33-613: The Timber Trail , originally known as the Central North Island Rail Trail or Pureora Timber Trail , in the North Island of New Zealand is an 84-kilometre (52 mi) cycleway (also used by walkers and hunters) in Pureora Forest Park , fully opened in 2013, with 35 bridges (built by DoC staff, community max workers, or contractors), including eight large suspension bridges (one of
66-709: A whole. During the Last Glacial Period when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels, the North and South islands were connected by a vast coastal plain which formed at the South Taranaki Bight . During this period, most of the North Island was covered in thorn scrubland and forest , while the modern-day Northland Peninsula was a subtropical rainforest . Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, eventually separating
99-465: Is in the North Island", "my mother lives in the North Island". Maps, headings, tables, and adjectival expressions use North Island without "the". According to Māori mythology , the North and South Islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demigod Māui . Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it right up from
132-474: Is one of the two main islands of New Zealand , separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait . With an area of 113,729 km (43,911 sq mi), it is the world's 14th-largest island , constituting 43% of New Zealand's land area. It has a population of 4,077,800 (June 2024), which is 76% of New Zealand's residents, making it the most populous island in Polynesia and
165-448: The 28th-most-populous island in the world. Twelve main urban areas (half of them officially cities) are in the North Island. From north to south, they are Whangārei , Auckland , Hamilton , Tauranga , Rotorua , Gisborne , New Plymouth , Napier , Hastings , Whanganui , Palmerston North , and New Zealand's capital city Wellington , which is located at the south-west tip of the island. The island has been known internationally as
198-506: The North Island for many years. The Te Reo Māori name for it, Te Ika-a-Māui , also has official recognition but it remains seldom used by most residents. On some 19th-century maps, the North Island is named New Ulster (named after Ulster province in northern Ireland) which was also a province of New Zealand that included the North Island. In 2009 the New Zealand Geographic Board found that, along with
231-590: The 2023 census, 63.1% of North Islanders identified as European ( Pākehā ), 19.8% as Māori , 10.6% as Pacific peoples , 19.3% as Asian , 1.9% as Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, and 1.1% as other ethnicities. Percentages add to more than 100% as people can identify with more than one ethnicity. Māori form the majority in three districts of the North Island: Kawerau (63.2%), Ōpōtiki (66.2%) and Wairoa (68.5%). Europeans formed
264-509: The MED scheme for six months to build 6 to 10 metres (20 to 33 ft) bridges, shelters, other structures, and some track construction. Another went on 'community max' with the recreation team. Ongarue Spiral restoration work began in July 2011. The tunnel was strengthened and the stream re-diverted out of it (it had been diverted in when the tramway was replaced by logging trucks). The tunnel ceiling
297-526: The Maramataha Gorge and the largest suspension bridge of its kind along any cycle trail in New Zealand. Construction required much rock drilling and anchor work. It is supported on 12.8-metre (42 ft) high glulam towers. 52–64 km — Maramataha River – Deer Park junction – Waione Stream South of the bridge the steepest climb on the trail zigzags to a plateau on a new track. From
330-583: The No. 9 tramway junction. The information board says Waikoura Camp at No. 9 was the largest and last camp on this tramway, built in 1950 and closed in 1963, with 6 houses and 9 single men's huts. A 28-metre (92 ft) suspension bridge crosses Waikoura Stream and a tramway links to the 90-metre (300 ft) Mangatukutuku suspension bridge, then No. 7 tramway runs to Goat Creek. 74–83 km — Goat Creek – Ongarue Spiral – Mangakahu Rd A three span, curved, timber trestle bridge crosses Goat Creek, resembling many of
363-519: The South Island, the North Island had no official name. After a public consultation, the board officially named it North Island, or the aforementioned Te Ika-a-Māui, in October 2013. In prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island , with the definite article. It is also normal to use the preposition in rather than on , for example "Hamilton
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#1732791656642396-437: The South Island, this is solely due to the North Island having higher natural increase (i.e. births minus deaths) and international migration; since the late 1980s, the internal migration flow has been from the North Island to the South Island. In the year to June 2020, the North Island gained 21,950 people from natural increase and 62,710 people from international migration, while losing 3,570 people from internal migration. At
