Waitara River
Encyclopedia
Tahora
The place name Tahora may refer to:*Tahora, Manawatu-Wanganui*Tahora, Otago...
. After proceeding in a southwesterly direction toward Central Taranaki, the river abruptly turns to flow in a northeasterly direction to the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
: meeting it at the coastal town of Waitara
Waitara, New Zealand
Waitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
.
The river once had a dock in Waitara
Waitara, New Zealand
Waitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
, where export meat from the town's Thos. Borthwick & Sons freezing-works was loaded onto ships. However this trade is now conducted from New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
's Port Taranaki
Port Taranaki
Port Taranaki is located at New Plymouth, New Zealand. It is the only deep water port on the west coast of New Zealand, and is owned by the Taranaki Regional Council...
. The river is also prone to flooding, and there are stop banks (levees) to the west of the river (upstream from the bridge) and on both sides downstream.
The Waitara is the first mud-bottomed river to the north of Cape Egmont
Cape Egmont
Cape Egmont is the westernmost point of Taranaki, on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is located close to the volcanic cone of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont....
.
The historic Bertrand Road suspension bridge
Bertrand Road suspension bridge
The Bertrand Road suspension bridge crosses the Waitara River, linking Huirangi, near Lepperton and Tikorangi in north Taranaki, New Zealand. The original bridge was built in 1897, and rebuilt in 1927 ....
, (one of only a few such road bridges in New Zealand) is several kilometres from State Highway 3
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
(just up from the town).
New Zealand Wars
In December 1860 during the First Taranaki WarFirst Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
campaign of the New Zealand Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
, British forces under Major-General Pratt carried out sapping operations against a major Māori defensive line called Te Arei ("The barrier") on the west side of the Waitara River, which was barring the way to the historic hill pā of Pukewairangi. During this operation, Colour Serjeant John Lucas
John Lucas (VC)
John Lucas VC was born in Glasgomy, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Lucas was approximately 35 years old, and a...
was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
on 18 March 1861.