Hokitika River

river, New Zealand

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

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The Hokitika River is located on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. It originates in the Southern Alps and flows northward for approximately 40 miles (64 km) before emptying into the Tasman Sea at Westland Bight. The river played a role in the region's history, particularly during the gold rushes of the 1860s, which led to the establishment and growth of the town of Hokitika at its mouth. Today, the Hokitika River region supports farming, mining, and lumbering, and the river gorge is a tourist attraction.1

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Hokitika
…at the mouth of the Hokitika River, which rises in the Southern Alps and, fed by the Mungo, Whitcombe, and Kokatahi rivers, flows northward 40 miles (64 km) to Westland Bight of the Tasman Sea.
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…at the mouth of the Hokitika River, which rises in the Southern Alps and, fed by the Mungo, Whitcombe, and Kokatahi rivers, flows northward 40 miles (64 km) to Westland Bight of the Tasman Sea.
Read More