The Hinemoatū / Howard River is a river of the northern South Island of New Zealand. A tributary of the Buller River, the Hinemoatū/Howard starts at the confluence of the Hodgson and Tier Streams[1] in the Travers Range of Nelson Lakes National Park, flowing north between Lakes Rotoroa and Rotoiti, before reaching the Buller between Kawatiri and Saint Arnaud. Close to its confluence with the Buller, the river is bridged by State Highway 63[2] and further up by Howard Valley Road.[3]
| Hinemoatū / Howard River | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Travers Range |
| • elevation | 570 m (1,870 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Buller River |
• elevation | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Length | 20 km (12 mi) |
Formerly known as the Howard River, the river's name was officially altered to Hinemoatū / Howard River in August 2014.[4] Charles Heaphy named the river after James Howard, one the New Zealand Company staff, who died in the Wairau Affray.[5]
4 ha (9.9 acres) of the river near the Buller is a Scientific Reserve for Black-billed Gulls (tarāpuka) and Black-fronted Terns (tarapiroe).[6] Forest in the valley is dominated by red beech (tawhai raunui), with some silver beech (tahina), several varieties of filmy ferns, including narrow filmy-fern, several coprosmas, including red-currant coprosma, and weeping māpou.[7]
Gold was discovered in 1863 and again in 1915. At one stage about 150 miners were working the Louis Creek. Interest was revived by the Unemployment Board's Gold Prospecting Subsidy Scheme,[8] which was extended to include the valley in 1933,[9] and a 1933 miner's cottage remains which was occupied until at least the 1940s.[10]
The Speargrass Track from St Arnaud[11] crosses the upper part of the catchment.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Place name detail: Hinemoatū / Howard River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "State Hwy 63 Howard". Google Maps. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Howard, Tasman". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "NZGB decisions". Land Information New Zealand. August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "PIONEERS OF THE PAST. OTAGO WITNESS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 November 1911. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Upper Buller". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Newsletter" (PDF). New Zealand Botanical Society. December 2018.
- ^ "Gold fossicking in the Glenhope Scenic Reserve" (PDF). DoC. September 2020.
- ^ "SUBSIDISED MINING. NELSON EVENING MAIL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 October 1933. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Glenhope Scenic Reserve". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Speargrass Track". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Speargrass Track, Tasman". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
"Place name detail: Howard River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
41°43′11″S 172°40′55″E / 41.719632°S 172.681818°E