Wairoa River (Bay of Plenty)

The Wairoa River to the McLaren Falls Hydropower Station

The Wairoa River is a river in the Bay of Plenty region in the North Island of New Zealand.

Geography

The 14 km long river flows northward flowing near the Tauranga district Bethlehem in the natural harbor of Tauranga Harbour. He draws from several source streams that flow down from the Kaimai Ranges.

Name Meaning

There are in New Zealand five other rivers that carry the same name, see: Wairoa River. In the Maori language Wairoa means long water.

Use

At the Wairoa River and its headwaters are several dams with hydroelectric power plants, which are used to generate electricity for the region.

In the calmer parts of the river, the kayak is popular ride. The rafting can be practiced from the McLaren Falls rapids of grade 3 to 5. The river is one of the ten most popular rivers for rafting and kayaking.