429-462: The South Island, with the country's largest city, Auckland, and the capital, Wellington, accounting for nearly half of it. There are 30 urban areas in the North Island with a population of 10,000 or more: The sub-national GDP of the North Island was estimated at NZ$ 282.355 billion in 2021 (78% of New Zealand's national GDP). Nine local government regions cover the North Island and its adjacent islands and territorial waters. Healthcare in
462-637: The bank of the Mangakahu Stream. The final 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) are undulating to the end of the trail in a car park beside Mangakahu Road, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Ongarue. The Timber Trail, originally known as the Central North Island Rail Trail, cost about $ 5.5m to build. It was one of the seven ' Quick Start ' Projects announced in 2009, which were publicised as promoting economic growth The Timber Trail took longer to complete than some later projects, so it
495-446: The best preserved bush tramways, it is considered a nationally significant site. One of the purposes of the cycle trails was to encourage economic development in remote rural areas. Biographies of Ellis & Burnand directors – North Island The North Island ( Māori : Te Ika-a-Māui [tɛ i.kɐ ɐ mɑː.ʉ.i] , lit. 'the fish of Māui', officially North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui or historically New Ulster )
528-571: The bush to Kokomiko Road and Piropiro campground. After the campground, the track rejoins the tramway to Maramataha Rodd, then follows Piropiro Stream on a new track to the Maramataha Bridge. (Easy/Grade 2) 43 km Piropiro to Ongarue 40–52 km – Piropiro to Angels Rest Intermediate/Grade 3 A 30-minute climb from the Piropiro campsite leads to the 141-metre (463 ft) Maramataha Bridge, some 60 metres (200 ft) above
561-411: The circumnavigation of New Zealand. The maps described the North Island as " Ea Heinom Auwe " and " Aeheinomowe ", which recognises the "Fish of Māui" element. Another Māori name that was given to the North Island, but is now used less commonly, is Aotearoa . Use of Aotearoa to describe the North Island fell out of favour in the early 20th century, and it is now a collective Māori name for New Zealand as
594-451: The conclusion of the Otago gold rush in the 1860s, New Zealand's European population growth has experienced a steady 'Northern drift' as population centres in the North Island have grown faster than those of New Zealand's South Island. This population trend has continued into the twenty-first century, but at a much slower rate. While the North Island's population continues to grow faster than
627-493: The existing campground, where stumps had been cleared. Most of the Timber Trail's southern section follows the tramway built by J. W. Ellis and Harry Burnand . Their timber sawmill at Ongarue was fed with logs (especially rimu ) by a gradually growing network of tramways from 1903 until floods damaged the lines in 1958. From then until closure in 1966 the tramway was converted for use by logging trucks. However, as one of
660-681: The first shelter. The trail begins in Pikiariki Ecological Area, about 200 metres (660 ft) from the DOC Pureora Field Base on Barryville Rd, turning left a few metres into the bush , on a boardwalk , then winding some 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) through tall podocarps (frequented by kākā ), over Whareana Stream, through a Douglas fir plantation, across Whareana Road and Cabbage Tree Rd before winding up through an area of regenerating toitoi , cabbage tree , five finger and kamahi . It crosses Tui Rd, to
693-660: The islands and linking the Cook Strait to the Tasman Sea . The North Island has an estimated population of 4,077,800 as of June 2024. The North Island had a population of 3,808,005 at the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 213,453 people (5.9%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 570,957 people (17.6%) since the 2013 census . Of the total population, 733,893 people (19.3%) were aged under 15 years, 743,154 (19.5%) were 15 to 29, 1,721,427 (45.2%) were 30 to 64, and 609,534 (16.0%) were 65 or older. Ever since
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#1732791656642726-478: The longest on a New Zealand cycleway, much more stable than the swing bridges used on older tracks). It is one of several cycleways developed as part of the New Zealand Cycle Trail and passes through some of the last remaining podocarp forests of rimu , tōtara , miro , mataī and kahikatea , as well as some exotic forestry and regenerating bush. About half the trail is on the track-bed of
