The Papahaua Range is a mountain range on the West Coast

West Coast, New Zealand

The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...

 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...

's South Island

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...

 east of the town of Westport

Westport, New Zealand

-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...

. It is a geological continuation of the Paparoa Range that is south of the Buller River

Buller River

The Buller River is in the South Island of New Zealand. One of the country's longest rivers, it flows for 170 kilometres from Lake Rotoiti through the Buller Gorge and into the Tasman Sea near the town of Westport...

 and it runs north from the Buller Gorge

Buller Gorge

The Buller Gorge is a gorge located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. The Buller River flows through the deep canyon between Murchison and Westport. Land Information New Zealand lists two sections for the gorge, Upper Buller Gorge and Lower Buller Gorge. State Highway 6 runs...

 to the Mokihinui River

Mokihinui River

The Mokihinui River is a river located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, about 40 kilometres north of Westport.- Geography :The Mokihinui River's headwaters are located in the Glasgow Range and its mouth is on the Tasman Sea...

. At its north end, it meets the Glasgow Range

Glasgow Range

The Glasgow Range is a mountain range on the northern West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is north of the Papahaua Range and its most significant river is the Mokihinui River.- History of settlement :...

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Significant coal deposits are located in the range, and the Denniston Incline at the end of the Conns Creek Branch

Conns Creek Branch

The Conns Creek Branch was a short branch line railway in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It diverged from the Seddonville Branch in Waimangaroa and followed the Waimangaroa River to its terminus at the foot of the Denniston Incline...

 railway was built up to a plateau in the Papahaua Range to provide railway access for some mines. Due to its extremely steep climb and spectacular operations, the Denniston Incline was known during its life as the "eighth wonder of the world" by locals.

The Papahaua Ranges are largely forested and human habitation is low. The decline of coal has led to some settlements such as Denniston and Millerton

Millerton, New Zealand

Millerton is a small settlement in the northwestern South Island of New Zealand in the West Coast region. It is in the Papahaua Ranges, around 25 kilometres north east of Westport, on SH67 from Westport to Karamea....

 becoming virtually ghost town

Ghost town

A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...

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