Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu |
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The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu near Glenorchy
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| Native name | Te Awa Whakatipu |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Southern Alps 1,025 m (3,363 ft) |
| River mouth | Lake Wakatipu 330 m (1,080 ft) |
| Length | 60 km (37 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu flows through rugged forested country in the southwestern South Island of New Zealand. Partly in Mount Aspiring National Park, it flows south-west and then south for 60 kilometres (37 mi) from its headwaters in the Southern Alps and the Dart Glacier, eventually flowing into the northern end of Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy.
Ngāi Tahu called the river Te Awa Whakatipu. It was named as the Dart in the 1860s by a runholder, William Gilbert Rees, who chose the name for the river's swift flow. The current dual name was made official as part of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998.
Several popular tramping tracks are nearby, notably the Rees-Dart Track, which follows the valley of Te Awa Whakatipu and the nearby Rees River. Jetboats operate on the river.
The Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu, as many other areas in and around the Glenorchy and Queenstown area, has also been the location for many scenes filmed for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Examples of these locations are Isengard, filmed at Dan's Paddock and Lothlórien in the forests slightly further north.
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See also
In Spanish: Río Dart / Te Awa Whakatipu para niños
