Tuamarina River

Last Modified: 19-2-2019 12:47

The Tumarina River is a tributary of the Wairau River that drains the Para wetland. The Tuamarina has its source in the Koromiko area, flowing south through the Para wetland, to the Wairau. About a kilometre north of its confluence with the Wairau, the Tuamarina was the site of the notorious 'Wairau Affray', a confrontation between Māori led by Te Rauparaha, and European settlers led by Arthur Wakefield of the New Zealand Company.

The river catchment is a highly modified environment, with the river rating second to bottom in a survey of natural character of rivers in Marlborough commissioned by the Marlborough District Council. In spite of this, there are a few reminders of the original character of the river, including a titoki tree associated with the Wairau Affray, used by the Māori party to secure their waka. A few stands of kahikatea or swamp pine provide an insight into what the original character of the Tuamarina valley. Most of the hillsides are now planted in Pinus radiata.

Cite this page

Tuamarina River. (2019) Retrieved April, 25, 2024, from https://www.marlboroughonline.co.nz/marlborough/information/geography/rivers/tuamarina-river/