Clarence, New Zealand

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Clarence
NZ-Marlborough plain map.png
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Clarence
Coordinates: 42°9′19″S173°55′42″E / 42.15528°S 173.92833°E / -42.15528; 173.92833
Country New Zealand
Region Canterbury
District Kaikōura District

Clarence is a small town in Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. It was named after King William IV of the United Kingdom, who prior to his accession was Duke of Clarence.

Contents

It lies on State Highway 1, about 30 km (19 mi) north of Kaikōura, near the mouth of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River.

Surfing

Clarence has several surf breaks near the river mouth. Due to their difficulty, they are recommended for advanced to expert surfers. [1]

River rafting

River rafting trips on the Waiau Toa / Clarence River have been run commercially since 1998. [2]

2016 Kaikōura earthquake

Clarence and the surrounding area was significantly affected by the M7.8 2016 Kaikōura earthquake and cut off for some months from the rest of the South Island. The area was briefly evacuated following a slip upstream on the Waiau Toa / Clarence which caused a build up of water, threatening flash flooding in the town. [3] [4] [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acheron River (Marlborough)</span> River in Marlborough Region, New Zealand

The Acheron River is a river in the South Island of New Zealand, in Marlborough and flows into the Waiau Toa / Clarence River. It flows southwest and then east for a total of 76 kilometres (47 mi), joining the Waiau Toa / Clarence at the southern end of the Inland Kaikōura mountains. The Alma and Severn Rivers flow into the Acheron before it joins the Waiau Toa / Clarence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiau Toa / Clarence River</span> River in Canterbury, New Zealand

The Clarence River is a major river which flows through the Kaikōura Ranges in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. At roughly 209 kilometres (130 mi) long, it is the longest river in Canterbury and the eighth longest in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaikōura Ranges</span> Mountain range in South Island, New Zealand

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hāpuku River</span> River in New Zealand

The Hāpuku River begins in the Seaward Kaikōura Range of New Zealand and flows south-east to enter the South Pacific at Hapuka, between Clarence and Kaikōura. The name comes from the Māori word hāpuku or hāpuka, a deep-water marine fish. Its main tributary is the Puhi Puhi River.

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The Kekerengu River is a river of New Zealand's northeastern South Island. It flows mainly through the area of rough hill country immediately to the north of the end of the Seaward Kaikōura Range, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Kekerengu, a small settlement halfway between the township of Ward and the mouth of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manakau (mountain)</span>

Manakau is a mountain peak in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. At 2,608 metres, it is the highest peak of the Seaward Kaikōura Range.

The Inland Kaikōura Road, formerly designated State Highway 70, is a provincial highway in the South Island of New Zealand that runs from just south of Kaikōura to just north of Culverden via Waiau and Rotherham. White shields are used to signify this highway. It forms part of the Alpine Pacific Triangle tourist route. It also serves as an alternative inland route in cases where SH 1 is closed near the South Kaikōura Coast. Following the 14 November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, all roads into Kaikōura were closed including SH70; after extensive regrading and clearance the Inland Road was the first road connection to Kaikōura to reopen and was a lifeline for the community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Kaikōura earthquake</span> Earthquake in New Zealand

The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake was a Mw 7.8 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT. Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the earthquake has been described as the "most complex earthquake ever studied". It has been subsequently modelled as having a megathrust component set off by an adjacent rupture on the Humps Fault. It was the second largest earthquake in New Zealand since European settlement.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hikurangi Marine Reserve</span> New Zealand marine reserve

Hikurangi Marine Reserve is a marine reserve off the coast of the Kaikōura District, in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is the largest and deepest marine reserve in New Zealand.

References

  1. "Clarence | Surf Seeker | NZ Surf Guide". surfseeker.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. "Clarence River Rafting makes most of post-earthquake changes to Clarence River". Stuff. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  3. "Earthquake turns Clarence road into cliff". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  4. "Clarence River: Slip causes breach after earthquake damage". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  5. "Quake shuts off Clarence Valley access, isolates farmers and residents". Stuff. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2020.