Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu |
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The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu near Glenorchy
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| Native name | Te Awa Whakatipu |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Southern Alps 1,025 m (3,363 ft) |
| River mouth | Lake Wakatipu 330 m (1,080 ft) |
| Length | 60 km (37 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu is a cool river in the southwestern part of New Zealand's South Island. It flows for about 60 kilometers (37 miles) through wild forests. The river starts high up in the Southern Alps and from the Dart Glacier. It then flows into the top end of Lake Wakatipu, close to a town called Glenorchy. Part of the river is inside Mount Aspiring National Park, which is a beautiful natural area.
Contents
River Names and History
The Ngāi Tahu people, who are the Māori (native) people of this area, gave the river its original name, Te Awa Whakatipu.
Later, in the 1860s, a man named William Gilbert Rees named it the "Dart River." He chose this name because the river flows very quickly, like a dart.
Today, the river has a dual name, which means it has two official names: Dart River and Te Awa Whakatipu. This was made official in 1998 as part of a special agreement called the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998.
Fun Activities and Scenery
The Dart River area is a great place for outdoor adventures.
Hiking and Jet Boating
Many popular tramping (hiking) tracks are found nearby. One famous track is the Rees-Dart Track. It follows the valley of Te Awa Whakatipu and the nearby Rees River. If you like fast rides, Jetboats also operate on the river, giving visitors an exciting way to see the area.
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Filming Location
The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu, along with other places around Glenorchy and Queenstown, has been used for filming many movies. It was a key location for scenes in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. For example, areas like Dan's Paddock were used to film scenes for Isengard, and the forests further north became Lothlórien.
Images for kids
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Dart Glacier, which is one of the sources of the Dart River.
See also
In Spanish: Río Dart / Te Awa Whakatipu para niños
