Poolburn Gorge facts for kids
The Poolburn Gorge is a deep valley, or gorge, in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. It's about 4 kilometers east of a small town called Lauder. A river named the Ida Burn flows through this 2.5-kilometer-long gorge. It cuts through the Raggedy Range, connecting the Ida Valley and the Manuherikia Valley.
You won't find public roads through the gorge. Instead, a path follows the river on the south side. This path used to be a railway line. Now, it's a popular bike and walking trail called the Otago Central Rail Trail.
The land around Poolburn Gorge is quite dry. It has hot, dry summers and cold winters. The gorge itself cuts through strong schist rock cliffs. The plants on the steep slopes are tough, low-growing shrubs. But right next to the river, you'll see a strip of green trees. The Ida Burn joins the Manuherikia River soon after it leaves the Poolburn Gorge.
Long ago, the southern Māori knew the Pool Burn as Te Waipapapa o Karetai. This means 'the water container of Karetai', who was a Ngāi Tahu chief.
The Otago Central Rail Trail: A Journey Through History
The Poolburn Gorge part of the Otago Central Branch Railway is very special. It includes two bridges and two tunnels. The railway line gently winds along the south side of the gorge. Building this section of the railway took more than three years. At its busiest around 1902, up to 300 workers were involved.
At the eastern end of the gorge, you'll find the Poolburn Viaduct. It stands 37 m (121 ft) tall, making it the highest bridge on the old rail line. It was bridge number 69 if you started counting from Dunedin. This 108 m (354 ft) long viaduct was built between 1901 and 1904. It was one of the last big stone and steel bridges built on the line. Its middle section is the longest on the Otago Central Railway, stretching 47.5 m (156 ft). Workers used schist rock from nearby quarries to build its strong piers and supports. They used large cranes to lift the heavy stone slabs into place.
As you go into the gorge, you'll find two tunnels cut through the schist rock. Poolburn No.1 is 201 m (659 ft) long. The curved Poolburn No.2 is the longest tunnel on the line, at 229 m (751 ft) long. If you're walking or cycling through these tunnels, you'll need a torch. Bike rental places often provide them.
Both tunnels have cool entrances made of schist rock slabs. The arches are outlined with bricks. Inside, the first 10 m (33 ft) of the tunnels are lined with brick. After that, you can see the bare rock walls.
Just after leaving the Poolburn Gorge, the trail crosses the Manuherikia River. It crosses on the 110.6 m (363 ft) long Manuherikia Bridge No.1. This bridge was number 70 on the railway line and was finished in 1903. It's the longest bridge on the line. It's also one of only two curved bridges on the rail trail. The other curved bridge is in Hyde.
In 1990, the railway line closed from Middlemarch onwards. This included the Poolburn Gorge section. The tracks were removed. Then, in 2000, the line was turned into a bike trail. This meant adding new wooden decks to the bridges and putting fine gravel on the track.
Exploring the Gorge by Bike
The Poolburn Gorge section is the most popular part of this multi-day bike trail. You can ride through the gorge as a day trip. For example, you can go from Oturehua to Omakau. Or, you can do a shorter 1-2 hour ride from Auripo to Omakau. A return trip from Omakau takes about 3-4 hours. Local companies in Omakau and Oturehua offer bike rentals and transport. Both villages also have places to stay.
The bike track gently goes downhill through the beautiful Poolburn Gorge from east to west. Along the way, you'll see the Poolburn Viaduct, the two tunnels, and the bridge over the Manuherikia River. Just after the second tunnel, there are two short walking paths you can explore. One goes to the cliff above the tunnel. The other leads to the remains of a village where construction workers used to live. After the rail trail leaves the gorge, you get great views over the Manuherikia Valley and towards the Hawkdun Range.
