THE RANGITAIKI RIVER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 235, 8 November 1940, Page 5

THE RANGITAIKI RIVER

STRUGGLE WITH THE SEA RIVER MOUTH CONSTANTLY ALTERING For centuries the Rangitaiki River has been engaged in an all-in wrestling contest with the sea. Look at any old map of the Whakatane County (such as that on the wall of the Borough Reading Room) and you will see that until 25 years ago the Rangitaiki went out to sea along with' the Tarawera at Matata, while one branch, called the Orini River, meandered eastwards and joined forces with the Whakatane River, just opposite the town. Between these two outlets was a great delta or island 15 miles long and fringed by sandhills on the seaward side. Then came the Lands Drainage Department to excavate the "Outlet" at Thornton, a dredge cut a mile or so long through the sandhills to the sea. This made the drain age of the Rangitaiki Swamp possible, as the flood waters could hence forth get away rapidly to the sea, instead of meandering to Matata or Whakatane. Thornton became a river port, with regular scow services to Auckland . The river had at last taken a fall out of the sea. But the sea came again. In the next round the sea silted up the Rangitaiki outlet and ended the shipping service to Thornton. So another little coastal port was wiped out. Next the sea penned the river down so that it must go sideways to escape the stronghold on its mouth Ever since the river has been moving its mouth towards Whakatane, as if to make a second Orini River. To-day the Rangitaiki goes out to sea nearly a mile eastward of the spot where scows crossed the bar 25 years ago. From time to time the Lands Drainage Department lias attempted to keep the river to the straight and narrow path. A few years ago a dredge cut was made through the sandhills, but the relief was only temporary. The new channel silted up, and the river mouth set out eastward again. How long will it take to get to Whakatane, 7 or 8 miles away?