Wairoa River (Northland)

Wairoa River
Wairoa and Wairua rivers (blue) and the Kaihū, Manganui and Mangakāhia tributaries
Wairoa River (Northland) is located in New Zealand
Wairoa River (Northland)
Location of the Wairoa River in New Zealand
Location
CountryNew Zealand
RegionNorthland
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNear Tangiteroria
Mouth 
 • location
Kaipara Harbour
Length96 km (60 mi)

The Wairoa River in Northland, New Zealand, runs for 96 kilometres (60 mi) through the central part of the Northland Peninsula into the Kaipara Harbour. It has a catchment of 3,650 square kilometres (1,410 sq mi), the largest in Northland. The name Wairoa is Māori for 'long water' (wai 'water', roa 'long'). It is the most common place name in New Zealand, and this river is sometimes called the Northern Wairoa River to distinguish it.

Painting showing the Wairoa River. By Charles Heaphy. 1840
Wairoa River near Dargaville

The Wairoa River is formed by the confluence of the Mangakāhia River and the Wairua River just north of Tangiteroria. It runs south-west to Dargaville, then south-east for 40 kilometres in a wide navigable estuary that flows into the northern end of the Kaipara Harbour. The river has virtually no gradient and is tidal for most of its length. Tributaries include (from its origin to its mouth) the Waiotama River, Manganui River, Awakino River and Kaihū River.

In the 19th century, the river's swamplands near Dargaville were the most popular location for kauri gum digging.

The water in the river is degraded because of pastoral farming that takes place in much of its catchment.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Egarr, G. D.; Egarr, J. H. (1981). New Zealand Recreational River Survey. Part II Summaries of North Island rivers (PDF). Water & Soil Miscellaneous Publication no. l4. National Water and Soil Conservation Organisation. p. 9. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Discover New Zealand – A Wises Guide (9th ed.). Wises Publications. 1994. p. 76.
  3. ↑ "Rivers and streams". Northland Regional Council. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Reed, A. W. (2016). Māori Place Names: Their Meanings and Origins. Revised by Peter Dowling. (4th ed.). Oratia Media. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-947506-08-7.
  5. ↑ Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Reed. p. 558. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
  6. 1 2 3 "Northern Wairoa River". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Hayward, Bruce W. (1989). Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers. The Bush Press. p. 44. ISBN 0-908608-39-X.

36°11′05″S 174°03′30″E / 36.1846°S 174.0583°E / -36.1846; 174.0583