Story: Waikato places

Waiorongomai tramway

Waiorongomai tramway

The Waiorongomai valley, on the outskirts of Te Aroha, was the site of a gold rush in the early 1880s. This tramway, with three self-acting inclines (where the loaded wagons going down pull the empty wagons up), was built by Piako County Council to give access to the mines. The remains are preserved and it is New Zealand’s oldest railway with rails still in place.

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Waikato places - Te Aroha', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/27341/waiorongomai-tramway (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, updated 11 Jun 2015