58-557: Tararua is a name used in several contexts: The Tararua Range , in the southeast of New Zealand's North Island The Tararua District of New Zealand, named for the Range. The Tararua Forest Park , New Zealand's first forest park The SS Tararua , a 19th-century passenger steamship. Tararua (spider) is a genus of the Agelenidae spider family. See also [ edit ] Tararu ,
116-570: A mythical status as the patupaiarehe (fairy folk) of the Tarurua Range. In the 1820s the Muaūpoko in turn were forced to flee to the ranges when under attack by the Ngāti Toa led by Te Rauparaha . In spite of such intrusions, the mountain range remained the home of distant gods or hostile wild men ( maero ). As such, it was a special place to be respected but avoided. In the 1870s a large portion of
174-530: A popular tramping location for the greater Wellington district. It is one of the most frequently entered ranges in the country, with between 120,000 and 150,000 people visiting each year. Among the many tramping tracks is the well-known Southern Crossing running from Ōtaki Forks in the west, over Mount Hector and exiting via Kaitoke . The hills include 6 campsites. They are accessible by car, although visitors may need to travel over gravel roads that contain occasional fords. Campsites are generally located within
232-782: A resource consent to install a $ 10 million experimental underwater tidal stream turbine capable of producing one megawatt. The turbine was designed in Britain, and was to be built in New Zealand and placed in 80 metres (260 ft) of water, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) due south of Sinclair Head, in waters known as the "Karori rip". The company claimed there is enough tidal movement in Cook Strait to generate 12 GW of power, more than one-and-a-half times New Zealand's current requirements. In practice, only some of this energy could be harnessed. As of October 2016, this turbine had not been built and
290-601: A total ascent of 2,250 m (7,380 ft) plus a slightly longer descent, and requires the deployment of 50 volunteers as marshals, search and rescue teams, first aid helpers, and support staff. It frequently encounters adverse weather and is not regarded as a suitable event for inexperienced participants. Maclean, Chris (December 1994). Tararua: The Story of a Mountain Range . Whitcombe Press. ISBN 978-0-473-02613-4 . Retrieved 8 October 2019 . Cook Strait Cook Strait ( Māori : Te Moana-o-Raukawa , lit. 'The Sea of Raukawa ')
348-489: A township in the northern North Island of New Zealand Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Tararua . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tararua&oldid=970983401 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
406-667: Is a strait that separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The strait connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. It is 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide at its narrowest point, and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. Regular ferry services run across the strait between Picton in the Marlborough Sounds and Wellington . The strait
464-522: Is a group of tiny islands in Cook Strait off the east coast of Arapaoa Island. North Brother island in this small chain is a sanctuary for the rare Brothers Island tuatara , while the largest of the islands is the site of the Brothers Island Lighthouse. The shores of Cook Strait on both sides are mostly composed of steep cliffs. The beaches of Cloudy Bay, Clifford Bay , and Palliser Bay shoal gently down to 140 metres (460 ft), where there
522-603: Is a more or less extensive submarine plateau. The rest of the bottom topography is complex. To the east is the Cook Strait Canyon with steep walls descending eastwards into the bathyal depths of the Hikurangi Trough . To the north-west lies the Narrows Basin, where water is 300 and 400 metres (980 and 1,310 ft) deep. Fisherman's Rock in the north end of the Narrows Basin rises to within a few metres of low tide, and
580-509: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tararua Range The Tararua Range , often referred to as the Tararua Ranges or Tararua , is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand. The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for 80 km (50 mi) from near Palmerston North to the upper reaches of
638-610: Is marked by waves breaking in rough weather. A relatively shallow submarine valley lies across the northern end of the Marlborough Sounds. The bottom topography is particularly irregular around the coast of the South Island where the presence of islands, underwater rocks, and the entrances to the sounds, create violent eddies. The strait has an average depth of 128 metres (420 ft). The waters of Cook Strait are dominated by strong tidal flows . The tidal flow through Cook Strait
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#1732844125614696-402: Is more difficult to model. Probably the most prolific oceanographer to research the strait was Ron Heath based at the N.Z. Oceanographic Institute . He produced a number of studies including analysis of tides which identified the presence of a "virtual amphidrome" in the region. Heath also quantified a best estimate for the time of the "residual current" (i.e. net current after averaging out
