The Flaxbourne River is a river in the Marlborough

Marlborough, New Zealand

Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and sauvignon blanc...

 region of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It arises in the Inland Kaikoura Range and Halden Hills and flows east and then south-east into the South Pacific Ocean near Ward

Ward, New Zealand

Ward is a small town in Marlborough, New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 20 kilometres south of Seddon. Kaikoura is 82 km to the southwest...

. It is named after the Flaxbourne sheep station

Sheep station

A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...

 established by Sir Charles Clifford in 1847. The river is narrow and choked with willow

Willow

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...

s.

The river provides water for irrigation, and for stock and domestic supply. During summer the demand for water normally exceeds the availability. While the river is never dry, some of its tributaries dry up during most summers.