South of Lumsden, the Kingston Branch was busy with trains heading to the Mossburn Branch with materials for various development schemes, the most prominent being the Manapouri hydro scheme. Once this traffic ceased the line became very quiet, with just two trains a week in its last year of existence. On 13 December 1982, the line from Makarewa to Lumsden closed, the same day as the Mossburn Branch. The 12-kilometre section from Invercargill to Makarewa remains open, incorporated into the Wairio Branch.