Note: there is no need to go on the tracks and the cache can be reached from the road side and no need to cross the fence. The cache is a small black container just down the road from the Belfast Station. This is now a very busy area so extreme stealth is required at time. BYO pen
Belfast Station
GZ is not far from the site of the Belfast Railway Station. From GZ you can still see the remains of the platform and dis-used tracks that were the yard. Parts of a loading bank still remain opposite GZ along with a lighting pole.
At its peak this would have been a very busy area with sidings servicing the local business in the area. Sadly now the platform area has turned into an unofficial rubbish tipping area. The station opened 29 April 1872 and closed 13 Oct 1986. The cache is hidden on Station Road, but public access to the station must has been from Donegal and Third Streets. The may have been a footbridge from Station Road perhaps.
BELFAST. (1903)
The township of Belfast is situated seven miles to the north of Christchurch, with which it is connected by a coach service and also by rail, the distance by the railway being nine miles. Belfast is surrounded by a rich agricultural district, occupied by farmers holding an average of about forty acres each, and growing chiefly oats, potatoes, and onions. Messrs Bealey Bros, were about the first to purchase land in the district, but they long ago sold their property, which is now cultivated in small holdings. The Church Property Trustees still hold a considerable area of the land, which is rented to farmers. Local industries, of great importance to Canterbuy, have helped Belfast ahead; such as the Belfast freezing works, the New Zealand Provision and Produce Company's soap and manure works, the Kaputone wool works, the oleo works, and Messrs Oppenheimer's works. There is also a butter factory and a creamery belonging to the Central Dairy Factory in the township. The local public schoool has accommodation for 320 scholars. The railway station is well situated between the township and the freezing works; and there is a branch line between the large brick buildings, with platforms at the different departments, for the purpose of facilitating the loading and unloading of sheep and cattle, and the various by-products of the works.
THE BELFAST PUBLIC SCHOOL occupies a section of about three acres in extent. There are 300 children on the roll, and the average attendance for the year which ended on the 31st of March, 1902, was 218. The headmaster's residence is on a portion of the school property. There are three certificated mistresses, and two pupil-teachers, besides the headmaster, Mr. W. D. Bean. (added this in as it was my first school a week or two back)