Editing Remutaka Range (section)

==Geography==

The Remutaka Range runs north-east to south-west for 55 kilometres from the upper reaches of the [[Hutt Valley]] (where the range's northern saddle abuts the southern end of the Tararuas) to [[Turakirae Head]] at the western end of [[Palliser Bay]]. The highest peak is [[Mount Matthews]], at 940 metres, near the southern end of the range.

Narrow and winding, [[New Zealand State Highway 2|State Highway 2]] crosses the range from the Hutt Valley to [[Featherston, New Zealand|Featherston]] at the saddle where it meets the Tararuas. At the road's summit is a lookout point where there were usually tea rooms and well-guarded facilities maintained by residents.<ref>[https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19310129.2.102 Manawatu Standard] 29 January 1931</ref> More recently there was a café. After disputes over toilets and land ownership between the then still new [[Greater Wellington Regional Council]] and a series of tenants the building sat empty, was severely damaged by fire in April 2009<ref>Don Farmer, [http://www.times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3796489 Summit a shambles], Wairarapa Times-Age, 2009-03-29, retrieved 2 October 2009.</ref><ref name="Stuff.co.nz_2316411">{{cite news |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2316411 |title= Rimutaka cafe fire treated as arson |date= 6 April 2009 |agency= [[NZPA]] |work= [[Stuff.co.nz]] |access-date= 5 November 2011}}</ref> and later demolished.

Taking a quite separate route the [[Wairarapa Line]] railway used to climb across the Remutakas, including the famous [[Rimutaka Incline]], a rare example of the [[Fell mountain railway system]].  It opened on 12 August 1878 and closed on 30 October 1955, when it was replaced by the [[Rimutaka Tunnel]]. The former route is now the popular [[Remutaka Rail Trail]] and part of the Remutaka Cycle Trail.{{sfn|Churchman|Hurst|2001|p=154–159}}
The [[Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust]] has plans to rebuild the railway from Maymorn, including the Incline, as a tourist and historical attraction.<ref>[http://www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/about-us.html Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust – About Us]</ref>