However tourism is gaining momentum thanks to the enthusiasm, cordination & input of Destination Manawatu. For years there have been a number of activities and accommodation facilities dotted around Rangiwahia and Apiti. They are now being brought together as part of Manawatu’s The Country Road.

The area between Rangiwahia & Apiti has been named The Iron Gates Experience and this includes the tramping & huts found within the Ruahine Ranges.

Both Steve & I are actively involved in this project. Steve has been working with the Dept. of Conservation in opening up tramping tracks & also with Destination Manawatu.

We have finally persuaded Manawatu District Council to seal the unsealed section of Main South Road, which connects Rangiwahia & Apiti. This has now become a reality. The seal extension was completed on 9th Sept. 2014.

I have also created a website named www.irongates.co.nz so if you click on the icon you can visit the site

We live in a small back country farming community in the Northern Manawatu. We are midway between the villages of Rangiwahia & Apiti. Both districts were settled in the 1880’s, which included Steve’s great grandparents, Martin & Barbara (Mary) Bielski who came out from Poland.

Settlers bought varying sized lots, the land was cleared and small dairy farms sprung up and were run by individual families with a strong community spirit. Dairy factories both in Rangiwahia & Apiti supported the growing industry.

In  1925 Rangiwahia won the World Champion butter held at a competition in San Francisco. The quality of the butter was attributed to the beautiful high country water & clover. It’s brand name was Quail Butter & if you ever visit the Rangiwahia public toilets

you will find on the path & wall its history depicted in tiles including

the Quail Butter wrapper.

In the ‘50s & ’60 the small dairy farms were replaced by sheep & beef.  With the change in the economic climate over the past 10 years there has been a trend back to large scale dairy farms resulting in a gradual decline of sheep & beef. Most of these are corporate dairy units and tend to lack the community interest of the old days.