of stations served by The Overlander service on the North Island Main Trunk . In April 2006, Toll NZ announced that it was proposing to sell its two South Island trains, the TranzAlpine and the TranzCoastal . In July the end of The Overlander service was announced, but after significant protest and an increase in patronage (due to
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