It was first powered by a single engine that moved the whole 3.6 kilometre (2.2 mile) length of ropeway, but was later modified into a series of five self-acting inclines.

The Koranui Incline was located in the Waimangaroa valley on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

Mr Hughes adopted this idea and altered the system into five self-acting inclines, each with an endless rope.

[14] Work at the Koranui mine ceased at the beginning of 1887 as the means of bringing the coal down the lengthy incline was too costly.

[19][20][21][22][23] Traces of the former route of the Koranui Incline can be seen today from a lookout on the road to Denniston, on the opposite side of the valley.

A 2007 assessment concluded: "The Koranui area contains about 1 million tonnes of coking coal that appears open ended to the east.