Ashers

For the UK religious discrimination case, see Lee v Ashers. For other uses, see Asher (disambiguation).

Ashers

Ashers is a locality in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island.[1] It is situated east of Invercargill on the Southern Scenic Route as it runs between Kapuka and Gorge Road. Other nearby settlements include Oteramika to the north and Kapuka South to the south. Also south is the Waituna Lagoon and Toetoes Bay.

## Economy

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Ashers is in a rural area and thus agriculture figures prominently. Significant lignite coal deposits are also located in the area. The Ashers-Waituna coalfield contains roughly 746 million tonnes of recoverable coal. Exploratory work has been undertaken, but commercial mining has not yet taken place.[2] A common stop for tourists and locals is the old Ashers Lignite pit, of which transformed into a 16-acre (65,000 m2) lakeside garden still featuring walls of lignite and retaining the original pit shape hosting a café and campervan park.[3]

## Railway

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On 1 March 1895, an extension of the Seaward Bush Branch from Mokotua to Gorge Road was opened, with a station located in Ashers.[4] Trains operated from Invercargill and return only a couple of times a week until a further extension to Waimahaka opened in 1899. At this point, a daily mixed train from Waimahaka to Invercargill and return began operating. The line's profitability declined from the 1930s, and in 1951, the mixed train was cut to run just once a week as a cost-saving measure, with goods-only trains on other days. On 1 June 1960, all passenger services through Ashers were cancelled; freight also continued to remain at unprofitable levels, and the whole line closed on 31 March 1966. Some of the line's old formation can still be seen in the vicinity of Ashers.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Place name detail: Ashers". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
2. ^ Ministry of Economic Development, "South Island Lignite", lasted updated 8 August 2007, accessed 17 November 2007.
3. ^ "Welcome to the Lignite Pit". Lignitepit.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
4. ^ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas, fourth edition, edited by John Yonge (Essex: Quail Map Company, 1993), 30.
5. ^ David Leitch and Brian Scott, Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways, revised edition (Wellington: Grantham House, 1998 [1995]), 125-6.

* v
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Southland District, New Zealand

Seat: Invercargill City

Populated places|

| Mararoa Waimea Ward|

| Five Rivers Area|

* Athol
* Eyre Creek
* Garston
* Lowther
* Lumsden
* Mossburn
* Parawa

|

Te Anau Area|

* Manapouri
* Mararoa
* Milford Sound
* Te Anau

Waikaia Area|

* Balfour
* Riversdale
* Waikaia

Waiau Aparima Ward|

| Riverton Area|

* Colac Bay / Ōraka
* Gummies Bush
* Orepuki
* Pahia
* Riverton / Aparima
* Thornbury
* Waipango

|

Tuatapere Area|

* Blackmount
* Clifden
* Te Waewae
* Tuatapere

Wallace Area|

* Drummond
* Fairfax
* Heddon Bush
* Isla Bank
* Nightcaps
* Ohai
* Otautau
* Wairio
* Wreys Bush

Waihopai Toetoes Ward|

| Toetoes Area|

* Curio Bay
* Fortification
* Fortrose
* Glenham
* Pine Bush
* Pukewao
* Slope Point
* Titiroa
* Te Peka
* Tokanui
* Waipapa Point
* Waikawa
* Waimahaka
* Wyndham

|

Waihopai Area|

* Ashers
* Dacre
* Gorge Road
* Grove Bush
* Kapuka
* Kapuka South
* Longbush
* Mabel Bush
* Makarewa
* Mokotua
* Oteramika
* Rakahouka
* Roslyn Bush
* Timpanys
* Woodlands

Oreti Ward|

| Te Tipua Area|

* Edendale
* Glencoe
* Mataura Island
* Menzies Ferry
* Seaward Downs
* Te Tipua
* Tuturau
* Waitane

|

Wallacetown Area|

* Lochiel
* Waianiwa
* Wallacetown
* Waimatuku

Winton Area|

* Browns
* Dipton
* Hedgehope
* Limehills
* Springhills
* Winton

Stewart Island / Rakiura|

* Oban
* Port Pegasus

Geographic features|

* Mavora Lakes
* Mokoreta River
* Mount Richardson
* Niagara Falls
* Porpoise Bay
* Waipapa Point

Facilities and attractions|

* Eyre Mountains / Taka Ra Haka Conservation Park
* Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve
* Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve
* Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve
* Lake2Lake Trail
* Mavora Lakes Conservation Park
* Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve
* Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve
* SS Tararua
* Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve
* Taumoana (Five Fingers Peninsula) Marine Reserve
* Te Awaatu Channel (The Gut) Marine Reserve
* Te Hapua (Sutherland Sound) Marine Reserve
* Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Marine Reserve
* Ulva Island-Te Wharawhara Marine Reserve
* Waipapa Point Lighthouse

Government|

* District Council
* Mayor
* Regional Council

46°27′58″S 168°39′28″E﻿ / ﻿46.4660°S 168.6577°E﻿ / -46.4660; 168.6577
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