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The Remutaka Range (spelled Rimutaka Range before 2017) is the southernmost range of a mountain chain in the lower
During World War I over 30,000 New Zealand soldiers marched between military camps at Trentham, Upper Hutt and Featherston via the Rimutaka Hill Road, in a three-day trek of 27 miles (43.5 km). There were 23 marches of 500 to 1800 men between September 1915 and April 1918, at the end of their training as reinforcements for the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
of New Zealand. The chain continues north into the Tararua, then Ruahine Ranges, running parallel with the east coast between Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
and East Cape
East Cape is the easternmost point of the main islands of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Gisborne District of New Zealand's North Island. It can also refer to the broader Gisborne cape.
East Cape was originally named "Ca ...
.
The 555-metre summit of the road over the range at its northern saddle is named Remutaka Pass. The pass was formally named on 17 December 2015 when the Minister of Land Information confirmed the decision of the New Zealand Geographic Board. Following the passage of the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Act 2017, the name of the range officially changed to Remutaka Range.
Geography
The Remutaka Range runs north-east to south-west for 55 kilometres from the upper reaches of theHutt Valley
The Hutt Valley (or 'The Hutt') is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zeala ...
(where the range's northern saddle abuts the southern end of the Tararuas) to Turakirae Head
Turakirae Head is a promontory on the southern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the western end of Palliser Bay, 20 kilometres southeast of Wellington, at the southern end of the Remutaka Range. The head is an excellent exa ...
at the western end of Palliser Bay. The highest peak is Mount Matthews, at 940 metres, near the southern end of the range.
Narrow and winding, State Highway 2 crosses the range from the Hutt Valley to Featherston at the saddle where it meets the Tararuas. At the road's summit is a lookout point where there were usually tea rooms and well-guarded facilities maintained by residents. More recently there was a café. After disputes over toilets and land ownership between the then still new Greater Wellington Regional Council and a series of tenants the building sat empty, was severely damaged by fire in April 2009 and later demolished.
Taking a quite separate route the Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand. The line runs for , connects the capital city Wellington with the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line at Woodville, via Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt ...
railway used to climb across the Remutakas, including the famous Rimutaka Incline, a rare example of the Fell mountain railway system
The Fell system was the first third-rail system for railways that were too steep to be worked by adhesion on the two running rails alone. It uses a raised centre rail between the two running rails to provide extra traction and braking, or brakin ...
. It opened on 12 August 1878 and closed on 30 October 1955, when it was replaced by the Rimutaka Tunnel
The Remutaka Tunnel (spelled Rimutaka Tunnel before 2017) is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Remutaka Range, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.
The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 Novemb ...
. The former route is now the popular Remutaka Rail Trail and part of the Remutaka Cycle Trail.
The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust has plans to rebuild the railway from Maymorn, including the Incline, as a tourist and historical attraction.
History
During World War I over 30,000 New Zealand soldiers marched between military camps at Trentham, Upper Hutt and Featherston via the Rimutaka Hill Road, in a three-day trek of 27 miles (43.5 km). There were 23 marches of 500 to 1800 men between September 1915 and April 1918, at the end of their training as reinforcements for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...
. The march was re-enacted in 2015.
Conservation
Much of the range is protected as the Remutaka Forest Park and Wainuiomata Water Collection Area.
References
Further reading
*External links
* {{commons Mountain ranges of New Zealand Landforms of the Wellington Region