759-596: The old Ellis and Burnand Tramway , including a spiral and tunnel. It is easier to start the Timber Trail from Pureora (Northern end of the Timber Trail) to Ongarue. Although there is a hill climb up to Mt Pureora in this direction. Fit riders can cover the trail in a day. There are three main access points to the Timber Trail: Pureora to Piropiro (39.5 km) Track category: Intermediate/Grade 3 0–8 km Easy/Grade 2 Pureroa DoC Centre to
792-468: The plateau quad tracks lead to the north end of the Ellis and Burnand Tramway, Ongarue tramway, which the trail then mostly follows on easier gradients to Ongarue. These tramways were cleared in 2011. 64–74 km — Waione Stream – Waikoura Stream – Goat Creek A 40-metre (130 ft) suspension bridge crosses Waione Stream, then the tramway runs to Waikoura Stream, passing No. 11 and No. 10 camps, and
825-470: The plurality in the Auckland region (49.8%) and are the majority in the remaining 39 districts. The proportion of North Islanders born overseas at the 2018 census were 29.3%. The most common foreign countries of birth were England (15.4% of overseas-born residents), Mainland China (11.3%), India (10.1%), South Africa (5.9%), Australia (5.5%) and Samoa (5.3%). The North Island has a larger population than
858-426: The river at Bog Inn Creek (115 metres or 377 feet) and the similar sized Orauhora crossing. 23–40 km — Angel’s Rest – Okauaka Ford – Maramataha River Uses a logging road for some 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), then mainly Okauaka Road. 500 metres (1,600 ft) beyond the concrete ford and neighbouring trail bridge over Okauaka Stream, the track joins a tramway, crosses Okauaka Road again, and continues through
891-486: The sea. While he was not looking, his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up. This great fish became the North Island, and thus a Māori name for the North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui ("The Fish of Māui"). The mountains and valleys are believed to have been formed as a result of Māui's brothers' hacking at the fish. During Captain James Cook 's voyage between 1769 and 1770 , Tahitian navigator Tupaia accompanied
924-476: The shelter below Mt Pureora. 8–23 km — Mt Pureora to Angel's Rest grade 3 (intermediate) The trail winds to 940 metres (3,080 ft), within a 40-minute walk of the 1,165-metre (3,822 ft) Mt Pureora summit, through various stages of regenerating bush to the existing native bush edge to the top of the Ongarue River and an old logging road. Two large suspension bridges cross tributaries of
957-598: The stream, roughly following the tramway (see map below) to within 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of Ongarue. In July 2011 Maramataha, Waione, and Waikoura bridges were tested to their 10-person weight limit using water weights to get council consent and 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) of track was built (though not surfaced). Maramataha Bridge was finished in early October 2012 and opened on 1 November 2012. The northern end Bog Creek and Orauhora suspension bridges were ready by December 2012. On 1 December 2012 southern section opening day 150 cyclists rode its four suspension bridges,
990-546: The tramline, and Ongarue Spiral. The Timber Trail was declared fully open when the Minister of Conservation cut the ribbon on Saturday, 30 March 2013. After the opening improvements and maintenance continued; in winter 2013 additional pumice was helicoptered to boggy patches on the Mt Pureora section. Other changes are likely. For example, there were concession negotiations about lodgings at Piropiro Flats to supplement
1023-399: The tramway bridges, then 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of tramway cleared in 2011 leads to the spiral. The Ongarue Spiral took the tramway up 43 metres (141 ft) on a grade the bush lokeys could cope with (for 6 kilometres or 3.7 miles the gradient averaged 1 in 30). Below the spiral the tramway was built by cutting a ledge in the ignimbrite cliffs. It continues to drop until reaching
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1056-426: Was reinforced with mesh, a lower bridge built to the right of the original bridge to preserve bits of the original and remnants of the upper bridge preserved in the new trail bridge. Negotiations were held to build a 30-metre (98 ft) suspension bridge over Mangakahu Stream to end the trail further east on Mangakahu Rd, but the trail as built has another 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of undulating ride keeping north of
1089-652: Was the tenth New Zealand Cycle Trail to be completed since Prime Minister John Key had launched the cycleways with the Green Party . By mid-2011 only 23 kilometres (14 mi) was open, with tenders still not let for interpretation panels and five bridges. It was then that the contract with the Ministry of Economic Development for community max and taskforce green workers ended. 12 staff had been trained in 12 months in basic woodwork, track construction, quad bike and 4WD driving and health and safety. DoC employed five from
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