Ruamahanga River
Encyclopedia
The Ruamahanga River runs through the southeastern North Island
of New Zealand
.
The river's headwaters are in the Tararua Ranges northwest of Masterton
. From there it runs firstly south and then southwest for 130 kilometers before emptying into the Cook Strait
. The towns of Masterton
and Martinborough
are close to the banks of the river. It is joined by many other rivers, including the Tauweru River
near Gladstone
.
In its lower reaches, the river meanders across a large floodplain
, culminating in the wetland
s around the edges of Lake Wairarapa
. The river once flowed into the lake, but has now has been diverted. The river drains at Palliser Bay
ten kilometers further south.
Trout fishing is a popular activity and there are many swimming holes in the upper reaches.
In popular Maori legend a Taniwha (Mythical monster) lives in the river, he has been angered since the river was diverted and is believed to have been responsible for the death of many people.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
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...
.
The river's headwaters are in the Tararua Ranges northwest of Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
. From there it runs firstly south and then southwest for 130 kilometers before emptying into the Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
. The towns of Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
and Martinborough
Martinborough
Martinborough is a town in South Wairarapa, a district in the Wellington region on the North Island of New Zealand. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton...
are close to the banks of the river. It is joined by many other rivers, including the Tauweru River
Tauweru River
The Tauweru River, sometimes called the Taueru River, is a river in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand's North Island. It drains from the pastoral eastern highlands of the Wairarapa and joins the Ruamahanga River just north of the Gladstone Road bridge into Gladstone, southeast of Carterton...
near Gladstone
Gladstone, New Zealand
Gladstone is a lightly populated locality in the Carterton District of New Zealand's North Island, located on the Mangahuia Stream near where the Tauweru River joins the Ruamahanga River. The nearest town is Carterton 15 kilometres to the northwest, and nearby settlements include Ponatahi to the...
.
In its lower reaches, the river meanders across a large floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
, culminating in the wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s around the edges of Lake Wairarapa
Lake Wairarapa
Lake Wairarapa is a lake at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand, 50 kilometers east of Wellington. The lake covers an area of 78 km², and is the third largest in the North Island, fractionally smaller than Lake Rotorua...
. The river once flowed into the lake, but has now has been diverted. The river drains at Palliser Bay
Palliser Bay
Palliser Bay is located at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand, to the southeast of Wellington. It runs for 40 kilometres along the Cook Strait coast from Turakirae Head at the southern end of the Rimutaka Ranges to Cape Palliser, the North Island's southernmost point.Inland from...
ten kilometers further south.
Trout fishing is a popular activity and there are many swimming holes in the upper reaches.
In popular Maori legend a Taniwha (Mythical monster) lives in the river, he has been angered since the river was diverted and is believed to have been responsible for the death of many people.