Waiorongomai AKA Piako County Tramway near Te Aroha

courtesy Chris Ball 2009

Waiorongomai Tramway AKA Piako County Tramway AKA Te Aroha Tramway - part of the past of our goldmining, railway and tramway heritage of New Zealand.  This tramway is listed as a NZ Heritage historic place category 1, said to be an " outstanding nineteenth century development in industrial engineering" ( Heritage NZ 

This tramway is also a part of our family history and a favorite of a number of our tramping cousins, For this is where James Stewart, civil engineer, began survey and construction of a tramway for the Piako County Council. 

In 2020 this tramway is a popular tourism spot for trampers, hikers and walkers for is one of the few New Zealand railway and tramway relics where many of the rails are still in place.

Break on May Queen 2009 photo courtesy Chris Bal1

This tramway is where James Stewart's second son, James Jnr. began his engineering apprenticeship under the strict tutelage of his father ( newly retired from the Public Works Department as District Engineer who then was  in private engineering practice - Stewart and Hunter - with other engineers joining this firm. Some of us call this tramway, James Stewart Snr's swan song, because it is one of height and steep inclines. 

Surveys  for the tramway began  back in 1882. On the eastern slopes of Mount Te Aroha. All as a result of Hone Wharehiko discovering gold. " Gold fever" bought prospectors to the area and vast amounts of capital for it was hard rock mining and not the alluvial gold of the South Island. A town - Waiorongomai - sprang up along with mines and batteries. The area was very steep, the completed tramway said to rise to  430 m (1,410 ft) with a gradient of 1in 4. The purpose of constructing this tramway was to bring the quartz for crushing down, to the four batteries.

THE MINING REVIVAL IN THE AUCKLAND PROVINCE: THE WAIORONGOMAI BATTERY, SOME FIVE MILES DISTANT FROM TE AROHA, AUCKLAND. courtesy 

 Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19090624-2-2

At the Piako County meeting in May of 1882 the following resolutions were passed which saw the beginning of this tramway being formed.

" That, firstly. Messrs  Jas. Stuart and Alex 'Aitken 'be requested to report in conjunction with the county engineer upon the best line. for a main tramway at Te Aroha, together with the best system of connecting branch tramways (either wire or otherwise), with the main line, and the probable cost thereof. Secondly. That Crs. J. C. Firth and Whitaker be a committee for the purpose of giving the engineer the necessary instructions and as to the remuneration." ( Waikato Times 04/05/1882)

Following a report to the meeting three weeks later of the Piako County Council by Stewart and Purchas ( a Mining Engineer and authorised surveyor ) on  the proposed tramway, saw Stewart appointed engineer for the construction. Also for drawings of the tramway and tenders which included formation, rails and sleepers.

Thames Star 

8 September 1882 

Page 3

courtesy papers past National Library NZ 

A combination of weather and terrain  hampered progress during the winter of 1882. By the end of November 1882, Darrow and Foughey were announced, successful tenderers for  a contract for formation of the tramway. McLiver's tender for 4,500 sleepers, to be supplied  in mainly kauri, with an option of six kinds of wood.  

A locomotive was ordered for the Wairongomai Tramway AKA Piako County Tramway. This was a first for engineering firm Price Bros of  Thames NZ. A four wheeled, geared type with horizontal cyls, this locomotive sat idle, as it was decided to use horse power rather than steam power to  bring the quartz  down. The locomotive ,from research undertake, then led a varied and chequered use. Not long after the Tramway opened October 1984, a " For Sale by Tender notice appeared in the local Te Aroha newspaper.

                                           Te Aroha News 27 December 1884 Page 7 courtesy Papers Past NZ National Library

The locomotive  continued to languish unused until  reported in the Waikato Times that it had  been  put into the hands of  Messrs Morrin and Co for sale for which they received £350. Bought by Smyth Bros of Kennedy Bay, Coromandel peninsula, the locomotive worked a bush tramway transporting logs until about 1906. In 1908 ,the Public Works Department purchased the locomotive for work down the South Island NZ , on the Otira line and the Blenheim to Waipara line.  

Showing a small rail bridge in bush setting at Waiorongomai. Situated at the southern foot of Mount Te Aroha, Piako County, Waikato. Gold was discovered in the vicinity in 1880, and mining continued there until about 1920. Possible prospector's hut at right. Courtesy Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 7-A16035

Stewart resigned from the Piako County Tramway project in early 1883 due to other commitments, with survey and construction of the Rotorua Railway. H H Adams completed the permanent way of the  tramway as engineer in charge. Under weather conditions and slips Adams completed the tramway. Both Adams and Stewart attended the opening of the battery and tramway in November 1883.

Waiorongomai Tramway incline on Mount Te Aroha, Piako County. Ref: 1/2-090945-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23036514

At the dinner celebrating the opening, Mr. Josiah  Firth, it was reported: - 

"The Chairman rose to award well-de-served praise to Mr. James Stewart the designer of the tramway and to Mr. H.H. Adams  who carried it out. It would remain as a monument to the engineering skill and indomitable pluck of both gentlemen. "( Te Aroha News, 06/12/1883/p2)

Despite the tramway's critics about cost, design  and functioning once opened, it has remained a monument to engineering skill and pluck. Easy to see this in 2020, looking back at this part of New Zealand history when for a very short while miners attempted to wrest gold from the quartz on the slopes of a high mountain - Te Aroha.  

Wairongomai Tramway 2009 - photo courtesy Chris Ball

Reference Source:

•       Stott, B. (1983). Prices of Thames Locomotive and General Engineers, Thames NZ. Dunedin: Southern Press Ltd.
•          MINES STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF MINES, THE HON. W. J. M. LARNACH, C.M.G. 24th JULY, 1885. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1885 Session I, C-06
•         GOLDFIELDS, ROADS, WATER-RACES, AND OTHER WORKS IN CONNECTION WITH MINING (REPORT ON). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1886 Session I, C-04
•           Piako Tramway, Heritage NZ https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/7401
•      From<https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=19005753>04/03/1882 - J. C. Firth; Application to form a tramway situated at Waiorongomai Creek, Te Aroha.    R19005753 BBAV 11586 A556 1/ao
•            Waikato Times 4 May 1882 Page 2 
•             Waikato Times 30 May 1882 Page 2
•             28 August 1882 Thames Advertiser 
•             Thames Star 8 September 1882 Page 3
•             Thames Star  24 February 1883  Page 2 (Supplement)
•              Waikato Times  5 May 1883  Page 2
•              Auckland Star  11 October 1883  Page 2
•              Waikato Times  11 October 1883  Page 2
•               Te Aroha News  3 November 1883  Page 2 
•               New Zealand Herald  7 December 1883  Page 5
•               Te Aroha News 27 December 1884 Page 7
•               Waikato Times  17 October 1885  Page 2