Wharekōpae River
| Wharekōpae River | |
|---|---|
 Rere Falls | |
Route of the Wharekōpae River | |
.png)  Mouth of the Wharekōpae River  Wharekōpae River (North Island) | |
| Native name | Wharekōpae (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | North Island |
| Region | Gisborne |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 38°32′10″S 177°29′01″E / 38.53622°S 177.48362°E |
| Mouth | Waikohu River |
• coordinates | 38°27′22″S 177°46′15″E / 38.4562°S 177.7709°E |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Wharekōpae River → Waikohu River → Waipaoa River → Poverty Bay → Pacific Ocean |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Makaretū Stream |
| • right | Āmia Stream, Totangi Stream |
| Waterfalls | Rere Rock Slide Waterfall, Rere Falls |
| Bridges | McCreadies Bridge, Davies (Wharekopae) Bridge, Semmens Bridge |
The Wharekōpae River is located in the northeast of New Zealand's North Island. A tributary of the Waikohu River (which is itself a tributary of the Waipaoa River), it rises on the slopes of Maungatapere, a 1,050-metre (3,440 ft) peak at the northeastern end of the Huiarau Range, and flows east, reaching the Waikohu River at the settlement of Waikohu, west of Te Karaka.[1][2]
At Rere, it cascades over the Rere Rock Slide, a smooth, natural rock formation 60 metres (200 ft) long, and the picturesque Rere Falls.
The river's name is Māori for "house with a side door", which would have been an unusual feature of a traditional Māori dwelling.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Wise's New Zealand guide (1969) Dunedin: H. Wise & Co. p.414
- ↑ "Place name detail: Wharekōpae River". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ Reed, A.W. (1975). Place names of New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. p. 475