Waitakere / Nile River

< Waitakere

Waitakere / Nile River
The Waitakere / Nile River as viewed from State Highway 6
Route of the Waitakere / Nile River
Mouth of the Waitakere / Nile River
Waitakere / Nile River (New Zealand)
EtymologyNamed after Takere, a prominent figure in the war party of Te Pūoho. Named by Europeans for the Nile.
Native nameNgāwaitakere (Māori)
Location
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWest Coast
DistrictBuller
Physical characteristics
SourcePaparoa Range
  locationNear The Pinnacle
  coordinates42°03′48″S 171°35′02″E / 42.0633°S 171.5839°E / -42.0633; 171.5839
  elevation1,120 metres (3,670 ft)
MouthTasman Sea
  location
Little Beach
  coordinates
41°53′48″S 171°26′39″E / 41.8968°S 171.4443°E / -41.8968; 171.4443
  elevation
0 metres (0 ft)
Length29 kilometres (18 mi)
Basin features
ProgressionWaitakere / Nile RiverTasman Sea
Tributaries 
  leftMakirikiri Stream, Darkies Creek
  rightAtbara Creek, Ananui Creek, Awakiri River
BridgesState Highway 6, foot and cycle suspension bridge.

The Waitakere / Nile River is a river on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It rises in the Paparoa Range and flows through a limestone karst landscape in a roughly northwest direction for its entire length, reaching the Tasman Sea just north of Charleston. The river and its surrounds are a popular tourist destination, particularly for a bush train along the river's canyon and caving through the nearby Metro / Te Ananui Caves. The lower reaches of the river are also a popular fishing spot, particularly for brown trout.