Remutaka Range

The pass was formally named on 17 December 2015 when the Minister of Land Information confirmed the decision of the New Zealand Geographic Board.

Narrow and winding, State Highway 2 crosses the range from the Hutt Valley to Featherston at the saddle where it meets the Tararuas.

At the road's summit is a lookout point where there were usually tea rooms and well-guarded facilities maintained by residents.

After disputes over toilets and land ownership between the then still new Greater Wellington Regional Council and a series of tenants the building sat empty, was severely damaged by fire in April 2009[4][5] and later demolished.

[7] During World War I over 30,000 New Zealand soldiers marched between military camps at Trentham, Upper Hutt and Featherston via the Rimutaka Hill Road, in a three-day trek of 27 miles (43.5 km).

State Highway 2 (Rimutaka Hill Road) seen from near the top of the pass 555 metres (1,821 ft)
World War I soldiers resting at the top of the Rimutaka hill road. On completing training at Featherston they marched over the hill to Wellington to board ship for France's trenches.
Abbots Creek toll-bridge on the Rimutaka road in 1875