Kerikeri River
| Kerikeri River | |
|---|---|
St. James Church (centre rear) and the Mission House | |
| Native name | Kerikeri (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Region | Northland Region |
| District | Far North District |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Puketi Forest |
| Mouth | Bay of Islands |
• coordinates | 35°13′S 173°58′E / 35.217°S 173.967°E |
| Length | 20 kilometres (12 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Waterfalls | Rainbow Falls (Waianiwaniwa), Wharepoke Falls |
The Kerikeri River rises in the Puketi Forest inland from
Slightly less than 20 kilometres (12 mi) long, the Northland river is hardly a significant waterway, but because it terminates at one of the most important historic sites in the country, the Kerikeri Basin, adjacent to the Stone Store.[2]
The freshwater river falls over a ford into the Kerikeri Basin, the upper extremity of Kerikeri Inlet, a northwestern arm of the Bay. The ford replaced a bridge which crossed at that point for decades, but which needed to be demolished to protect Kerikeri's historic buildings in the basin.
A replacement bypass bridge was constructed several hundred metres upstream and opened in 2008. A pedestrian bridge was constructed around 2010, 200 metres (660 ft) upstream from the ford.
The area is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country, because of its history and photogenic buildings. The
Part of the history of the river is that it was used by chief Hongi Hika whose Kororipo Pa is about 100 metres (330 ft) across the basin from the ford. Hongi used the river and tracks beside it to commute to Kororipo, his coastal pā, which played a significant part in the historic Musket Wars.
A popular walking track from the basin leads about five kilometres to the river’s spectacular
References
- ^ "New Zealand Gazetteer: Search for Place Names". Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Kerikeri Basin historic precinct". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-18.