He pārongo atu anōWire rope river crossing from Rangitāne flaxmill

Prior to the construction of the Opiki suspension bridge in 1917, a wire rope crossed the Manawatu River at Rangitāne – now known as Opiki. The rope was situated on the downstream side of bridge site, and was constructed in 1904 by Mr Louis Siefert, and a well-known local flaxmiller. The rope connected the “Rangitane” mill on the west bank with the ‘river’ mill on the east bank. Bales of fibre from the “Rangitāne” mill crossed the river on their way to the Rangiotu Railway station and the rope also carried bundles of green flax to the “River” mill.