Kawarau Gorge facts for kids

The Kawarau Gorge is a really cool place in the South Island of New Zealand. It's a deep valley carved by the Kawarau River. You can find it between the towns of Queenstown and Cromwell in an area called Central Otago. Part of State Highway 6 also follows this amazing gorge.

The gorge starts about 30 kilometres (about 18 miles) from Queenstown. It's near a wine-growing area called Gibbston and a big rock called the Nevis Bluff. The gorge stretches for about 25 kilometres (about 15 miles) before the river flows into the wider valley of the Clutha River, close to a small place called Ripponvale.

A Glimpse into History: The Gold Rush

The Kawarau Gorge is super important for its history, especially because of the Otago Gold Rush in the 1860s. Back then, lots of people came here hoping to find gold! You can still see old miner's cottages along the riverbanks. Some of these were built by Chinese migrants who came to New Zealand during the gold rush.

Gold Mining and Hydro Power

Today, you can visit the Goldfields Mining Centre in the gorge. It's a fun place where you can even try panning for gold yourself! Imagine finding a shiny nugget! The gorge is also home to the Roaring Meg hydro scheme. This is a power station that uses the river's water to make electricity.

Adventure Sports in the Gorge

The Kawarau Gorge is famous for exciting adventure sports. It's a hotspot for thrill-seekers!

Bungy Jumping

One of the most famous activities here is bungy jumping! You can take a leap from the historic Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge. It was the world's first commercial bungy jumping site, and it's still a popular place to try this amazing jump.

White-Water Fun

If you love water, the Kawarau River offers awesome white-water sports. You can go kayaking, which is paddling a small boat, or try riverboarding, where you ride a board down the rapids. It's a wild and wet adventure!

Unique Wildlife of Kawarau Gorge

The Kawarau Gorge is also special for its wildlife. It's one of only two places in New Zealand where a very rare insect lives.

The Endangered Fungus Weevil

This tiny creature is called the Cerius otagensis, also known as the fungus weevil. It's considered "nationally critical endangered," which means it's very close to disappearing forever. Finding it here shows how unique and important the gorge's environment is.

Incidents in the Gorge

Sometimes, small incidents happen in busy places like the Kawarau Gorge. In 2004, a small amount of a cleaning chemical spilled into the gorge. Luckily, it didn't cause any harm to the environment.