Step 2 - Use Overpass to Create an OpenStreetMap Extract

Extract Te Ara Hura Data from OpenStreetMap

In this step, we'll use Overpass Turbo to extract the Te Ara Hura trail data from OpenStreetMap. The trail is stored as relation 6170321 in OpenStreetMap.

About Te Ara Hura

Te Ara Hura (The Wandering Path) is a collection of walks to explore Waiheke Island and discover its natural beauty. The trail network includes coastline walks, native bush paths, and visits to historic sites. Learn more on the Auckland Council website.

Export the Trail Relation from OpenStreetMap

  1. Go to Overpass Turbo: Visit https://overpass-turbo.eu/

  2. Paste this query into the query window:

/* Te Ara Hura Trail - Waiheke Island */
[out:json][timeout:25];

// Store the relation
rel(6170321)->.rel;

// Get member ways and their nodes
(
  way(r.rel);
  node(w); // nodes of the ways
)->.ways_and_nodes;

// Get member nodes that are *direct* members of the relation
node(r.rel)->.standalone_nodes;

// Combine all
(
  .ways_and_nodes;
  .standalone_nodes;
);
out body;

  1. Run the query: Click the "Run" button (or press Ctrl+Enter)

  2. Wait for results: The query will execute and display the trail data on the map

  3. Verify the data: You should see the Te Ara Hura trail network displayed on Waiheke Island

Download as GeoJSON

  1. Download the data: Click the "Export" button

  2. Select format: Choose "GeoJSON" from the format dropdown

  3. Download the file: Click "Download" and save the file as te_ara_hura.geojson

Save to Your Repository

  1. Copy the file to your repository:

In the process of downloading you can create a new sources directory inside your local repository, or you can do that now.

Manually, via VS Code or your local file system:

  • Create a new folder called sources/ in your local repository
  • Move the downloaded te_ara_hura.geojson file there

From the terminal:

# Make sure you're in your repository directory
mkdir sources
cp ~/Downloads/te_ara_hura.geojson sources/te_ara_hura.geojson

  1. Verify the file:

    ls -lh sources/te_ara_hura.geojson

    You should see the file listed with its size (464 KB).

Commit and Upload to GitHub

Now let's save your progress to GitHub:

  1. Commit the file:

    Using VS Code:

    • Open the Source Control panel (icon on the left sidebar, or Ctrl+Shift+G)
    • You should see sources/te_ara_hura.geojson listed as a new file
    • Click the "+" icon next to it to stage the file
    • Enter a commit message: "Add Te Ara Hura trail GeoJSON"
    • Click the checkmark to commit
    • Click the "Sync Changes" button (or "Push") to upload to GitHub

    Using the command line:

    git add sources/te_ara_hura.geojson
git commit -m "Add Te Ara Hura trail GeoJSON"
git push origin main

  2. View your GeoJSON on GitHub:

    • Go to your repository on GitHub (https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/standalone_web_maps_foss4g2025)
    • Navigate to sources/te_ara_hura.geojson
    • Click on the file to view it
    • GitHub will automatically render the GeoJSON as an interactive map showing the trail network
    • Switch from "Preview" to "Code" to see the structure of the data directly

Understanding the Data

The GeoJSON file contains:

  • Trail geometry: The paths that make up the Te Ara Hura network
  • Trail segments: Individual way segments that connect to form the complete trail
  • Properties: Metadata about the trail (name, network, operator, etc.)

What You Have Now

At the end of this step, you should have:

  • sources/te_ara_hura.geojson - The trail data is stored in the cloud and ready to display on your map

This GeoJSON file will be loaded and displayed on your map in the next steps.

← Previous: Step 1 | Next: Step 3 - Use Maplibre to Render Your Map →