754-487: Is named after James Cook , the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770. In Māori it is named Te Moana-o-Raukawa , which means The Sea of Raukawa . Raukaua is a type of woody shrub native to New Zealand. The waters of Cook Strait are dominated by strong tidal flows . The tidal flow through Cook Strait is unusual in that the tidal elevation at the ends of the strait are almost exactly out of phase with one another, so high water on one side meets low water on
812-465: Is named after the scientist Sir James Hector. Its Māori name is Pukemoumou, or 'hill of desolation'. The Tararua Range is divided into two distinct northern and southern regions. Each of these is dominated by a central mountain peak: Arete in the north and Hector in the south. A total of ten rivers rise on the mountain slopes, providing water for the surrounding rural and urban areas from Palmerston North to Wellington. A number of ranges radiate out from
870-535: Is not a common visitor to the New Zealand's waters. Large migratory whales attracted many whalers to the area in the winter. Currently, an annual survey of counting humpback whales is taken by Department of Conservation and former whalers help DOC to spot animals by using several vantage points along the strait such as on Stephens Island . Other occasional visitors include southern right whales , blue whales , sei whales and sperm whales . Giant squid specimens have been washed ashore around Cook Strait or found in
928-448: Is unusual in that the tidal elevation at the ends of the strait are almost exactly out of phase with one another, so high water on one side meets low water on the other. This is because the main M2 lunar tide component that happens about twice per day (actually 12.42 hours) circulates anti-clockwise around New Zealand, and is out of phase at each end of the strait (see animation on the right). On
986-857: The Hutt Valley , where the northern tip of the Remutaka Range begins. It is separated in the north from the southern end of the Ruahine Range by the Manawatū Gorge . Most of the Range is wilderness, protected as the Tararua Forest Park . The highest peak in the Tararua Range is Pukeamoamo / Mitre (not to be confused with Mitre Peak ) at 1,570 m (5,150 ft). Other prominent peaks include Mount Bannister at 1,537 m (5,043 ft) and Mount Hector at 1,529 m (5,016 ft), which
1044-677: The Maria in 1851, the City of Dunedin in 1865, the St Vincent in 1869, the Lastingham in 1884, SS Penguin in 1909 and TEV Wahine in 1968. The strait runs in a general NW-SE direction, with the South Island on the west side and North Island on the east. At its narrowest point, 22 kilometres (14 mi) separate Cape Terawhiti in the North Island from Perano Head on Arapaoa Island in
1102-598: The Mākara coast, and at entrances to the Marlborough Sounds. The remains of most of these fortifications can still be seen. The Pencarrow Head Lighthouse was the first permanent lighthouse built in New Zealand. Its first keeper, Mary Jane Bennett, was the only female lighthouse keeper in New Zealand's history. The light was decommissioned in 1935 when it was replaced by the Baring Head Lighthouse . A number of ships have been wrecked with significant loss of life, such as
1160-513: The Straits of Gibraltar and Seymour Narrows in British Columbia . The electrical power generated by tidal marine turbines varies as the cube of the tidal speed. Because the tidal speed doubles, eight times more tidal power is produced during spring tides than at neaps. Cook Strait has been identified as a potentially excellent source of tidal energy. In April 2008, Neptune Power was granted
1218-500: The Zeehaen , one of the two ships in his expedition. In 1769 James Cook established that it was a strait , which formed a navigable waterway. Cook Strait attracted European settlers in the early 19th century. Because of its use as a whale migration route, whalers established bases in the Marlborough Sounds and in the Kāpiti area. From the late 1820s until the mid-1960s Arapaoa Island
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#17328441256141276-455: The HVDC link. Cook Strait is an important habitat for many cetacean species. Several dolphins ( bottlenose , common , dusky ) frequent the area along with killer whales and the endemic Hector's dolphins . Long-finned pilot whales often strand en masse at Golden Bay . The famous Pelorus Jack was a Risso's dolphin being observed escorting the ships between 1888 and 1912, though this species
1334-516: The Marlborough Sounds and Wellington , operated by KiwiRail (the Interislander ) and StraitNZ (Bluebridge). Both companies run services several times a day. Roughly half the crossing is in the strait, and the remainder within the Sounds. The journey covers 70 kilometres (43 mi) and takes about three hours. The strait often experiences rough water and heavy swells from strong winds, especially from
