Okaihau Branch - Construction

Construction

Proposals for a railway line to Kaitaia and the Far North existed as early as the 1870s, but it was not until 1909 that preliminary surveys were conducted. After the North Auckland Line was linked to and extended over the Opua Branch in 1911, construction progressed in earnest from Otiria towards Kaikohe: initial work had been undertaken in 1910. On 1 May 1914, this section opened. A small amount of further construction took place over the next two years, but World War I meant that no work took place between 1916 and 1919. The resumption of work led to the completion of the line to Okaihau on 29 October 1923.

Debate raged over what route to follow to Kaitaia. The proposal was to run from Okaihau to Rangiahua, near the Hokianga Harbour, and then either through the Maungataniwha Range, about 30 kilometres long with two tunnels; or skirting the range, roughly ten kilometres longer with no tunnels. A 1921 commission did not support work beyond Okaihau, but a compromise in 1923 established Rangiahua as the northern terminus and the Public Works Department continued to build northwards, albeit slowly.

The Great Depression proved catastrophic for the fortunes of the line beyond Okaihau, with construction abandoned in the early 1930s. The Rangiahua section was essentially complete: the line wound downhill to the settlement and a station yard complete with platform was built, though the station building itself was not erected. In 1936, a change in government led to a review of the work beyond Okaihau and the decision was made not to extend the line to Kaitaia. The steep route to Rangiahua was not seen as being particularly useful and had been plagued by slips. The line was accordingly terminated in Okaihau, which was on the main State Highway north (SH1). During World War II the abandoned trackage was salvaged for use elsewhere.