Anama, New Zealand facts for kids
Anama is a small, quiet place in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It's located near the Hinds River, and the Ashburton River / Hakatere is also close by. You can find Anama not far from Mount Somers. Other small towns nearby include Valetta, Mayfield, and Montalto. Anama School had its 100th birthday celebration in March 2002.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Anama comes from an Aboriginal word. It was chosen by a person named W.S. Peter. He named it after a large farm called Anama Station in South Australia. This farm was owned by Peter's brother-in-law.
Anama's Railway History
Anama was once the end of a railway line for a short time.
The Mount Somers Branch Line
On October 3, 1882, a railway line opened to Anama. It was about 30.9 kilometers (19 miles) long. This line started from a place called Tinwald, which is near Ashburton. Tinwald is on the main railway line that runs through the South Island.
This railway line later became known as the Mount Somers Branch. On March 1, 1884, the line was made even longer, reaching Cavendish.
Passengers and Freight
Most people traveling on the railway used "mixed trains." These trains carried both passengers and goods. Over time, more people started using cars instead of trains. Because of this, the railway stopped carrying passengers after January 9, 1933.
However, the railway still carried a lot of goods for several years. After World War II, the amount of goods carried by train started to drop. Eventually, it became too expensive to keep the railway running.
The Railway Closes
The Anama railway line officially closed on January 1, 1968. Even today, you can still see parts of where the railway track used to be around Anama. The old train station's platform and a loading area for goods are also still there.
