The Otago Central Rail Trail Trust wants to buy the Hyde Railway Station and its rolling stock. It has about a fortnight to find $15,000 - and is seeking public support.
Trust chairwoman Kate Wilson said the station was put on the market in 2010. The trust feared the station building could be sold and relocated so wanted to buy it to ensure it remained where it was.
The organisations that have given money to buy the station are the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust ($32,000), Lottery Grants Board ($30,000), Otago Community Trust ($20,000), Combined Lions of Central Otago ($10,000), AAW Jones Trust ($5000), Alexander McMillan Trust ($5000), Strath Taieri Community Board ($4000) and the Dunedin City Council Heritage Fund ($3000).
The trust needed another $15,000 to meet the agreed purchase price and was seeking financial support from the public.
It had until June 30 to raise the balance to meet the conditions of the purchase agreement, Mrs Wilson said.
"We need community help in a fairly short timeframe to get this over the mark.''
Railway heritage was an important part of the rail trail experience and the purchase would allow the trust to develop the rail heritage theme, Mrs Wilson said.
If the purchase price was met, the trust would consider using the station as an exhibition space and for an artist in residence.
Department of Conservation Central Otago operations manager Mike Tubbs said the department hoped to realign the trail past the station and make it an integral trail experience by next season.
Heritage New Zealand Otago Southland area manager Jonathan Howard said he hoped the community would support the trust in the "final push to secure the future of this important part of local rail heritage''.
To give: www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/ocrttrust
