By the 1960s , demand for coal was falling and the Denniston Incline closed on 16 August 1967 . The Conns Creek branch , which connected to the foot of the incline , was cut back to become a 1 kilometre ( 0.6 mile ) long spur siding where the coal carried by truck from the bins at Brakehead was transferred into railway wagons . A few months later , in 1968 , the aerial ropeway from the mines also closed in favour of trucking of coal down the hill directly from the mines . In May 1968 , the Inangahua earthquake caused much damage to the incline , making the closure irreversible . Thus , what was once described as the " Eighth Wonder of the World " by locals , faded into history
Inangahua earthquake
1968 Inangahua earthquake
Denniston, New Zealand