Titiroa
Encyclopedia
Titiroa is a locality in the Southland Region
of New Zealand
's South Island
. It is on the eastern bank of the lower Mataura River
, inland from Toetoes Bay
. Pine Bush
is nearby to the northeast, and Waimahaka
is to the southeast.
was opened from Gorge Road
to Waimahaka; the only intermediate station was situated in Titiroa. This branch line
railway linked Titiroa with Invercargill
, approximately 36 km away by rail. Passengers were carried on daily mixed train
s; these were cut to operate once weekly in 1951, and after this point were operated mainly for the benefit of New Zealand Railways Department
employees and their families who lived in the area. Goods-only trains operated on the other days, and on 1 June 1960 they became the sole trains through Titiroa as the weekly mixed was cancelled. The line officially closed on 31 March 1966 as freight levels had not been profitable for years. Some of the line's old formation
can still be seen in the vicinity of Titiroa.
stands alone on the Eastern flank of the Hunter Mountains
of Fiordland National Park
an it is a prominent landmark throughout the Te Anau
Basin of Northern Southland.
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
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...
. It is on the eastern bank of the lower Mataura River
Mataura River
The Mataura River is in the Southland Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is 190 kilometres in length.The river's headwaters are located in mountains to the south of Lake Wakatipu. From there it flows southeast towards Gore, where it turns southward...
, inland from Toetoes Bay
Toetoes Bay
Toetoes Bay is the easternmost of three large bays lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being Te Waewae Bay and Oreti Beach. Thirty kilometres in length, the bay is the southern end of the Awarua Plain, an area of swampy land stretching inland for about fifteen...
. Pine Bush
Pine Bush, New Zealand
Pine Bush is a locality in the Southland Region of New Zealand's South Island.It is situated near the eastern bank of the lower Mataura River. From 1899 until 1966, the Tokanui Branch railway passed just south of Pine Bush, with a station in neighbouring Titiroa...
is nearby to the northeast, and Waimahaka
Waimahaka
Waimahaka is a locality in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island. It is situated in a rural area, inland from Toetoes Bay. Nearby settlements include Pine Bush and Titiroa to the northwest, Fortification and Te Peka to the east, Pukewao and Tokanui to the southwest, and Fortrose on...
is to the southeast.
Railway
On 18 June 1899, an extension of the Seaward Bush BranchTokanui Branch
The Tokanui Branch, also known as the Seaward Bush Branch, was a branch line railway located in Southland, New Zealand. It diverged from the Bluff Branch south of the main railway station in Invercargill and ran for 54 kilometres in a southeasterly direction...
was opened from Gorge Road
Gorge Road
Gorge Road is a locality in the Southland Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is on the Southern Scenic Route and is situated on the western bank of the Mataura River...
to Waimahaka; the only intermediate station was situated in Titiroa. This branch line
Branch 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 linked Titiroa with Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, approximately 36 km away by rail. Passengers were carried on daily mixed train
Mixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
s; these were cut to operate once weekly in 1951, and after this point were operated mainly for the benefit of New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
employees and their families who lived in the area. Goods-only trains operated on the other days, and on 1 June 1960 they became the sole trains through Titiroa as the weekly mixed was cancelled. The line officially closed on 31 March 1966 as freight levels had not been profitable for years. Some of the line's old formation
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
can still be seen in the vicinity of Titiroa.
Titiroa Mountain
A 1715m Peak known as Mount TitiroaMount Titiroa
Mt Titiroa is a prominent landmark of the Te Anau Basin area of northern Southland on the eastern flank of Fiordland National Park. It is known for its white granite rock which gives its summit the appearance of lingering snow even throughout the summer months, and is clearly visible from Te Anau...
stands alone on the Eastern flank of the Hunter Mountains
Hunter Mountains
The Hunter Mountains of Lake Manapouri New Zealand named by Surveyor James McKerrow after the Famous anatomist John Hunter. The Hunter Mountain Range covers an area between The South Arm and Hope Arm of Lake Manapouri South to the Green Lake...
of Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...
an it is a prominent landmark throughout the Te Anau
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. The 2001 census recorded the town's population as 1,857...
Basin of Northern Southland.