On a beautiful autumn day,  after a walk around the Sutton Salt Lake track (see post),  we had lunch at Quench cafe in Middlemarch then headed to the Hindon Railway station.

The drive into the gorge was beautiful and from the road, at various vantage points,  you can see three bridges and a tunnel along the railway line.

Part of the Taieri Gorge Railway which is popular with tourists and locals, the railway remains in the Taieri Gorge for 25 km, crossing 16 major bridges and passing through 10 tunnels. Just before Hindon station, the railway tracks share a combined road-rail bridge with Hindon Road, a local back road. The Hindon section of the railway was completed in 1889, this was extremely difficult terrain with spurs and gullies which had to be overcome with tunnels and bridges. Work-camps and railway settlements were established along both sides of the Taieri Gorge, one of these was around the Hindon station, they typically had engineer’s office, carpenters and blacksmith’s shops and stables. It’s so peaceful and quiet here now but you can imagine what a busy place it was.

The first glimpse of the gorge and one of the bridges in the distance – just right of the centre of the photo above and a closer look below.

A view of one of the historic bridges as the road starts to descend into the gorge.

Beautiful scenery, the railway line can be seen on the right hand side of the photo.

The river and railway line as the road descends into the gorge

The combined road and rail bridge just before the Hindon railway station.

Bridge and the tunnel on the left, we walked through the tunnel and round to the bridge.

One of the few houses at Hindon

The combined rail and road bridge  The Taieri River

We walked through the tunnel and followed the track around to the bridge.

Susan (Sue) A dedication to the Collie Sheep dogs that have worked this land for the last 150 years.

A beautiful autumn day,  looking up the river but no dogs allowed at the river which

was a pity they would have loved it!!!

An interesting board with some great old photos, Ive added a few below

– hopefully no one minds me copying them to show you.

Amazing engineering!!

And today – hasn’t changed much!

And today – the same bridge

How to get there:

About a 50 minute drive from Dunedin follow the main highway a go either through Mosgiel or East Taieri towards Outram. Turn right into George King memorial drive and follow the sign posts to Hindon.