1392-527: The Marlborough Sounds. Perano Head is actually further north than Cape Terawhiti. In good weather one can see clearly across the strait. The west (South Island) coast runs 30 kilometres (19 mi) along Cloudy Bay and past the islands and entrances to the Marlborough Sounds. The east (North Island) coast runs 40 kilometres (25 mi) along Palliser Bay , crosses the entrance to Wellington Harbour , past some Wellington suburbs and continues another 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to Mākara Beach . The Brothers
1450-459: The Neptune Power website is a placeholder with no further announcements. On the other side of the strait, Energy Pacifica applied for resource consent to install up to 10 marine turbines, each able to produce up to 1.2 MW, near the Cook Strait entrance to Tory Channel . The company claimed that Tory Channel was an optimal site with a tidal current speed of 3.6 metres per second (12 ft/s) and
1508-400: The North Island. Subsequent erosion contributed to the present pattern of parallel ranges divided by deep river valleys. The ranges provide a back-drop for the Kāpiti coastal plain. The 15 peaks in the Tararua Range of 1,500 m or higher are (from north to south): Other notable peaks in the range are Jumbo Peak (1,405 m) and Mount Holdsworth (1,470 m). The western slopes of
1566-518: The Pacific Ocean side the high tide occurs five hours before it occurs at the Tasman Sea side. On one side is high tide and on the other is low tide. The difference in sea level can drive tidal currents up to 2.5 metres per second (5 knots) across Cook Strait. There are numerous computer models of the tidal flow through Cook Strait. While the tidal components are readily realizable, the residual flow
1624-573: The Pahiatua Track in the north, to the Rimutaka Saddle in the south. The main entrance on the eastern side of the ranges is at Holdsworth, and on the west side from Ōtaki Forks . The only all-weather road right across the range is the Pahiatua Track, which joins Palmerston North and Pahiatua . It is now used more heavily since the Manawatū Gorge road was permanently closed in 2017 due to recurring large landslides. The Tararua Range serves as
1682-508: The South Island as part of the HVDC Inter-Island , which provides an electricity link between Benmore in the South island and Haywards in the North Island. Each cable operates at 350 kV, and can carry up to 500 MW, with Pole 2 of the link using one cable and Pole 3 using two cables. The link's total capacity is 1200 MW (500MW for Pole 2 and 700MW for Pole 3). The cables are laid on
1740-457: The South Island telegraph system to Wellington. Between 1888 and 1912 a Risso's dolphin named Pelorus Jack became famous for meeting and escorting ships around Cook Strait. Pelorus Jack was usually spotted in Admiralty Bay between Cape Francis and Collinet Point, near French Pass , a channel used by ships travelling between Wellington and Nelson. Pelorus Jack is also remembered after he
1798-415: The Tararua Range has a wide diversity of vegetation, ranging from alpine tussock grasslands and subalpine shrublands to forests of montane miro/ kamahi , or beech or lowland broadleaf forests with emergent podocarps and kamahi . The forest in the northern part of the Tararua Range consists mainly of tawa and miro indigenous woodlands. Further south species such as beech are widely seen. Finally, along
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1856-689: The Tararua Range since 1970, most recently one in January 2023. Other deaths included those of the Chief Executive of the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa: Dr Seddon Bennington and a friend Marcella Jackson, who died of hypothermia in June 2009. The Tararua Mountain Race, following a track of 35.4 km (22.0 mi), from Kaitoke to Ōtaki Forks, has been held annually since 1990. The running race involves
1914-574: The Victorian period – though largely romanticized and usually undertaken from a distance. By the 1920s, with the neighbouring countryside largely settled, the potential of the range as an area for outdoor recreation rather than for exploitation began to be recognised. The 116,535 hectare Tararua Forest Park covers more than three-quarters of the Tararua Range. It is administered by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and extends from
1972-448: The best combination of bathymetry and accessibility to the electricity network. However, despite being validated by computer modelling, no project was forthcoming. Electric power and communication cables link the North and South Islands across Cook Strait, operated by Transpower . Three submarine power cables cross Cook Strait between Oteranga Bay in the North Island and Fighting Bay in
2030-486: The development of the fertile plains that bordered on it. In 1881 36,000 acres of the Tararua Block, including key catchment areas for four rivers, was classified as State Forest , subject to protection. Additional watersheds were added over the following decades, to create a Crown conservation reserve in excess of 250,000 acres. The scenic beauty of the Tararua Range made the mountains a popular subject for paintings during
