- Rimutaka Range
Infobox Mountain
Name=Rimutaka Range
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Elevation=
Range=Rimutaka
Location=Wairarapa /Wellington ,New Zealand
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Topographic
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Easiest route=The Rimutaka Range (often referred to as the "Rimutakas") is one of several mountain ranges in theNorth Island ofNew Zealand which form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island betweenEast Cape and Wellington.The ridge is at its most pronounced in the southern part of the island, where it consists of the Ruahine, Tararua, and Rimutaka Ranges.
The Rimutakas run southwest-northeast for 55 kilometres from
Turakirae Head at the eastern end ofPalliser Bay to the upper reaches of the Hutt Valley where it joins the southern end of the Tararua Range. The highest peak in the Rimutakas isMount Matthews , at 940 metres.To cross the ridges from the
Hutt Valley to Featherston and beyond, there is a narrow, winding road that forms part of State Highway 2. At the summit is a seasonal cafe and lookout point. Arailway also used to climb across the Rimutakas; it included the famousRimutaka Incline , a rare example of theFell mountain railway system . It opened on12 August 1878 and operated until30 October 1955 , when it was replaced by theRimutaka Tunnel . This tunnel allows theWairarapa Line to pass directly beneath the range, and the former route of the Incline is now a popularrail trail . [Geoffrey B. Churchman and Tony Hurst, "The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey Through History" (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1991), pp. 154-9.] A heritage society, theRimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust , is currently seeking to rebuild the Incline as a tourist and historical attraction. [ [http://www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/about-us.html Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust - About Us] ]References
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