Papahaua Range facts for kids
The Papahaua Range is a mountain range found on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located east of the town of Westport. This range is like a natural extension of the Paparoa Range, which lies to its south.
The Papahaua Range stretches north from the Buller Gorge all the way to the Mōkihinui River. At its northern end, it connects with the Glasgow Range.
A History of Coal Mining
The Papahaua Range is well-known for its large amounts of coal. For many years, coal mining was a very important industry here. Miners dug deep into the mountains to find this valuable resource.
The Amazing Denniston Incline
To help transport the mined coal, a special railway was built. This was the famous Denniston Incline. It was built on a high plateau in the Papahaua Range. The incline was part of the Conns Creek Branch railway line.
The Denniston Incline was incredibly steep. It was a challenging and exciting piece of engineering. Because of its amazing design and how it worked, local people called it the "eighth wonder of the world." It helped move coal from the mines down to other transport links.
Nature and Quiet Towns
Most of the Papahaua Range is covered in thick forests. Not many people live in this area. As the coal mining industry slowed down, some towns that once thrived became very quiet.
Places like Denniston and Millerton were once busy mining communities. Now, they are almost like ghost towns. This means most people have moved away, and many buildings are empty.
