The Ōtaki River is in the southwestern

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

of New Zealand, located in the

Kāpiti Coast District The Kāpiti Coast District (officially the Kapiti Coast District), is a Districts of New Zealand, local government district of the Wellington Region in the lower North Island of New Zealand, north of Wellington, Wellington City. The district i ...

Geography

It originates in the

Tararua Range The Tararua Range, often referred to as the Tararua Ranges or Tararua, is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand. The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for from near Palmerston North to the upper reaches of ...

and flows for , heading southwest through a valley in the

Tararua Ranges The Tararua Range, often referred to as the Tararua Ranges or Tararua, is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand. The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for from near Palmerston North to the upper reaches of ...

. It turns northwest in the area of

Ōtaki Forks Ōtaki Forks is a rural locality in the Kāpiti Coast District of the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the confluence of the Ōtaki River with its tributaries Waiotauru River and Waitatapia River. It is 18 ...

, where it is joined by the Waiotauru River. After continuing through Otaki Gorge towards

Kāpiti Coast Kapiti or Kāpiti may refer to: * Kapiti (New Zealand electorate), a former Parliamentary electorate *Kāpiti Coast District, a local government district *Kapiti Island * Kapiti Coast Airport * Kāpiti College *Kāpiti Expressway * Kapiti Fine Food ...

, it crosses

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...

(SH1) south of Ōtaki and reaches the

Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who in 1642 wa ...

south of the settlement of Ōtaki Beach. Around 80% of the catchment area of the river is within the Tararua Forest Park. The Ōtaki River is one of the major rivers that formed the fertile floodplains of the Kāpiti Coast. The Ōtaki Forks area, accessible via Otaki Gorge Road, is a popular recreational area and the start of several tramping tracks into the Tararua Range.

Uses

The Ōtaki River also offers fishing of brown trout and whitebait. It was reported in 1863 that the river contains "what appears to be vein stones of carbonate, of lime in soft slate, are found in grade quantities."

References

Rivers of the Wellington Region Kāpiti Coast District Tararua Range {{Wellington-river-stub