Heathcote River

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Heathcote River
Ōpawaho
Location of the river in Christchurch

Location of the river in Christchurch

Data
location Christchurch , South Island , New Zealand
River system Avon Heathcote Estuary
Drain over Avon Heathcote Estuary  → Pegasus Bay
source in the district Hornby in Christchurch
43 ° 33 '16 "  S , 172 ° 32' 30"  O
Source height 23  m
muzzle in the district of Ferrymead in the Avon Heathcote Estuary , from there in Pegasus Bay in the Pacific Ocean Coordinates: 43 ° 33 ′ 28 ″  S , 172 ° 42 ′ 31 ″  E 43 ° 33 ′ 28 ″  S , 172 ° 42 ′ 31 ″  O
Mouth height 0  m
Height difference 23 m
Bottom slope 0.94 ‰
length 24.5 km
Heathcote River in the Beckenham district

Heathcote River in the Beckenham district

The Heathcote River ( Māori Ōpawaho ) is a river in Christchurch in the Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand .

Origin of name

The Heathcote River is named after William Heathcote , former secretary of the Canterbury Association .

geography

The river rises in the district Hornby and flows meandering through several neighborhoods, as Wigram, Hillmorton, Hoon Hay, Spreydon, Cracroft, cashmere, Beckenham, St Martins , Opawa and Woolston in west direction to km 24.5 in the district Ferrymead in to flow into the Avon Heathcote Estuary , an estuary that fed from the Avon River and drains into the Pacific Ocean at Pegasus Bay .

The last 3.6 km of the river is under the influence of the tides.

Use by the Māori

The original name of the river, " Ō-pa-waho " means "place of the outlying Pā " and refers to a fortification Pā (fortified village) established there as an outpost ( waho ) by Kaiapoi . The village was built on higher ground downstream of today's Opawa Road Bridge . It served as a resting place for the Māori from the Iwi of the Ngāi Tahu traveling between Kaiapoi and Horomaka on the Banks Peninsula . The surrounding area was an important mahinga kai , a food source especially for Tuere (blind eel) and Kanakana ( lampreys ).

Before the area was urbanized, the river meandered through an extensive wetland area. Historical maps from the middle of the 19th century, the so-called " black maps ", show that the river was surrounded by dense stocks of New Zealand flax ( harakeke ), toetoe , raupo , tutu and ferns, which were surrounded by cabbage trees ( Ti kouka ) were interspersed.

The low-lying river valley was very humid and when the nearby Waimakariri River flooded, even high-lying land could be flooded.

For several centuries the river served as a source of food and a transport route. The Iwi Waitaha , Kāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu had a close relationship with him. In swamp forest water and forest birds were caught, were in the water with falling Whitebait ( Inanga ), flounder ( Pātiki ) and eel ( Tuna ) caught.

literature

  • Christcurch City Council (Ed.): Mid-Heathcote River / Ōpawaho Linear Park Masterplan . Christchurch April 2009 (English, Online [PDF; 17.7 MB ; accessed on June 5, 2018]).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Coordinates and longitudes were determined using Goggle Earth Pro Version 7.3.1.4507 on June 5th, 2018
  2. ↑ Mid-Heathcote River / Ōpawaho Linear Park Master Plan . 2009, p.  3 .
  3. ↑ a b Topo250 maps . Land Information New Zealand , accessed June 5, 2018 .
  4. ↑ a b Mid-Heathcote River / Ōpawaho Linear Park Master Plan . 2009, p.  15 .