Raetihi, a small town in the center of New Zealand's North Island, is located at the junction of State Highways 4 and 49 in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. It lies in a valley between Tongariro and Whanganui National Parks, 11 kilometres west of Ohakune's ski fields. Early history and economy Evidence of Māori people living here in the fourteenth century has been found. Ngāti Uenuku dwelled at Raetihi and Waimarino (known now as National Park, located approximately 35 kilometers/22 miles north on Highway 4). There is little evidence of large permanent settlements but hunting parties were common during warmer months. In 1887 the Government purchased the Waimarino block from local Māori, and the first European settlement, at Karioi, involved setting sheep to graze on open tussock land. Between 1908 and 1947 the area provided 700 million superficial feet of building timber. The remnants of 150 sawmills have been discovered, and the milling of rimu, tōtara, kahikatea, mātai, and beech trees employed many people. Only two major mills continue to operate, one at Tangiwai and one at National Park. Raetihi (originally called Makotuku due to the river flowing at the town's edge) became the focal point for travellers going between Wanganui and Waiouru. A thriving town emerged to serve the timber workers and those passing through. A trip North from Wanganui was not for the faint-hearted. The scenic "River Road" passing through Pipiriki was treacherous with primitive tracks and long falls if you left the track. Those who completed the journey to Raetihi found hospitality, accommodation, blacksmiths and saddlers for weary horses and supplies for their further travels north. The great fire of 1918 was a setback to many businesses and homeowners in Raetihi. The loss of numerous mills slowed the timber industry but it continued successfully into the 1940s, when the supply of strong native timber began running out. Replanting forests in fast-growing pine was a consideration, but at the time it was not possible to treat this relatively soft wood effectively to make it suitable for outdoor uses. Although farming was an option for some, it could not equal forestry as an employer. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Raetihi, like many rural New Zealand towns, suffered from a depressed economy. As elsewhere in New Zealand, sheep farming has also declined, and the two most prominent agricultural activities are cattle farming and vegetable growing. At present, tourist attractions such