Ohakune
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| Ohakune Ōhākune (Maori) |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| Territorial authority | Ruapehu District |
| Ward | Waimarino-Waiouru |
| Population (2001 Census) | |
| - Total | 1,293 |
| Time zone | NZST (UTC+12) |
| - Summer (DST) | NZDT (UTC+13) |
| Postcode | 4625 |
| Area code(s) | 06 |
Ohakune is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the Tongariro National Park, close to the southwestern slopes of the active volcano Mount Ruapehu. Part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, the town is 70 kilometres northeast of Wanganui, and 25 kilometres west of Waiouru.
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[edit] Southern Entrance
On the eastern edge of the town there is a large replica of a carrot, which celebrates the area's reputation as the source of a high proportion of New Zealand's carrots. This is reputedly the world's largest model of carrot.
[edit] Transportation
State Highway 49 runs through the town, as does the North Island Main Trunk Railway. From 18 December 1917 until 1 January 1968, Ohakune was also the junction for the Raetihi Branch, a branch line railway to Raetihi. A truss bridge formerly used by this branch still stands near the big carrot.
Seventeen kilometres to the east of the town is the Tangiwai bridge, site of New Zealand's worst railway accident, on December 24, 1953.
[edit] Town Activities
It is a rural service town and a base for skiers using the Turoa skifield. The town's population is 1293 (2001 census).
- Accommodation
- Snow Ski-ing
- Mountain tramping
- Bushwalking
Ohakune is the planned site for the inaugural Big Mountain Short Film Festival in October 2006.
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[edit] Trivia
A mock-romantic song from the mid 1960s called September in Ohakune was recorded by Peter Harcourt on an LP called Land of the Long White Shroud
[edit] See also
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