2088-424: The entrance to Wellington Harbour and capsized. Of the 610 passengers and 123 crew on board, 53 died. In 2006, 14-metre (46 ft) waves resulted in the Interislander ferry DEV Aratere slewing violently and heeling to 50 degrees. Three passengers and a crew member were injured, five rail wagons were toppled and many trucks and cars were heavily damaged. Maritime NZ's expert witness Gordon Wood claimed that if
2146-434: The ferry had capsized most passengers and crew would have been trapped inside and would have had no warning or time to put on lifejackets. Air lines which operate or have operated flights across Cook Strait include Straits Air Freight Express , Air2there , CityJet and Sounds Air . According to oral tradition , the first woman to swim Cook Strait was Hine Poupou. She swam from Kapiti Island to d'Urville Island with
2204-478: The focus of what later came to be known as The Sutch Search when Mr. Eric Hill, Miss Morva Williams, Mr. Bert O’Keefe and Dr. Bill Sutch went missing for more than two weeks during an attempt to traverse from Te Matawai Hut to Mount Holdsworth during winter. An accident while sidling the Broken Axe Pinnacles prevented the group getting to Mt Holdsworth in a day as planned. Then bad weather forced them off
2262-622: The foothills of the range, alongside a river or stream. The Tararua Range is significant in the history of tramping in New Zealand, due to its accessibility for people in Wellington and nearby towns. Two of the most popular tracks are the Northern Crossing from Levin to the Wairarapa , and the Southern Crossing from Ōtaki Forks to near Masterton . In April 1933, the Tararua Range was
2320-413: The help of a dolphin. Other Māori accounts tell of at least one swimmer who crossed the strait in 1831. In modern times, the strait was swum by Barrie Devenport in 1962. Lynne Cox was the first woman to swim it, in 1975. The most prolific swimmer of the strait is Philip Rush , who has crossed eight times, including two double crossings. Aditya Raut was the youngest swimmer at 11 years. Caitlin O'Reilly
2378-489: The islands and linking Cook Strait to the Tasman Sea. In Māori legend , Cook Strait was discovered by Kupe the navigator. Kupe followed in his canoe a monstrous octopus called Te Wheke-a-Muturangi across Cook Strait and destroyed it in Tory Channel or at Pātea . When Dutch explorer Abel Tasman first saw New Zealand in 1642, he thought Cook Strait was a bight closed to the east. He named it Zeehaen's Bight , after
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2436-463: The major contributing events towards the formation of New Zealand's voluntary Land Search and Rescue service ( LSAR ). It was covered intensely by media at the time, and when the group finally returned they sparked strong public debate regarding the responsibilities of those who enter the wilderness. A combination of steep terrain, dense bush, difficult river crossings and changeable winter weather conditions has caused over twenty-two tramping deaths in
2494-553: The mountains remained a massive physical divide between the tribal settlements located along rivers, lakes and coastlines to the east and west. Some of the Kāti Māmoe (early Māori settlers on the neighbouring Kāpiti Coast) are reputed to have taken refuge in the Tararua mountains after they were displaced by the Rangitane and Muaūpoko iwi (tribal groups). The Kāti Māmoe survivors attained
2552-461: The mountains, the largest of which is the Main Range linking the twin clusters of northern and southern peaks. The summits of the ranges average between 1,300 and 1,500 metres in height. This consistency indicates that the region was once part of a level plain. About 10 million years ago parts of this relatively low-lying area were thrust up, creating a mountainous backbone for the southern part of
2610-545: The other. Approximately 18,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum when sea levels were over 100 metres (330 feet) lower than present day levels, Cook Strait was a deep harbour of the Pacific Ocean, disconnected from the Tasman Sea by the vast coastal plains which formed at the South Taranaki Bight which connected the North and South islands. Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, eventually separating
2668-502: The ranges are subject to prevailing moisture-carrying winds, channelled by Cook Strait to the south. These are the source of an annual rainfall of approximately 5,000 mm, resulting in the dominance of conifers, ferns and shrubs on the western side of the ranges. By contrast, the pattern on the eastern side is one of open beech forest in a drier environment. In spite of a reputation of being composed of gloomy bush, impenetrable leatherwood , and wet snow tussocks on mist-shrouded tops,
2726-599: The ranges was sold to the New Zealand Government by a coalition of the Iwi in possession of the surrounding region. Specifically excluded from this "Tararua Block" purchase was an area of 1,000 acres reserved to protect the sacred lake Hapuakorari, the exact location of which remained uncertain. European settlers, like their Māori counterparts, found the steep ridges and deep valleys of the Tararua Range difficult of access and intimidating in scale. The range accordingly escaped
