Raetihi
Encyclopedia
Raetihi is a town in the central North Island
of New Zealand
. It is located at the junction of State Highways 4 and 49
, 11 kilometres west of Ohakune
. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
recorded its population as 1,035. This constitutes a decrease of 3.4% or 36 people since the 2001 census. 58.2% of residents identified as Māori. The Waimarino stretches from Mount Ruapehu
to the Wanganui River encompassing Raetihi, Pipiriki, Karioi, Horopito, Waiouru, Rangataua and Ohakune.
There is evidence of Maori people living here in the fourteenth century. The Ngati Uenuku dwelled at Raetihi and Waimarino (now National Park), There is little evidence of large permanent settlements but hunting parties were common during warmer months.
In 1887 the Government purchased the Waimarino block from the Maori. The first European settlement was at Karioi where sheep were grazed on open tussock land.
The Waimarino block proved to be a “pot of gold”. Between 1908 and 1947 it provided 700 million superficial feet of building timber. The remnants of 150 sawmills have been discovered. Now there are only two major mills operating permanently. One at Tangiwai & one at National Park.
In its heyday the sawmilling of rimu, totara, kahikatea, matai and beech trees provided employment for numerous people in the area.
Raetihi (originally called Makotuku due to the river flowing at the towns edge) became the focal point for travellers going between Wanganui and Waiouru. A thriving town emerged to serve the timber workers and those passing through. A trip North from Wanganui was not for the faint-hearted. The scenic “River Road” passing through Pipiriki was treacherous with primitive tracks and long falls if you left the track. Those who completed the journey to Raetihi found hospitality, accommodation, blacksmiths and saddlers for weary horses and supplies for their further travels north.
The great fire of 1918 was a terrible setback to many businesses and homeowners in Raetihi. The loss of numerous mills slowed the timber industry but it continued successfully into the 1940′s.
As decades passed, it emerged that the ‘endless’ supply of strong native timber was running out. The choice to replant forests in fast-growing pine was there, but in the middle of the 20th century the ability to treat this new soft wood for outdoor building was not available. Raetihi felt the loss of the timber industry more as each year passed. Farming was an option for some but it would never be as high an employer as the forests once provided.
From the 1970’s through to the 1990’s, Raetihi fell into a state of depression similar to many rural New Zealand towns. While farming and forestry continue here, it is tourism that provides the next glimmer of hope for this historic town.
railway that diverged from the North Island Main Trunk in Ohakune. The station building remains in the town today, relocated from its original site and restored as part of the Waimarino Museum
. The museum holds an archive of documents and photographs from the broader Ruapehu area, some of which are available online.
became more prominent in the local economy. The two most prominent agricultural activities are cattle farming and vegetable growing and they now provide the bulk of employment as the timber mills have closed.
The decline of the timber industry negatively impacted upon Raetihi, but it has recently experienced some small growth due to tourism. Its close proximity to Mount Ruapehu
and popular ski-fields has led to the establishment of accommodation and cafes to cater for the increasing number of visitors.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
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 located at the junction of State Highways 4 and 49
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
, 11 kilometres west of Ohakune
Ohakune
Ohakune is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the Tongariro National Park, close to the southwestern slopes of the active volcano Mount Ruapehu. Part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, the town is 70 kilometres northeast of Wanganui, and 25 kilometres west...
. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
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...
recorded its population as 1,035. This constitutes a decrease of 3.4% or 36 people since the 2001 census. 58.2% of residents identified as Māori. The Waimarino stretches from Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active stratovolcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand. It is 23 kilometres northeast of Ohakune and 40 kilometres southwest of the southern shore of Lake Taupo, within Tongariro National Park...
to the Wanganui River encompassing Raetihi, Pipiriki, Karioi, Horopito, Waiouru, Rangataua and Ohakune.
There is evidence of Maori people living here in the fourteenth century. The Ngati Uenuku dwelled at Raetihi and Waimarino (now National Park), There is little evidence of large permanent settlements but hunting parties were common during warmer months.
In 1887 the Government purchased the Waimarino block from the Maori. The first European settlement was at Karioi where sheep were grazed on open tussock land.
The Waimarino block proved to be a “pot of gold”. Between 1908 and 1947 it provided 700 million superficial feet of building timber. The remnants of 150 sawmills have been discovered. Now there are only two major mills operating permanently. One at Tangiwai & one at National Park.
In its heyday the sawmilling of rimu, totara, kahikatea, matai and beech trees provided employment for numerous people in the area.
Raetihi (originally called Makotuku due to the river flowing at the towns edge) became the focal point for travellers going between Wanganui and Waiouru. A thriving town emerged to serve the timber workers and those passing through. A trip North from Wanganui was not for the faint-hearted. The scenic “River Road” passing through Pipiriki was treacherous with primitive tracks and long falls if you left the track. Those who completed the journey to Raetihi found hospitality, accommodation, blacksmiths and saddlers for weary horses and supplies for their further travels north.
The great fire of 1918 was a terrible setback to many businesses and homeowners in Raetihi. The loss of numerous mills slowed the timber industry but it continued successfully into the 1940′s.
As decades passed, it emerged that the ‘endless’ supply of strong native timber was running out. The choice to replant forests in fast-growing pine was there, but in the middle of the 20th century the ability to treat this new soft wood for outdoor building was not available. Raetihi felt the loss of the timber industry more as each year passed. Farming was an option for some but it would never be as high an employer as the forests once provided.
From the 1970’s through to the 1990’s, Raetihi fell into a state of depression similar to many rural New Zealand towns. While farming and forestry continue here, it is tourism that provides the next glimmer of hope for this historic town.
Railway and museum
From 18 December 1917 to 1 January 1968, Raetihi was served by the Raetihi Branch, a branch lineBranch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
railway that diverged from the North Island Main Trunk in Ohakune. The station building remains in the town today, relocated from its original site and restored as part of the Waimarino Museum
Waimarino Museum
The Waimarino Museum in Raetihi township chronicles the people, events, and history of the Central Plateau region of New Zealand's North Island. The Museum includes the railway station building from the terminus of the Raetihi Branch. It was originally situated on Station Road which lies off to...
. The museum holds an archive of documents and photographs from the broader Ruapehu area, some of which are available online.
History
Although now a small rural town, Raetihi was a minor industrial centre between 1900 and the 1950s. It had numerous timber mills which provided the bulk of employment to the region. As the timber was cleared, agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
became more prominent in the local economy. The two most prominent agricultural activities are cattle farming and vegetable growing and they now provide the bulk of employment as the timber mills have closed.
The decline of the timber industry negatively impacted upon Raetihi, but it has recently experienced some small growth due to tourism. Its close proximity to Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active stratovolcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand. It is 23 kilometres northeast of Ohakune and 40 kilometres southwest of the southern shore of Lake Taupo, within Tongariro National Park...
and popular ski-fields has led to the establishment of accommodation and cafes to cater for the increasing number of visitors.
Timeline
- 1900 - Raetihi is the largest centre of the King CountryKing CountryThe King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman...
with almost 4,500 people. - 1903 - co-operative dairy company established.
- 1917 - Railway branch line reaches Raetihi.
- 1918, 18 March - The 'Great Fire' - about 200 houses were destroyed.
- 1918 - InfluenzaInfluenzaInfluenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
epidemic.