The Waitōtara River in New Zealand's

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

stretches approximately in length from its headwaters in the

Matemateāonga Range The Matemateāonga Range is a range of rugged hills in the northern Manawatū-Whanganui region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the western side the Whanganui River between Wanganui, New Zealand, Wanganui and Taumarunui. ...

to its mouth on the

South Taranaki Bight The South Taranaki Bight is a large bay on the west coast of New Zealand, south of Taranaki, west of the Manawatu, north and west of the western entrance of Cook Strait and north of the South Island. The name is sometimes used for a much smaller ...

. The river takes in significant tributaries such as the Ngutuwera, Makakaho, Pokeka, Omaru and Totara Streams.

Settlements and access

The river catchment and its tributaries are accessed via the Waitotara Valley Road and Ngutuwera Road, and associated side-roads. The village of Waitōtara is the predominant settlement of the catchment, located at the junction of the Waitotara Valley Road and State Highway 3. The viability of the Waitōtara settlement has recently been challenged by a number of devastating flood events, while the Waitotara School has undergone complete refurbishment. Along the Waitōtara River lie the localities of Rangitatau, Puau, Orangimea, Tawhiwhi, Makakaho Junction, Ngamatapouri and Taumatatahi. Ngutuwera catchment localities include Ngutuwera, Mangawhio, Waikare and the Omata Valley. Located in the upper reaches of the Makakaho Stream is the locality of Makakaho. The upper valley localities are particularly isolated, Ngamatapouri Primary School being from Waitōtara village.

Traditional Māori land use

The Waitōtara River is the home to Ngā Rauru Kītahi, a local

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, an ...

. Hapū include Ngā Ariki (Waipapa Marae), Ngāti Pourua (Takirau Marae), Ngāti Hinewaiata te hapū o Te Ihupuku Marae, Ngāti Hou Tipua (Whare Tapapa, Kaipo Marae). The Ngā Rauru Kītahi headquarters are in Waverley. The river was traditionally utilised as a means of transport. Food traditionally gathered from the Waitōtara River include '' kakahi'' (fresh water mussels), ''

tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...

'' (eels),

whitebait Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along coasts, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught using fine-m ...

, smelt,

flounder Flounders are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish, found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuaries. Taxonomy The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related species, thou ...

, and sole.

Contemporary land use

The lower catchment (together with the Ngutuwera, Makakahoe and Pokeke catchments) is largely reliant upon

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated s ...

and

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantity ...

pastoral farming Pastoral farming (also known in some regions as ranching, livestock farming or grazing) is aimed at producing livestock, rather than growing crops. Examples include dairy farming, raising beef cattle, and raising sheep for wool. In contrast, ar ...

. The upper catchment (including the Omaru and Totara tributaries) remains as pristine forest, and is managed by

DOC DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to: In film and television * ''Doc'' (2001 TV series), a 2001–2004 PAX series * ''Doc'' (1975 TV series), a 1975–1976 CBS sitcom * "D.O.C." (''Lost''), a television episode * ''Doc'' (film), a 1971 Wester ...

as the Waitōtara Conservation Area. “Remote Adventures” operates a

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

service in Taumatatahi, from Waitōtara village.Remote Adventures New Zealand
accessed 30 May 2007

References

Ihupuku historian V.A Hina South Taranaki District Rivers of Taranaki Rivers of New Zealand {{Taranaki-river-stub