Waitara River facts for kids
The Waitara River is a river in the Taranaki region of New Zealand. It starts in the steep hills east of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, close to a place called Tahora. The river first flows southwest towards Central Taranaki. Then, it suddenly turns and flows northwest until it reaches the Tasman Sea at the coastal town of Waitara.
Long ago, the Waitara River had a special dock in Waitara town. Meat from a local factory, Thos. Borthwick & Sons, was loaded onto ships there to be sent away. Later, this trade moved to New Plymouth's Port Taranaki. The meat factory closed in 1995.
The Waitara River is the first river north of Cape Egmont that has a muddy bottom. It can flood easily, so there are special banks called levees built along its sides. These levees help to stop the water from overflowing, especially upstream from the main bridge and on both sides downstream.
A historic bridge called the Bertrand Road suspension bridge crosses the river. It's one of only a few road bridges like it in New Zealand. You can find it a few kilometers from State Highway 3, just a short distance from Waitara town.
The New Zealand Wars and the River
In December 1860, during the First Taranaki War, British soldiers fought near the Waitara River. This war was part of the bigger New Zealand Wars. British forces, led by Major-General Pratt, dug trenches and tunnels, a method called "sapping," towards a strong Māori defense line. This line was called Te Arei, which means "The barrier." It was on the west side of the Waitara River and blocked the way to an old hill fort known as Pukewairangi.
During this important operation, a brave soldier named Colour Serjeant John Lucas was awarded the Victoria Cross. This is a very high award for bravery. He received it on March 18, 1861.
River Health and Water Quality
In the past, the water in the Waitara River was not very clean. This was because untreated sewage from Waitara town and waste from the meat factory were dumped directly into the river. People even saw the river turn red from the factory's waste!
However, the water quality got much better after some important changes. In 1978, a new pipe was built to send sewage out into the ocean instead of the river. Also, when the meat factory closed, it stopped polluting the river. Until 1999, sewage from Inglewood was also put into the river, but that stopped too.
Today, scientists check the river's health. The Waitara River is one of the rivers checked by the NIWA National River Water Quality Network. When it comes to levels of E.coli bacteria, which can make people sick, the Waitara River is ranked as the second worst out of 77 sites. This means it's not always safe for activities like swimming, which is called "contact recreation."
