Country New Zealand Length 18 km Main source 150 m (490 ft) | Basin size 123 km (47 sq mi) Basin area 123 km² Mouth elevation 0 | |
River mouth Raglan Harbour; 0 m (0 ft) | ||
The Waingaro River is a river of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows generally southwest from its origins west of Ngaruawahia to reach a northern arm of Raglan Harbour (see 1:50,000 map). Its main tributary is Kahuhuru Stream, which Highway 22 follows for several kilometres. Tributaries total about 170 kilometres (110 mi).
Contents
The Waingaro River is one of the largest sources of sediment in Whaingaroa Harbour, partly because it is 99 percent unfenced.
Geology
The lower river flows over Puaroan age (about 150 million years ago), blue-grey Puti siltstone.
Waingaro Hot Spring was closed in 2014, until improvements were made and it reopened in 2016. It has dilute alkaline NaCl-type (salty), 37 to 54 °C (99 to 129 °F), thermal water flowing from early Jurassic basement rocks at about 350 litres (92 US gal) per minute, probably originating at least 3 kilometres (2 mi) deep.
In 1921 this description was given:
Waingaro/ on the coach-road from Ngaruawhahia to the west coast, has waters of the most strictly simple 'thermal' type, containing only 22 grains of solids to the gallon. It is not a 'spa,' though it is used locally and had at one time a great reputation among the Maoris. The outflow of water is very large and the temperature high. There is a large simple immersion bath, with hotel accommodation alongside.
ANALYSIS Grains per gallon.
Sodium chloride 6-43 Silica 7-80 Total solids 22-66 Temperature. 130 °F.In 1942 a corrugated iron shelter, which had covered the spring on the north side of the road, was swept away by a flood. After that the hot water was piped under the road and the present complex of baths built.
Waingaro Landing
The narrow, 2 km (1.2 mi) gravel road from Ohautira Rd to the boat ramp and whitebait stands at Waingaro Landing now sees little traffic, but was once much more important.
Just south of the point where the Waingaro joins the Kerikeri River, there is a record of Waingaro Landing being used by Rev A N Brown in 1834 to travel from Bay of Islands to Kawhia. Little changed for another half century.
About 1883 a Crown Grant of 1,000 acres (400 ha) on the banks of the Waingaro stream was taken on by M. Barton or Patene, then Mr Clarke, then by Sam Picken. Most of it was in heavy bush. Clarke had started clearing it, employing Arthur Moon and Johnnie Douglas. Picken travelled to Huntly by train, crossing the Waikato by boat, then rode on a bridle track to Glen Afton and finally on a native track through heavy bush of rimu and matai on the hills, and kahikatea on the flats. Within a year the native track had been turned into a bridle track. Picken was joined by George Richards, Arthur Shilson, Ned Edmonds, Stevens, Arthur Richards and Pyne. The Crown then built a road from Ngaruawahia to the landing. By 1893 most land had been bought, except 600 acres (240 ha) at the Hot Springs on a 21-year lease to Sam Wilson, who built the hotel.
Charles Sutton bought the 30 ft (9.1 m) steam launch 'Vesta', which could tow a punt from Raglan to Waingaro in one hour. An experiment with the 40 ft (12 m) 'Amateur' was unsuccessful; it took 3 hours. In 1896 the 'Vesta' was repaired and took on the work again.
For almost two decades the landing became a popular route to Raglan, when Captain Coge ran the S.S. 'Maori' between Raglan and the landing from 1903. A coach from Ngaruawahia brought mail and passengers.
About 1903, the Ministry of Tourist and Health Resorts published these options for journeys from Auckland to Raglan:
Coge soon gave up the boat service, but by 18 November 1904 the Raglan Chronicle was advertising for cargo for the launch 'Nita' after 7 local men formed the co-operative, Raglan Launch Co, to take over, with land agent, A. R. Langley, as secretary. With Mr B. Vercoe in charge, she continued trading until a fire in March, 1909, with Frank Charlton in charge. However, the fire seems to have been extinguished and the 'Nita' was later bought by Billy McQueen, who traded round the harbour till about 1920. From time to time the Post Office invited tenders to carry mail on the route. The County Council agreed to extend the shed and wharf in 1910, though not buy extra land for it. The work was completed in 1913.
The road to the landing was still being improved in 1905, when ₤100 was allocated.
After 1920 the mail coach was replaced by a cream truck run by Bob Gibb on a Ngaruawahia-Te Akau mail run.