The Fox River (originally the Potikohua River) is a river in the Buller District of New Zealand. It arises in the Paparoa Range near

Mount Dewar Mount Dewar () is a mountain rising to about to the southwest of Aronson Corner in the Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy in 1967 and surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey from 1968 to 1971 ...

and flows north-west through the

Paparoa National Park Paparoa National Park is on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The park was established in 1987 and encompasses 430 km2 (166 sq mi). The park ranges from on or near the coastline to the peaks of the Paparoa Range. A separ ...

to the Tasman Sea at Woodpecker Bay. The river passes through a spectacular gorge. The northern branch of the river has

limestone cave A solutional cave, solution cave, or karst cave is a cave usually formed in the soluble rock limestone. It is the most frequently occurring type of cave. It can also form in other rocks, including chalk, dolomite, marble, salt beds, and gypsum. ...

s containing

stalactite A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via ''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble an ...

and

stalagmite A stalagmite (, ; from the Greek , from , "dropping, trickling") is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically ...

formations.

Toponymy

The river was named after Bill Fox, a gold prospector. The Māori name Potikohua, comes from poti, a cooking basket, and kohua, steaming oven.

Description

The Fox River has its origins high in the Paparoa Range, and flows in a north-west direction through the limestone syncline. The river passes through deep limestone canyons on its way to the coast. One of the main tributaries is Dilemma Creek. The river valley is characterised by limestone escarpments, with steep sloping faces beneath. The forest type on these slopes is variable in height and composition. Common species include the nīkau palm ('' Rhopalostylis sapida''), and tree ferns (especially mamaku ('' Sphaeropteris medullaris''), pigeonwood (''

Hedycarya arborea ''Hedycarya arborea'', commonly known as pigeonwood, porokaiwhiri, and poporokaiwhiri is an endemic tree of New Zealand. Found on both the North and South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The d ...

''), māhoe ('' Melicytus ramiflorus''), kamahi ('' Weinmannia racemosa''), and hīnau ('' Elaeocarpus dentatus''), but nīkau and mamaku are often the most common. Above the steep slopes there are some large northern rata ('' Metrosideros robusta'') and rimu ('' Dacrydium cupressinum''), with occasional miro ('' Prumnopitys ferruginea''). Rimu and miro are mainly present on the more gentle slopes, while northern rata is the only emergent tree on the steeper slopes below escarpments.

Tracks

Inland Pack Track

The full length of the trail goes between the Punakaiki River in the south, and the mouth of the Fox River in the north. It takes two or three days to complete the track.

Fox River caves

The Fox River caves, situated up from the Fox River carpark, were an early tourist attraction in the area. The caves were receiving visitors in guided tours from around 1900. The caves have been well known for their

formations. Following the

2016 Kaikōura earthquake The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 (Mw) earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the e ...

, the Department of Conservation closed the Fox River caves because of the discovery of a large rockfall over the cave entrance.

Ballroom Overhang

The

Ballroom Overhang The Ballroom Overhang is a large limestone outcrop on the Fox River in Paparoa National Park, in the Buller District of New Zealand. The Ballroom Overhang provides a sheltered place for resting or overnight camping. The overhang is at its hi ...

is a large limestone outcrop on the Fox River that provides a sheltered place for resting or overnight camping. The overhang is at its highest point, long, and at its widest point. In suitable conditions, the hike to the Ballroom Overhang and back can be made as return day trip from State Highway 6. The Ballroom Overhang can be reached from the Inland Pack Track, and is approximately upstream from the junction of Fox River and Dilemma Creek. This part of the route requires several river crossings and has been classified by the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...

as an advanced tramping track.

References

External links

* {{Buller District Buller District Rivers of the West Coast, New Zealand Rivers of New Zealand Paparoa National Park