Kumeū River Explained

Kumeū River

Map:

Type:	line
Plain:	yes
Zoom:	10
Frame-Align:	center
Frame-Width:	270
Frame-Height:	270
Stroke-Color:	0000ff
Stroke-Width:	2

Map Size:

270px

Pushpin Map:

Auckland#New Zealand

Pushpin Map Size:

270px

Pushpin Map Caption:

Mouth of the Kumeū River

Subdivision Type1:

Country

Subdivision Name1:

New Zealand

Subdivision Type2:

Region

Subdivision Name2:

Auckland Region

Length:

20abbr=onNaNabbr=on

Source1:

Te Henga Road ridge, Waitākere Ranges

Source1 Coordinates:

-36.8758°N 174.5333°W

Mouth:

Kaipara River

Mouth Coordinates:

-36.7589°N 174.5087°W

Progression:

Kumeū River → Kaipara River → Kaipara Harbour

Tributaries Left:

Mangatoetoe Stream

Tributaries Right:

Matariki Stream, Huranui Stream, McEntee Stream, King Stream, Le Gros Stream, Inkster Stream, Rackstraw Stream, Pakinui Stream, Waikoukou Stream

The Kumeū River drains the northern Waitākere Ranges near Auckland, New Zealand, running past the town of Kumeū before merging into the Kaipara River.

Description

The river begins north of the Te Henga Road ridge, north of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.^[1] It flows north to the townships of Waitākere and Taupaki. When the river reaches Kumeū and Huapai, it flows due west, meeting the Ahukuramu Stream. The Kaipara River begins at the confluence of the Kumeū River and Ahukuramu Stream.^[2]

The river has a number of tributaries, including the McEntee Stream,^[3] Mangatoetoe Stream^[4] and Pakinui Stream.^[5]

History

The stream is in the traditional rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki.^[6] Historically the upper river catchment was dominated by a kahikatea forest, and was used for a number of purposes: to hunt kūkupa (kererū, or New Zealand wood pigeon) and harvest harakeke (New Zealand flax) and toetoe (Austroderia) for weaving.^[6]

The river formed a section of Te Tōangaroa, the portage between the Kaipara and the Waitematā Harbours.^[6] Ngongetepara (Brigham Creek) is less than two kilometres away from the Kumeū River at its closest point.

The traditional taniwha kaitiaki (guardian) of the Kaipara and Kumeū Rivers was called Tangihua.^[6]

External links

Photograph of Kumeu River held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.

Notes and References

Web site: Kumeū River . New Zealand Gazetteer . Land Information New Zealand. 20 October 2023.
Web site: Ahukuramu Stream . New Zealand Gazetteer . Land Information New Zealand. 11 July 2022.
Web site: McEntee Stream . New Zealand Gazetteer . Land Information New Zealand. 11 July 2022.
Web site: Mangatoetoe Stream. New Zealand Gazetteer . Land Information New Zealand. 11 July 2022.
Web site: Pakinui Stream . New Zealand Gazetteer . Land Information New Zealand. 11 July 2022.
Web site: 22 February 2014 . Te Kawerau ā Maki Deed of Settlement Schedule . . The Trustees of Te Kawerau Iwi Settlement Trust . . 10 May 2022.