Avoca, New Zealand facts for kids
Avoca is a small place in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. It's not a town with many people living there today. Instead, it's a quiet spot found along the Midland Railway Line, which is a train track that connects different areas. Avoca is located between two other places called Craigieburn and Staircase. Even though no one lives there permanently now, it used to be home to a few railway workers who helped keep the trains running.
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Avoca's Coal Mining History
Avoca was once important because of the coal found nearby. A company called the Mount Torlesse Coal Company operated coal mines in the close-by Broken River Valley. They mined coal for about 11 years, from around 1917 to 1928.
How Coal Was Moved
Moving coal from the mines to the railway station was a big job. The company used a special system to transport the coal.
The Tramway System
First, they had a "tramway" which was like a small railway. This tramway was about 70 centimeters wide. Horses and steam engines pulled the coal wagons along this track.
Inclined Planes
The coal had to travel up and down steep hills. To do this, the company used something called an "inclined plane." Imagine a very steep ramp with tracks.
- One inclined plane was about 700 meters long. It hauled coal up out of the Broken River Valley.
- After that, the coal traveled about 2.7 kilometers along a high hillside.
- Then, another inclined plane lowered the coal about 600 meters down to storage bins. These bins were right at the Avoca railway station.
From the Avoca station, the coal was then sent out to different places all over the Canterbury region.
Why the Mine Closed
The Mount Torlesse Coal Company stopped operating around 1928. One big reason for this was the opening of the Otira Railway Tunnel in 1923. This new tunnel made it easier and cheaper to bring coal from Westland, another region, into Canterbury. This cheaper coal meant less demand for the coal from Avoca, which likely led to the company closing down.
Today, the old house where the mine manager used to live is still there. It is now used by the Conservation Department. They use it as a place to train their field staff.