2784-424: The reverse surge enfeebled. In especially boisterous weather conditions the reverse surge can be negated, and the flow can remain in the same direction through three surge periods and longer. This is indicated on marine charts for the region. Furthermore, the submarine ridges running off from the coast complicate the ocean flow and turbulence. The substantial levels of turbulence have been compared to that observed in
2842-417: The ridge tops. It took more than two weeks for them to find a route down the untracked Waiohine River . The group was noticed to be missing after a week, at which time a search developed that eventually involved roughly 200 people and solicited many donations from members of the public. The search was the first in New Zealand to involve radio communications and aircraft, and is generally considered to be one of
2900-512: The seabed within a legally defined zone called the cable protection zone (CPZ). The CPZ is about 7 kilometres (4 mi) wide for most of its length, narrowing where it nears the terminals on each shore. Fishing activities and anchoring boats are prohibited within the CPZ. Fibre optic cables carry telecommunications across Cook Strait, used by New Zealand's main telecommunication companies for domestic and commercial traffic and by Transpower for control of
2958-420: The settlers saw Cook Strait in a broader sense than today's ferry-oriented New Zealanders: for them the strait stretched from Taranaki to Cape Campbell , so these early towns all clustered around "Cook Strait" (or "Cook's Strait", in the pre-Geographic Board usage of the times) as the central feature and central waterway of the new colony. In 1866, the first telegraph cable was laid in Cook Strait, connecting
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#17328441256143016-506: The south. New Zealand's position directly athwart the roaring forties means that the strait funnels westerly winds and deflects them into northerlies. As a result, ferry sailings are often disrupted and Cook Strait is regarded as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. In 1968, the TEV ; Wahine , a Wellington– Lyttelton ferry of the Union Company , foundered at
3074-420: The stomachs of sperm whales off Kaikōura . A colony of male fur seals has long been established near Pariwhero / Red Rocks on the south Wellington coast. Cook Strait offers good game fishing . Albacore tuna can be caught from January to May. Broadbill swordfish , bluenose , mako sharks and the occasional marlin and white shark can also be caught. Regular ferry services run between Picton in
3132-428: The tidal influence) in the strait. This continues to be a topic of research with computer simulations combining with large datasets to refine the estimate. Despite the strong currents, there is almost zero tidal height change in the centre of the strait. Instead of the tidal surge flowing in one direction for six hours and then in the reverse direction for six hours, a particular surge might last eight or ten hours with
3190-401: The west slopes of the ranges facing the Tasman Sea, mixed native species such as rimu , tarrier, mataī , tōtara and kahikatea are dominant. The rugged terrain and frequently harsh weather of the Tararua Range served to discourage any substantial attempt at penetration by early Māori. Although there is archaeological evidence of exploration by moa hunters as early as the twelfth century,
3248-511: Was a base for whaling in the Sounds. Perano Head on the east coast of the island was the principal whaling station for the area. The houses built by the Perano family are now operated as tourist accommodation. During the 1820s Te Rauparaha led a Māori migration to, and the conquest and settlement of, the Cook Strait region. From 1840 more permanent settlements sprang up, first at Wellington, then at Nelson and at Whanganui (Petre). At this period
3306-581: Was the subject of a failed assassination attempt. He was later protected by a 1904 New Zealand law. At times when New Zealand feared invasion, various coastal fortifications were constructed to defend Cook Strait. During the Second World War, two 23 cm (9.1 in) gun installations were constructed on Wrights Hill behind Wellington. These guns could range 28 kilometres (17 mi) across Cook Strait. In addition thirteen 15 cm (6 in) gun installations were constructed around Wellington, along
3364-453: Was the youngest female swimmer and youngest New Zealander at 12 years. Pam Dickson was the oldest swimmer at 55 years. John Coutts was the first person to swim the strait in both directions. By 2010, 74 single crossings had been made by 65 individuals, and three double crossings had been made by two individuals (Philip Rush and Meda McKenzie ). In March 2016, Marilyn Korzekwa became the first Canadian and oldest woman, at 58 years old, to swim
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