Rangiahua is a small locality near the Hokianga Harbour in the Northland Region of New Zealand.

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbere ...

passes through it.

Umawera Umawera is a community in Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 1 runs through the community. Mangamuka Bridge is to the northwest, and Rangiahua is to the east. Umawera is part of the Omahuta Forest-Horeke statistical area, which covers the uppe ...

is to the west, and Okaihau to the east. Rangiahua is part of the Omahuta Forest-Horeke statistical area, which covers the upper Hokianga Harbour. For demographics of this area, see Horeke. Rangiahua nearly became New Zealand's most northern

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

terminus. In 1923, the

Okaihau Branch The Okaihau Branch, sometimes known as the Kaikohe Branch and rarely the Rangiahua Branch, was a branch line railway that joined the North Auckland Line of the national rail network of New Zealand at Otiria. It was the most northerly line in ...

, a branch line from

Otiria Otiria is a rural locality in the Northland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It neighbours Moerewa to the east, with the nearest major town, Kawakawa a few kilometres further eastwards. Other nearby localities include Pokapu to the south ...

on the North Auckland Line, was opened to Okaihau and work began on an extension to the Hokianga Harbour and Kaitaia. There were disputes over the viability of the line, but a compromise was reached that would have established Rangiahua as the terminus. Work progressed slowly throughout the 1920s and was abandoned during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, even though the line was nearly complete - New Zealand's northernmost railway tunnel had been made and Rangiahua's railway yard and platform had been built. A report in 1931 concluded that the new line would not be economic and that the interest charge on borrowing money for its completion would increase the branch's operating loss. Saleyards at Rangiahua, 1918 ATLIB 301550

Saleyards at Rangiahua, 1918 ATLIB 301550

In 1936, a review was conducted into the future of the line, and the decision was that no extension beyond Rangiahua would be economic, and that the section from Okaihau to Rangiahua would not be viable. The abandoned track and associated equipment was salvaged for use elsewhere, and today State Highway 1 runs where the station used to be, with the platform to the east and a loading bank to the west. There is a Maori Cemetery here, situated near the New Zealand State Highway 1, which houses the grave of a Commonwealth casualty from World War I; Rifleman John Muriwai of the New Zealand forces contracted measles and pneumonia and died at

Trentham Military Camp Trentham Military Camp is a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) facility located in Trentham, Upper Hutt, near Wellington. Originally a New Zealand Army installation, it is now run by Defence and accommodates all three services. It also hosts Joint ...

on 28 June 1915.

References

{{Coord, 35, 18, S, 173, 38, E, region:NZ_type:city, display=title Far North District Populated places in the Northland Region