Mahurangi River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mahurangi River |
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Mahurangi harbour
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Mahurangi Harbour |
The Mahurangi River is a special kind of waterway in northern New Zealand. It's a tidal estuary, which means it's where the river meets the sea, and its water level changes with the ocean tides. This river gets wider and turns into the Mahurangi Harbour before it flows out into the bigger Hauraki Gulf.
The Mahurangi Harbour is a safe place for all kinds of boats. It's a sheltered spot, even when the weather is bad, and it has many small bays and islands to explore. The river itself is very tidal. This means its depth changes a lot. At low tide, it can be as shallow as about 50 centimeters (20 inches) at the entrance. Further upstream, it might be about 150 centimeters (59 inches) deep. When the tide is high, bigger boats can easily travel up the river.
Contents
A River of History
In the past, the Mahurangi River was super important. It was the main way for the town of Warkworth to connect with other places.
The Old Cement Works
A long time ago, in 1884, a big factory called the Portland Cement Works opened right next to the river. Boats like scows and steamers used the river to carry cement from the factory to other towns. The cement works closed down many years ago, but you can still see its old ruins on the riverbanks. Now, a marina is located behind these ruins.
Warkworth's Beginnings
Warkworth was first known as Brown's Mill. This was because of a sawmill built by someone named Brown on the riverbanks. Back then, the area was mostly a timber camp. The river was used to transport timber, especially large kauri tree trunks called spars. These kauri spars were often sent to Australia. Boats coming back from Australia would carry sandstone as ballast (to keep them stable). This sandstone was dropped at the river's mouth, and you can still find a lot of it there today. Then, the kauri spars would be loaded for the return trip to Australia.
Amazing Wildlife
Sometimes, you might even spot nationally endangered southern right whales in the bay. They come into the calm waters to rest or to have their babies.
Exploring the River Today
The Mahurangi River is still a busy place, especially for boats.
Boat Yards and Town Life
There are two boat yards on the Mahurangi River. One is near the old cement works ruins, and another is further upstream, closer to Warkworth. Both yards offer services for boats, like lifting them out of the water and storing them on land.
The town of Warkworth is at the very end of the river's navigable part. It has many small cafes, supermarkets, shops, and a post office. There's also a good-sized wharf with a floating dock by the water. However, at low tide, the river here almost completely dries out. Many smaller streams flow into the Mahurangi River along its path.
Waterfalls and Bridges
The Mahurangi River has several waterfalls. The part of the river where boats can travel ends at the lowest waterfall, near the western side of Warkworth village. At this spot, the river has been dammed twice, and several bridges have been built since the first one in the late 1860s.
In 1877, something amazing happened: a tsunami (a giant wave caused by an earthquake far away) from the 1877 Iquique earthquake made the tide rise by six feet in just a few minutes!
Today, there are two bridges at this point. One is a concrete bridge built in 1971. It used to have a tram running on it, but now it's a walking bridge. The other is a newer bridge with two lanes for cars.
