Rivers of New Zealand Rivers of New Zealand The rivers of New Zealand are used for a variety of purposes and face a number of environmental issues. Many of the rivers in the South Island are braided rivers. The longest river in New Zealand is the Waikato River with a length of . The largest river by volume is the Clutha River with a mean discharge of . Some of the rivers, especially those with wide flood plains and stop banks, have long road bridges spanning them. The Rakaia River is crossed by the longest bridge in New Zealand at . The third longest
Conway River (New Zealand) 1850s. Conway River (New Zealand) The Conway River is part of the traditional boundary between the Canterbury and Marlborough regions in the South Island of New Zealand. It arises in the Amuri Range near Palmer Saddle and runs for south-east through the Hundalee Hills at the south end of the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains before turning north-east and reaching the Pacific Ocean 30 kilometres south of Kaikoura. The Charwell River is a tributary. It was probably named after the River Conwy in North Wales, as this was the origin of Thomas Hanmer, an owner of Hawkeswood Station near this river during