Waimakariri Gorge

Last updated

Waimakariri Gorge
Waimakariri River.jpg
Looking down the Waimakariri Gorge towards the Southern Alps
New Zealand location map.svg
Disc Plain red.svg
Waimakariri Gorge
Geography
Coordinates 43°13′41″S171°56′53″E / 43.228°S 171.948°E / -43.228; 171.948 Coordinates: 43°13′41″S171°56′53″E / 43.228°S 171.948°E / -43.228; 171.948

The Waimakariri Gorge is located on the Waimakariri River in inland Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand.

The height of the Waimak gorge bridge is 30m.

Like its neighbour, the Rakaia River, the Waimakariri runs through wide shingle beds for much of its length, but is forced through a narrow canyon as it approaches the Canterbury Plains.

Much of the gorge is followed by the Midland line. The Waimakariri Gorge Bridge was built in 1876 by William Stokes. Until the early 1930s, it carried the Oxford Branch railway line connecting Oxford and Sheffield. [1]

Related Research Articles

New River (Kanawha River tributary)

The New River is a river which flows through the U.S. states of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia before joining with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River at the town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Part of the Ohio River watershed, it is about 360 miles (580 km) long.

Kaiapoi Place

Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It is considered to be a satellite town of Christchurch, although in the Waimakariri for statistical purposes it is part of the Christchurch urban area.

Rangiora Secondary urban area

Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of Christchurch, and is considered a satellite town of the city. With an estimated population of 19,250, Rangiora is the 30th largest urban area in New Zealand, and the fifth-largest in the Canterbury region.

Waimakariri River

The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in Canterbury, on the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It flows for 151 kilometres (94 mi) in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean.

The Ashley Gorge is a river gorge of the Ashley River in Canterbury, New Zealand. The river is bridged at the mouth of the gorge by the Inland Scenic Route, formerly designated State Highway 72. A popular picnic ground and camping area is adjacent to the bridge. Upstream of the gorge the river flows through the Lees Valley.

Oxford, New Zealand Minor urban area in Canterbury, New Zealand

Oxford is a small town of around 2,100 people serving the farming community of North Canterbury, New Zealand. It is part of the Waimakariri District and is a linear town, approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long. Originally, it was served by the Oxford Branch railway, and had two stations, East Oxford and West Oxford. The line closed in 1959 and was dismantled. Some railway signs and the remnants of railway platforms can still be seen along Oxford Road on the way to Rangiora.

Rakaia River

The Rakaia River is in the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand's South Island. The Rakaia River is one of the largest braided rivers in New Zealand. The Rakaia River has a mean flow of 203 cubic metres per second (7,200 cu ft/s) and a mean annual seven-day low flow of 87 m3/s (3,100 cu ft/s). In the 1850s, European settlers named it the Cholmondeley River, but this name lapsed into disuse.

Rakaia Gorge

The Rakaia Gorge is located on the Rakaia River in inland Canterbury in New Zealand's South Island.

Waimakariri District Territorial authority in South Island, New Zealand

Waimakariri District is a local government district, located in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Waimakariri River, which forms the district's southern boundary, separating it from Christchurch City and the Selwyn District. It is bounded in the north by the Hurunui District and in the east by the Pacific Ocean.

Midland Line, New Zealand

The Midland line is a 212km section of railway between Rolleston and Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand. The line features five major bridges, five viaducts and 17 tunnels, the longest of which is the Otira tunnel. It is the route of the popular TranzAlpine passenger train.

The Eyreton Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network. Located in the Canterbury region of the South Island, it left the Main North Line in Kaiapoi and was built a mere ten kilometres south of the Oxford Branch. It opened in 1875 and operated until 1954, except for the first portion, which remained open until 1965.

The Oxford Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network. It was located in the Canterbury region of the South Island, and ran roughly parallel with the Eyreton Branch that was located some ten kilometres south. It opened to Oxford in 1875 and survived until 1959.

The Canterbury Interior Main Line was a proposed railway line that would have linked many of the branch lines in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Although it was never built in full, its most northerly portion was constructed.

Sheffield, New Zealand Village in Canterbury, New Zealand

Sheffield is a small village located in the Selwyn District of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, near the Waimakariri Gorge.

The Cust River is a river in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. It flows east across the upper Canterbury Plains from its source north of the town of Oxford, New Zealand, flowing into the Cam River / Ruataniwha close to the town of Rangiora. The small town of Cust lies on the banks of the river. The lower part of the river, to the south-west of Rangiora, is diverted into a channel and called the "Main Drain". The channel was built in 1862 to drain the swampy land between Rangiora and the Waimakariri River, and when it was enlarged in 1868 it accidentally captured the Cust.

Cox River (New Zealand)

Cox River is a river of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. It arises in the Crawford Range of the Southern Alps and flows generally southward through the Arthur's Pass National Park to join the Poulter River. The river was named for J. W. M. Cox, a landholder in the 1860s at the junction of Cox River and Bull Creek.

MainPower New Zealand Limited is an electricity distribution company, based in Rangiora, New Zealand, responsible for electricity distribution to over 37,000 customers in the Canterbury region north of the Waimakariri River. MainPower was formed in 1994, after the Energy Companies Act 1992 required the North Canterbury Electric Power Board to reform into a commercial power company. More reforms in 1998 required electricity companies nationally to split their lines and retail businesses, with MainPower retaining its lines business and selling its retail business to Contact Energy.

Courtenay, New Zealand settlement in Canterbury, New Zealand

Courtenay is a settlement in inland Canterbury, New Zealand. It was once important as a place where the Waimakariri River could be forded and was a coach stop on the way to the West Coast. Its decline began when the Midland Line was routed via the nearby Kirwee.

The Riccarton Racecourse Siding or Line was a short siding or line on the Main South Line. It was built in 1877 to transport patrons from Christchurch to the Riccarton Racecourse in the suburb of Riccarton; this was a place used for both racing and for outdoor events.

Marmaduke Dixon was an early settler in North Canterbury, New Zealand. He went to sea early in his life before he settled on the north bank of the Waimakariri River. An innovative farmer, he chaired a number of road boards and was a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council.

References

  1. "The Waimakariri Gorge Bridge". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 23 September 2011.