Tohu Whenua is a network of diverse places recognised as Aotearoa New Zealand’s must-do heritage experiences. Tohu Whenua sites are promoted as an itinerary, encouraging visitors to explore history where it happened.

Although the Taieri Gorge Railway was on the Tohu Whenua Otago itinerary when the programme launched in 2017, in 2020 the train journey was mothballed and so it was removed from the Tohu Whenua network. Six years on, explorers will have the chance to see the incredible scenery and feat of engineering once more, with the reinstatement of this iconic rail journey.

Building an essential link

Built between the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Taieri Gorge line is a tale of determination, engineering ambition and community connection. Working in dangerous conditions, railway workers cut ledges into steep rock faces, carved tunnels by hand and built more than twenty bridges and towering viaducts to carry the line inland. This railway line created an essential link between Dunedin City and Port and remote farms, goldfields and small settlements. 

Long before rail arrived, Māori traversed this valley, following seasonal food sources, gathering mahinga kai such as moa (before extinction) and harvesting tī kōuka (cabbage tree). Later came gold miners, pastoral settlers and the workers who helped build and maintain the railway — each leaving their mark on the land and its stories. 

Now, more than 140 years after rail construction began, travelling deep into the Taieri Gorge offers a rare chance to experience this history firsthand. Departing from the iconic Dunedin Railway Station, the train climbs through valleys, crosses historic viaducts and travels through hand-carved tunnels — including the longest on the line at 437 metres. Every bend reveals a new perspective on the scale, innovation and persistence required to build a railway through some of Otago’s most challenging terrain.

New regions coming soon to Tohu Whenua

With Taieri Gorge Railway added, there are now 13 diverse sites on the Otago itinerary and the 40th site for the Tohu Whenua programme. Along with the established regions of Te Tai Tokerau Northland, Waitaha Canterbury, Otago and Te Tail Poutini, work is underway in three new regions so keen adventurers can expect new itineraries full of iconic places where history happened in 2026 and 2027.

Learn more about Taieri Gorge Railway here.