Rakaia

Rakaia is a small town in the Ashburton district in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the south bank of the Rakaia River in the Canterbury Plains at the level of State Highway 1 and the railway main line of the South Island, the Main South Line. Just north is the longest road and the longest railway bridge in the country, both of which crossed the wide gravel bed of the Rakaia, as the Braided River uses a wide river bed here. Both bridges are about 1750 meters long. Rakaia was from 1880 until its closure in 1976, the point at which the branch line branched off to Methven Methven Branch of the Main South Line.

In a great location, jumping salmon from glass fiber is placed. This points to the importance of the river for salmon fishing and jet boating.

The town has an 18- hole golf course. At the 2006 census the population was 1068 inhabitants.