The Waitōtara River in New Zealand's

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 ...

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 and Taumarunui. The 1970s propo ...

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 Waitōtara is a town in South Taranaki, New Zealand. Waverley, Taranaki, Waverley is 10 km to the north-west, and Whanganui is 34 km to the south-east. New Zealand State Highway 3, State Highway 3 passes through it. The Waitōtara Riv ...

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 Co ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

. 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 (: tunas or 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 bul ...

'' (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-mes ...

, 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 estuary, estuaries. Taxonomy The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related speci ...

, and sole.

Contemporary land use

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

sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal 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 d ...

and

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

pastoral farming Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. ...

. 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: People and characters * Doc, an abbreviation of doctor * Doc (nickname) * Doc (mascot), the Towson University mascot Persons * The D.O.C., American rapper (born 1968) * Doc Gallows (born 1983), ring nam ...

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

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

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