Mel Williams, Visitor Services
Miniature train enthusiasts from clubs far and wide were invited to the Heritage Park at Kiwi North over the Auckland/Northland Anniversary weekend. The weekend-long gathering is an annual celebration for the Whangārei Model Engineering Club during which they welcome like-minded appreciators and families keen to ride the miniature railway.
Many of us have vivid and happy memories of being atop one of the tiny trains which have delighted thousands of passengers since the club was incorporated in 1980. Some will even remember its first appearance as a Whangārei attraction when the original tracks were laid, not at the Heritage Park, but at Tarewa Park that same year.
The Rotary Club was involved in building that original track and facilites which were officially opened in November 1980. For 17 years the miniature railway remained at Tarewa Park, gradually expanding to include a second loop and larger clubrooms, but in 1997, due in part to ongoing issues with vandalism, the decision was made to uplift the track and move to a new site in the Heritage Park, where the Whangārei Model Engineering Club begame the third heritage club to call the park home.
The club’s facilties underwent further developments in 2001 and 2004, made possible by various grants and donations. During this time 700 additional metres of track was laid, as well as the 25-metre long tunnel, viaduct, small bridge, clubrooms, garage and platform. Then in 2012, in preparation for a convention, the track was extended to include two loops around the mountain, more engine parking was added and signals were installed.
The track and facilities now provide a highly anticipated attraction for locals and visitors on the third Sunday of every month, a tour of the Heritage Park that encompasses beautiful scenery and hands-on history. The pint-sized passenger trains journey through a tunnel, over a viaduct and past historical sites including the Riponui Pah School, Don Wilson’s Shed and the private cemetary of Dr and Mrs Clarke who owned the land that became the Heritage Park and built “Glorat”, the Clarke Homestead for their family. The mountain which is circled twice at the beginning of the journey is also of historical significance as it was the site of one of Whangārei’s lesser-known gun emplacements during World War II.
The tracks, trains and facilities are all maintained and operated by volunteers and members of the Whangārei Model Engineering Club. Their tireless commitment to preserving and sharing the joy and history of the miniature railway has given families treasured memories for decades and they show no sign of slowing down. They do however need help and ask for anyone with a particular set of skills; people from the motoring industry, with experience in engine maintenance and an interest in continuing their important work, to reach out, become a member and be a part of keeping history on track for future generations.
