Edievale: Railway History and Road Routes

Edievale is best understood through its former railway connection and the roads described as routes into the town. The history of the Tapanui Branch and two road routes provide a concrete framework for placing the town in your trip. The following sections explore the local railway history and distinguish between the routes into the area.

Edievale and the Tapanui Branch

The place name Edievale comes from John Edie, an early settler. Edievale is also home to a war memorial called “Dunrobin-Edievale”.

The Tapanui Branch reached Edievale in February 1905. The line was 42.3 kilometres long and had nine stops; Edievale was its terminus. Passenger services on the railway line were discontinued in January 1934. This is distinct from the later closure of the section between Heriot and Edievale, which took place in January 1968. The two dates therefore mark different events: the end of passenger services and the closure of a section of the line.

A planned extension of the Tapanui Branch to the Clutha River and onward to Roxburgh was never built. Instead, the line ended at Edievale. The former terminus included a passenger platform, a small shelter, a 40 × 30-foot goods shed, a loading shed and an engine shed, a water tank, and cattle yards. There was no turntable. These features describe the historic railway station, not present-day facilities.

A description from 2025 notes that no remains of the former station buildings and facilities were visible from the road; the situation may change.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

One road route to Edievale follows Mathesons Corner Road to its intersection with SH90. From there, it is 5.5 kilometres to a Y-junction, where the road descends to Edievale. An alternative route from Heriot follows Dunrobin Road and McHutchon Road and also ends in Edievale. The routes can therefore be distinguished by the roads they follow: the route via Mathesons Corner Road includes a stated 5.5-kilometre section, while the alternative via Heriot is described as following two named roads.

On neither of the two road routes described is the former railway line visible during the last approximately 10 kilometres to Edievale. Check current navigation and road conditions before setting out. From Edievale, you can return to Tapanui and destinations farther west or south, or continue on to the Clutha.

Clutha District: Regional Context

In the wider destination of Clutha District, the coast stretches between Dunedin and Invercargill; the district is a standout section of the Southern Scenic Route. The Clutha Gold Trail is an easy, 135-kilometre trail of difficulty grade 1–2, taking two to four days. A 62-kilometre extension between Lawrence and Waihola opened on 25 August 2023. It connects the existing trail network in Central Otago and Clutha and provides a cycle route towards the east coast.

Seasonal events are also part of the wider destination: every spring, Lawrence hosts a daffodil show at the site of Weatherston’s Brewery. As seasonal programmes can change, check the dates for your visit. These regional details add context to Clutha District; the local guide to Edievale remains its railway history and the descriptions of routes into the area.

Discover more destinations: Lawrence, Balclutha, Milton, Larnachs Castle, Kaitangata, Tarara, Tapanui, Clinton.

For the wider travel overview: Clutha District.