Ohura

Ohura is a small town in the west of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the west of Taumarunui in the area known as the King Country, in inland Manawatu-Wanganui. it lies on the banks of the Mangaroa River, a tributary of the Ohura River which is a tributary of the Whanganui River.Ohura was the centre for coal mining in the region, operating through to circa 1965, where previously the mines, railway network and farming had been major parts of the local industry.In the 2006 census, the population of Ohura was 165 people, a decrease of 57 since 2001. In 2013 it had fallen to 129.A proud piece of the town is the Ohura Museum which provides a repository for much of the history of Ohura and the surrounding area.Notable peopleFrank Glasgow, an "All Black" (rugby union) in 1905, early Bank ManagerHazel Wilson, JP, (Mrs Vivian Hazel Wilson) THE QUEEN’S SERVICE MEDAL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE QSM.Jim Woodhouse, QSM,JP, member of Wesley Historical Society, local storekeeper and Methodist lay preacher