Brief History of
Otago Central Railway

Following the development of the main trunk line in the South Island, there were questions about the necessity of railways into mid Otago. This was especially so with the large populations from the goldfields reducing. But with the prospect of fertile inland plains and agricultural expansion, the line began in 1879 towards Middlemarch despite the difficulties of developing through the rocky and narrow Taieri Gorge. There was a confident hope expressed that the line would be completed to Wanaka by 1884.

The initial development began joining the main trunk line at Wingatui, just south of Dunedin. The plan was nearly abandoned a year later because of the depression. The Government set up a commission to investigate and report on the possibility of reducing expenditure on railway construction but a rival commission with findings that expressed full confidence in the project. The government carried on!

Construction was slow due to the difficulty of the terrain and the shortage of funding. However, rail reached Middlemarch by January 1891. The first pioneer passenger train to Middlemarch was on 13th March 1891 with the official opening 27th May of the same year. It went on to reach Cromwell, not Wanaka as once planned.

As the line was developed, little settlements with schools for the railway families developed, only to be abandoned as work moved on. However the odd family stayed to settle in the area and many of stone buildings here are due to the work to stone masons who once worked on the railway line.

Used both for passengers and stock, the development of better roads and alternative services eventually reduced the use of the line. The line remained open until it began being demolished in 1990. Although the line between Middlemarch and Wingatui (on the main trunk line) still remains and is operated by as a scenic tourism operation, the line onwards from Middlemarch has been lifted and the land given to the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust, who with DOC, has developed it as a the Otago Central Rail Trail walking/cycling/horse track.

Middlemarch siding looking towards Dunedin.
Buildings shown all still exist.