the murupara branch (incorporating the kawerau branch) is a branch railway line from the east coast main trunk at hawkens junction near edgecumbe via kawerau to murupara; built to serve a new pulp and paper mill harvesting the radiata pine trees of the kaingaroa forest on the kaingaroa plateau in the bay of plenty, new zealand. the line was the last major extension of the nzr network; of 14 km from hawkens junction to kawerau and 57 km from kawerau to murupara. the portion from hawkens junction to kawerau is now officially part of the east coast main trunk.