View source for Kaituna River (Tasman)

{{Short description|River in Tasman District, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox river
| name                = Kaituna River
| image               = Kaituna Forks.jpg
| image_size          =
| image_caption       = Kaituna Forks
| map                 = {{Maplink|frame=yes|type=line|plain=yes|zoom=10|frame-align=center|frame-width=270|frame-height=270|stroke-color=#0000ff|stroke-width=2}}
| map_size            =
| map_caption         = Route of the Kaituna River
| map_alt             =
| pushpin_map         = New Zealand#New Zealand South Island
| pushpin_map_size    = 270px
| pushpin_map_caption = Mouth of the Kaituna River
| pushpin_map_alt     =
| source1_location    =
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|-40.6720|172.5537|format=dms|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation   =
| mouth_location      = [[Aorere River]]
| mouth_elevation     = {{convert|0|m}}
| mouth_coordinates   = {{coord|-40.70155|172.61657|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type1   = Country
| subdivision_name1   = New Zealand
| length              =
| discharge1_avg      =
| basin_size          =
| progression        = '''Kaituna River''' → [[Aorere River]] → [[Golden Bay / Mohua]] → [[Tasman Sea]]
| tributaries_left   = Little Granity Creek
| tributaries_right  = Victoria Creek, Bonny Doon Creek, Scott Creek, King Creek, MacKay Creek
| waterfalls         =
| bridges            =
}}
The '''Kaituna River''' is a river in Tasman District's [[Golden Bay / Mohua]], New Zealand.<ref name=LINZ>{{LINZ|id=24312|name=Kaituna River |access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref>
==Location==
The Kaituna River originates in [[Kahurangi National Park]]. It flows through a valley that forms the boundary between the Burnett Range and the Wakamarama Range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kaituna River, Tasman |url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz44427/Kaituna-River/Tasman |publisher=NZ Topo Map |access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> The Kaituna Track, which runs between the hamlet of Aorere and [[Whanganui Inlet]], follows the river from the end of Carter Road to Kaituna Forks, from where the track climbs up onto the ridge east of the river valley.<ref name="LINZ" />
The Kaituna River flows into the [[Aorere River]] north of [[Rockville, New Zealand|Rockville]].<ref name="LINZ" />
==Gold mining==
New Zealand's first gold rush occurred in the Aorere Valley and surrounding areas from 1857.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aorere Gold : The history of the Golden Bay goldfields, 1856–1863 |url= https://smithsbookshop.co.nz/p/aorere-gold-the-history-of-the-golden-bay-goldfields-1856-1863?barcode=9781991178008 |publisher=Smith's Bookshop |access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> One of the gold fields was just off the Kaituna River and this was the reason for the Kaituna Track to be built.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barrett |first1=Pat |title=Golden days |url= https://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/golden-days/ |publisher=Wilderness Magazine |access-date=4 June 2023 |date=23 November 2018}}</ref>
==Cyclone Gita==
[[File:Kaituna River bridge repair 19.jpg|thumb|left|Kaituna River Bridge repair in April 2018]]
In February 2018, [[Cyclone Gita]] caused destruction along the Kaituna River. At first, debris from a slip upstream blocked and then destroyed Carters Bridge near the Carter Road beginning of the Kaituna Track. The resulting flood wave washed a shipping container off a farm property that damaged the Kaituna River Bridge in Aorere.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hindmarsh |first1=Nina |title=Couple watch as 'raging two-metre wall of water' washes shipping container away |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/101636659/couple-watch-as-raging-twometre-wall-of-water-washes-shipping-container-away |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=21 February 2018}}</ref> This closed access for locals and the tankers that collect the milk from 1,000 dairy cows. The third bridge over the Kaituna River, further downstream off Solly Road and privately owned, was used after farmers and local contractors built a new {{convert|1000|m}} road through a paddock to make a connection to the cut off-road network.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ruddock |first1=Kaitlin |title=Farmers find creative ways out of Cyclone Gita chaos and avoid losing $1 million worth of milk |url= https://www.1news.co.nz/2018/03/07/farmers-find-creative-ways-out-of-cyclone-gita-chaos-and-avoid-losing-1-million-worth-of-milk/ |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=[[1News]] |date=8 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aorere Goldfield, Tasman Region, New Zealand |url= https://www.mindat.org/loc-283490.html |publisher=Mindat.org |access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Kahurangi National Park}}
[[Category:Golden Bay]]
[[Category:Rivers of Kahurangi National Park]]
[[Category:Rivers of the Tasman District]]
[[Category:Rivers of New Zealand]]