Orepuki

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Orepuki is a small country township which once use to be a thriving gold mining settlement. Today Orepuki resembles a ghost town, with many abandoned stores from the past. The Orepuki primary school closed in 2003.

Orepuki is 20 minutes from Riverton, 15 minutes from Tuatapere and 50 minutes from Invercargill.

Orepuki is situated next to Te Waewae Bay, with sandy beaches and high cliffs with tunnels and caves in them. To the east is the Longwood Range, which is covered in dense forest. Great for hunting and tramping. There are many farms surrounding Orepuki.

With surrounding areas including Pahia, Round Hill, Wakapatu, Ruahine, Colac Bay, Waihoaka, Te Waewae and Te Tua.

The township has a pub, store, bowling green, community hall and a church. It has a population of about 100.

The area is famous for its bent over trees, due to frequent winds blowing salt from across the sea, most trees along the coast are bent by nearly 90°. The land around Orepuki is scarred from past gold mining projects.

On 25 May 1885, a branch line railway was opened to Orepuki, providing it with swift transport to Invercargill. On 1 October 1903, a further extension beyond Orepuki was opened and the line ultimately came to be known as the Tuatapere Branch. The section of line between Riverton and Tuatapere closed on 30 July 1976 and the Orepuki station building still stands today, albeit relocated to serve other purposes on a farmer's paddock.

[edit] Nearby attractions

• Monkey Island; a small island of a beach, which you can walk to during low tide. With a small walking track on it.