Waioeka River
The Waioeka River twists down a bush-clad valley south of Ōpōtiki. The river’s a treasure, with plenty of fun grade 1 and 2 paddling and awesome wilderness scenery.
Every October, hundreds of competitors paddle a section of the Waioeka in the BayTrust Motu Challenge multisport race. The 27 km of paddling is one of New Zealand’s best-loved stretches of river. If you're fit and experienced, it’s definitely worth taking part.
The start point is 1 km below the Oponae bridge. The first 11 km of paddling to Graham’s Bridge (the ‘gravel pit’) has some tricky rapids. This stretch is divided roughly into thirds by a Cableway water level monitor and the historic Tauranga bridge.
Further down, the valley opens out. If the water levels are low, paddling can be slow. You need to be fit to tackle the full 27 km length.
Trip time
Experienced paddlers 45-60 minutes for the 11 km to Graham’s Bridge, and 2-3 hours for the whole 27 km. The whole distance is not appropriate for families or the inexperienced–just do a short section.
Refreshment/car parking
There are no toilets or shops – stock up at Ōpōtiki. There’s roadside parking and river access (up to 5 minutes’ carrying of boats is needed) at:
- Start, 34 km from Ōpōtiki / 1 km below Oponae bridge
- Graham’s Bridge / ’the gravel pit’, 25 km from Ōpōtiki
- Rest area / angler access, 19 km from Ōpōtiki
- Waioeka gorge mouth, 11 km from Ōpōtiki
