The opening of the 8.5-km Ōtira tunnel completed the long-planned transalpine railway between Christchurch and Greymouth. At the time, it was the longest tunnel outside the Alps and the seventh-longest in the world.
Ōtira
Locality on the western side of Arthur’s Pass, 82 km south-east of Greymouth. Originally founded for construction workers on the Ōtira tunnel, it became a settlement for railway workers. The town was sold by the railways in 1999. It is now mainly a base for tramping and mountaineering.
Meaning of place name
There are a few possible translations for this name, but the most likely is 'Ō': 'food/provisions for a journey', 'tira': 'travelling party, company of travellers'. The other meaning could be 'Oti': 'finished', 'rā': 'sun', because the Ōtira Gorge is usually in deep shadow.
