as the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail (part of Ngā Haerenga, New Zealand's national network of cycle trails) and various commercial operations providing opportunities to explore the Whanganui River offer hope for a more diverse economic future. Its close proximity to Mount Ruapehu and popular ski-fields has led to the establishment of accommodation and cafes to cater for the increasing number of visitors. Railway and museum From 18 December 1917 to 1 January 1968, Raetihi was served by the Raetihi Branch, a branch line railway that diverged from the North Island Main Trunk in Ohakune. The station building remains in the town today, relocated from its original site and restored as part of the Waimarino Museum. The museum holds an archive of documents and photographs from the broader Ruapehu area, some of which are available online. It was originally situated on Station Road near the Makotuku River bridge on the road to Ohakune. When the railway reached Raetihi in 1917, it played a vital part in the logging industry. Closed to passengers in 1951, the line ceased operations completely in 1968 due to the decline in tree felling and milling. The railway station building was moved to its present site on Seddon Street in 1981, seven years after the formation of the museum society. Two more buildings, the jail cells and stables, were moved from their original location by the Makotuku River to the museum site in 1983. The museum holds documents, photographs, and items of daily life showing the progression of the town from its beginnings as a Māori settlement in the 19th century, the arrival of timber mills and large scale logging between 1900 and 1960, and the slow decline of the town following the end of the logging boom to the present. The museum is run by volunteers and is open for viewing most weekends and by appointment. A number of archival photographs and documents are available for wider viewing on the museum's website. Connection with New Zealand film production Raetihi's economic difficulties made it the perfect location for Skin Deep (1978; Geoff Steven), a black comedy and social satire about a town much like Raetihi. In the film, the local council, made up largely of local businessmen, decide that one way to improve the economy would be to hire a woman to come in from Auckland and provide massages at the local gym. Larry Parr, writer,