The area which followed is the richest pasture land and the most intensive dairy farming in the southern hemisphere.

Hamilton - the fourth largest city in NZ

Te Awamutu - in Maori means the end of the channel as canoes could go no further. It is now a service town for dairy farming.

Otorohanga - means in Maori food for a long journey. A Maori chief passing through the town used magic incantations to make the food last longer.

Waitomo - home of the glow worm caves.

Te Kuiti - the sheep shearing capital of the world.

It was much more hilly - fewer cows, more sheep and becoming mountainous.

We went beside the Whanganui River and then criss-crossed it.

We passed the pick up truck which we had seen on Thursday.
Taumarunui - this was the food stop for the trains before there were buffet cars.

Rasurimu Spiral - This raises the railway up the hill by means of loops and a circle. We travelled 6.8 km to cover 2 km.

We stopped at the National Park Station for half an hour, bought some food and the crew changed over with the Overlander travelling north.

Maketote Viaduct - 79 m high