Useful Information
Whether you're resident in Ohakune or just visiting, this is the basic information you need to know.
Emergency Services
The emergency number in New Zealand is 111. Call this number free if you need the police, ambulance or fire services.
Police
Contact: (06) 385 0100; 10 Clyde Street, Ohakune
Fire
Contact: (06) 385 8331; 26 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune
Ambulance
There are plans for a Waimarino Ambulance Station. Watch this space for further updates. In an emergency the air ambulance will respond to 111 calls.
Medical services
The Whanganui District Health Board is responsible for medical provision in Ohakune. For full information on health services in the area visit www.wdhb.org.nz
The regional hospital is in Wanganui:
Wanganui Hospital
Contact: (06) 348 1234; 100 Heads Road, Gonville, Wanganui
Ohakune’s local medical providers are:
Ruapehu Health Centre
Contact: (06) 385 9220; 28 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune
Ngati Rangi Community Health Centre
Contact: (06) 385 9580; 36 Burns Street, Ohakune
Ohakune Dental Centre
Contact: (06) 385 9202; 16 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune
Ohakune Pharmacy
Contact: (06) 385 8304; 21 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune;
Auto & Breakdown Services
Goddard Automotive Engineering Ltd
Contact: (06) 385 9267; 3 Miro Street, Ohakune
Ohakune Tyre & Energy Centre
Contact: (06) 385 9104; 74 Clyde Street, Ohakune
Horopito Motors
Contact: (06) 385 4151; 40 Matapuna Road, Horopito
Ruapehu Motor Group
Contact: (06) 385 4216; Seddon Street, Raetihi;
Visitor Information
Department of Conservation (DOC)
DOC is the government body responsible for administering and many of New Zealand’s ecologically, biologically and culturally sensitive area including national parks, archaeological sites, hunting and fishing grounds and much more.
The DOC Ruapehu Area Office is in Whakapapa Village, to the north west of Mount Ruapehu.
Amongst other things, DOC offices can provide:
• Excellent information on tracks and trails throughout the region
• Hunting and fishing permits and information on regulations
• Information on a wide range of events and activities taking place on DOC managed land
• Up to date weather information and condition reports for the mountain
• Information on the local flora and fauna including details of conservation projects and volunteering opportunities
For more information contact the local offices:
Ohakune Visitor Centre
The local DOC Visitor Centre is located in the i-Site building on Clyde Street in the centre of Ohakune.
Phone: 06 385 8427
Email: ohakunevc@doc.govt.nz
Postal Address: PO Box 71029, Whakapapa Village, Mount Ruapehu 3951
Ohakune Ranger Station
The local DOC Ranger Station is located at the foot of the Ohakune Mountain Road, on the right hand side just past the railway bridge.
Ruapehu Area Office
The DOC Area Office is located in Whakapapa Village, State Highway 48.
Phone: 07 892 3729
Email: ruapehuao@doc.govt.nz
Postal Address: PO Box 71029, Whakapapa Village, Mount Ruapehu 3951
Ruapehu i-Site Visitor Information Centre
The local i-Site centre is here to help you make the most of your stay in Ohakune. The i-Site can provide information on:
• Accommodation – both local and national to help you plan ahead for the next part of your trip
• Activities in the region from short walks to jet boating to horse trekking and much more
• Local and national transport to help you get to where you are going
The i-Site can also make bookings on your behalf for all of the above. For more information contact the office.
Phone: 06 385 8427
Email: Ruapehu@i-site.org
Radio
Ohakune’s local radio station is Peak FM 95.8.
Newspaper
The Ruapehu Bulletin is the local paper and is published weekly on a Tuesday.
Telephone codes
The international dialling code for New Zealand is +64.
The local dialling code for Ohakune is 06.
Population
Ohakune has a permanent population of around 1000 people. This number swells to 7-10,000 during the winter ski season. Ohakune has the youngest population of the Ruapehu region and also the highest number of families with children.
Climate
Ohakune has a temperate climate that is perfectly suited to the agricultural activities that take place in the region. Warm summers and mild winters mean ideal conditions for the wide range of outdoor pursuits for which the area is famous.
Winter temperatures are around 5-9oC whilst the summer sees temperatures in the region of 20-25oC. The average annual rainfall is 1250mm and the average annual snowfall at the Turoa ski field is 2-3m.
Geology
Ohakune sits on the southern flank of Mount Ruapehu, the southernmost peak in a 2500km long range of volcanoes that begins in the Pacific Islands. The formation of volcanic mountains in the Tongariro National Park began over two million years ago.
Mount Ruapehu is a stratovolcano, a conical mountain formed from composite layers of volcanic debris, whose origins can be traced to at least 250,000 years ago.
Ruapehu experiences a major eruption around once every 50 years, with smaller eruptions occurring approximately every 10 years. The most recent eruption was 2007 in the form of a hydrothermal eruption, however the lahar warning system (ERLAWS - Eastern Ruapehu Lahar Alarm and Warning System) that was installed in 2000 proved to be highly effective in alerting the authorities and allowing emergency measures to be implemented.
The during 1995-96 two separate major eruption cycles caused ash and volcanic debris to cover the mountain, resulting in the temporary closure of the ski fields, a major blow to the local economy.
Ruapehu is now the most closely monitored volcano in New Zealand with a highly sophisticated lahar early warning system, two web cameras constantly watching the north-western and north-eastern flanks, 10 seismographs and 6 microphones to detect volcanic explosions, 8 global positioning systems that record even the slightest shift in the landscape and a chemical and gas monitoring programme carried out regularly by scientists.
He is indeed a fierce mountain and Ohakune residents can give testimony to his unpredictable might, but approach the mountain with respect and caution and you will be rewarded with a fascinating and awesome experience.
Economy
Given Ohakune’s location, it is unsurprising that Ohakune’s economy has been intrinsically linked with the mountain since the first Māori settlers arrived on the plains in the 1600’s and began to gather food from the land.
With the arrival of the railway and the industrialisation of the township, the economy has consistently thrived on the natural resources at its disposal. Initially timber was Ohakune’s wealth but once the trees were gone the region was handed a blessing in the fertile volcanic soil that remained. Agriculture remains the economic backbone of the region, accounting for 21.7% of employment in the Ruapehu region. However in Ohakune itself, tourism, particularly during the winter months, is the major industry and a large number of the population rely on the ski season to provide employment and income. The emerging summer tourism scene will provide a more stable income for many families in the area.
