Workers’ cafe at the end of the line

The earthquake has raised seabeds, hills and now a cafe.

The township of Clarence, north of Kaikoura, has become the end of the line on the quakehit State Highway 1 and has never had a place to buy food – until now.

Clarence’s population is about to jump by half as a temporary work camp opens next week, and Genevieve King is ready on the side of the road with baked goods and coffee.

The Clarence resident has pounced on the opportunity of extra people coming to town to launch her own food truck.

‘‘This is such a unique opportunity and it is right in our backyard,’’ she said.

‘‘Sometimes a helicopter, tractor and truck will pull up all at the same time, it’s pretty unique.’’

It had been a dream to start a food truck and the addition of workers to her home town was an ideal opportunity, King said.

The farming community of about 80 people would increase by 40 when workers moved into temporary accommodation in the grounds of the old Woodbank School and started to tackle the slips north of Kaikoura.

Clarence residents were desperate for the road to reopen and the addition of workers to town was a good sign, King said.

Clarence had never had a cafe and the food truck had become a sort of community hub for people to congregate, she said.

‘‘This is such a cool opportunity.’’