Waiouru
| Waiouru | |
|---|---|
 Waiouru
|
|
| Coordinates: 39°29′S 175°40′E / 39.483°S 175.667°ECoordinates: 39°29′S 175°40′E / 39.483°S 175.667°E | |
| Country |
 New Zealand
|
| Region | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| Territorial authority | Ruapehu District |
| Ward | Waimarino-Waiouru |
| Elevation | 792 m (2,598 ft) |
| Population (June 2016) | |
| • Total | 890 |
| Time zone | NZST (UTC+12) |
| • Summer (DST) | NZDT (UTC+13) |
| Postcode | 4825, 4826 |
| Area code(s) | 06 |
Waiouru is a small town in the Ruapehu District, in New Zealand's Manawatu-Wanganui region. It is located on the south-eastern North Island Volcanic Plateau, 130 km (81 mi) north of Palmerston North and 25 kilometres south-east of Mount Ruapehu. The town has a June 2016d population of 890.
The main attraction of Waiouru is the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum, opened in 1978, which features static displays of New Zealand's military heritage. The rest of the township consists of a small cluster of a police station, two garages, a petrol station/postal agency, a panel beater, two motels, a tavern and half a dozen cafe/restaurants spread along the highway. There are three unmanned diesel refueling sites for the 700+ big freight trucks that pass through Waiouru each day. Nearby are the yards of a roading contractor and a maintenance contractor. A grocery store, hairdresser and beautician are in the Army housing area two kilometres away, and a medical centre, public library, cafe and department store are inside the army camp.
Waiouru is a military town that has grown up in conjunction with the New Zealand Army Camp and the Training Group (ATG), which is responsible for the training of recruits and other soldiers. The Desert Road immediately north of Waiouru runs through the 870 km² army training area, which lies mainly to the east of the road. The Royal NZ Navy's Irirangi communications station with its huge antennae is 2 km north of Waiouru.
North of Waiouru is the section of State Highway 1 called the Desert Road. This runs for 50 km through the Rangipo Desert to Turangi, at the southern end of Lake Taupo. Waiouru is on the North Island Main Trunk railway, which came through in 1907. Waiouru Railway Station is the highest station (814 m) on the New Zealand rail system. The Overlander no longer (from April 2005) stops at Waiouru.
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Wikipedia