| Kaituna River | |
| Name Etymology: | From Māori: Kai (meaning food) and tuna (meaning eel) |
| Pushpin Map: | New Zealand Banks Peninsula#New Zealand |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Kaituna River |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | New Zealand |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Canterbury |
| Subdivision Type3: | Territorial area |
| Subdivision Name3: | Christchurch City |
| Source1: | Mount Herbert / Te Ahu Pātiki |
| Mouth: | Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora |
| Mouth Coordinates: | -43.7784°N 172.651°W |
| Tributaries Left: | Okana Stream |
The Kaituna River is a small watercourse[1] which drains the high ground on the Banks Peninsula before discharging into Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora.[2] It gives its name to a steep sheep grazed valley which provides access to the walking tracks and mountain tops of Mount Bradley and Mount Herbert / Te Ahu Pātiki.
The river and its valley were a traditional ara tawhito (travel route) for Māori living on Banks Peninsula, providing a relatively easy route to connect mahinga kai (food gathering sites) at Te Waihora with the more established settlements around Whakaraupō and Koukourarata to the north.[3]