Wainui River (Bay of Plenty) river. Wainui River (Bay of Plenty) The Wainui River is a river of the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north from the Kaimai Range to reach Tauranga Harbour south of Katikati. The catchment has of stream margins. 41% of the catchment remains covered in native bush, but 48% is under pasture and suffers soil erosion. The river includes 3 waterfalls of up to , which have been kayaked. The long former East Coast Main Trunk railway bridge is designated as the limit of the Coastal Marine Area. Downstream, a 3-span bridge takes SH2 over
Bay of Plenty freight. The hub of regional economic activity is the Port of Tauranga, with well-established rail and road connections to other parts of the region. Three commercial airports also operate in the Bay of Plenty: Tauranga Airport, Rotorua Airport and Whakatane Airport. Car travel remains the dominant form of transport in the region. In 2002, the number of vehicles owned in the region was 189,000, with an average of 1.51 vehicles per household. Public transport bus services exist only in Tauranga and Rotorua. Significant growth in the Western Bay of Plenty District has seen increased strain on road infrastructure, particularly with