It depends on where you are from or which direction you are travelling as to what name this tunnel has, Kiore, Mangaopapa Rd or Matau Valley tunnel, you choose. The main route into the Matau Valley in the early 1900’s was via Tarata or Purangi.
In 1905 the railway from Stratford to Ongarue had started and the Matau valley settlers decided to Kiore road needed to be completed.
By 1908 the railway had reached Huiroa but the road to Kiore has still not been finished and the tunnel only just started. It was not completed until 1910.
The timber lining used to support the roof had started to collapse by 1950 so a Fielding firm was brought in to take out the old timber and replace with reinforced concrete. Three quarters of the tunnel was done this way and the rest still lined with timber.
The lining was replaced with rock bolts, reinforcing mesh and shotcrete in 1994.
The Kiore tunnel still stands proud and high, retaining its original cross section and no widening or lowering has taken place.
Because of poor GPS reception due to the weather it was hard to get a consistent reading, so to not disappoint anyone who has driven this far I will try and make it a sure find.
Cache is located at the base of a small ponga which is next to a Rangoria tree. This is a broad oval leaf with pale under sides and has small white flowers when in bloom on the Tarata side, RHS of road.
There is a small tree clad gut running off to the right just past the road sign. Approx. 5m towards the tunnel from the gut is the cache; you will have to step over the water table. No climbing should be required.
Please replace so it won’t roll down and get washed away.