Otira
Encyclopedia
Otira is a small township seven kilometres north of Arthur's Pass in the central South Island
of New Zealand
. It is on the western approach to the pass, a saddle between the Otira
and Bealey River
s high in the Southern Alps
. The population of Otira and its surrounds was 87 in the 2006 Census
, an increase of 30 from 2001..
It was originally a stop on the Cobb and Co
stagecoach from Canterbury
to the West Coast. The railway line was then built from Greymouth
to Otira, with the pass navigated by coach, until the railway tunnel opened in 1923. During construction of the tunnel, Otira housed about 600 workers and their families. In the 1950s the town had a population of about 350, but this had dropped to 11 in 1988 and recovered to some extent to 44 in 2010.
The township is principally old Railways housing, much of which was constructed in Hamilton
and shipped south to be reassembled on site. As well as the railway station, there is a pub, a fire station, and 18 houses, 14 of them tenanted in 2010.
Close to the town are two major feats of civil engineering
: the Otira Tunnel
, and the Otira Viaduct.
The town was bought by Bill and Christine Hennah in 1998 for NZ$80,000, and in 2010 was put up for sale with an asking price of NZ$1.5 million.
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is on the western approach to the pass, a saddle between the Otira
Otira River
The Otira River is located in the central South Island of New Zealand. It rises on the slopes of Mount Rolleston in the Southern Alps, and flows north for 20 km, passing through the town of Otira before joining the Taramakau River...
and Bealey River
Bealey River
The Bealey River is a small river located in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It is a tributary of the Waimakariri River. Its valley forms the eastern approach to Arthur's Pass...
s high in the Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
. The population of Otira and its surrounds was 87 in the 2006 Census
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
, an increase of 30 from 2001..
It was originally a stop on the Cobb and Co
Cobb & Co. (New Zealand)
Cobb and Co is the name of a company that operated a fleet of stagecoaches in Australia in the late 19th century. Cobb & Co themselves did not operate in New Zealand officially but their name was used by many private stage coach operators.-History:...
stagecoach from Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
to the West Coast. The railway line was then built from Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
to Otira, with the pass navigated by coach, until the railway tunnel opened in 1923. During construction of the tunnel, Otira housed about 600 workers and their families. In the 1950s the town had a population of about 350, but this had dropped to 11 in 1988 and recovered to some extent to 44 in 2010.
The township is principally old Railways housing, much of which was constructed in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and shipped south to be reassembled on site. As well as the railway station, there is a pub, a fire station, and 18 houses, 14 of them tenanted in 2010.
Close to the town are two major feats of civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
: the Otira Tunnel
Otira Tunnel
The Otira Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Midland Line in the South Island of New Zealand between Otira and Arthur's Pass. It runs under the Southern Alps from Arthur's Pass to Otira - a length of over . The gradient is mainly 1 in 33, and the Otira end of the tunnel is over lower than the...
, and the Otira Viaduct.
The town was bought by Bill and Christine Hennah in 1998 for NZ$80,000, and in 2010 was put up for sale with an asking price of NZ$1.5 million.