From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge is significant because, unlike
most gorges, the Manawatu River is a water gap, that is
it runs directly through the surrounding ranges from one
side to the other. This was caused by the ranges moving
upwards at the same time as the gorge was eroded by the
river, instead of the more usual erosion of an already ex-
isting range.
The road through the Manawatu Gorge, State High-
way 3, is on the south side, and was completed in 1872.
It is the primary link between the two sides of the lower
North Island. It is sometimes closed by slips, especially
in inclement weather. Alternative road routes cross the
ranges on both the northern and southern sides.
A rail connection was established on the northern
side of the gorge; it was completed in 1891 and is now
part of the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line.
A tramping track, the Manawatu Gorge Track, runs
parallel to the gorge on the south side through native
bush.
The Old Gorge Cemetery lies on the north side of the
Manawatu Gorge. Public access is available, but the ceme-
tery was closed many years ago to further burials. The
road is located just a few kilometres out of Woodville on
the north side of the gorge.
Manawatu Gorge viewed from a lookout on the Manawatu
Gorge Track
See also
The Manawatu Gorge (in Maori Te Apiti meaning
Apiti, • Te Apiti Wind Farm
’The Narrow Passage’) runs between the Ruahine and
Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand, link- External links
ing the Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay regions. It lies to the
northeast of Palmerston North - its western end is near • 2011 landslides in Manawatu Gorge
the small town of Ashhurst, its eastern end is close to the
town of Woodville. Coordinates: 40°19′06″S 175°47′53″E / 40.3184°S
175.7980°E / -40.3184; 175.7980
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manawatu_Gorge&oldid=460108038"
Categories:
• Manawatu-Wanganui Region
• Canyons and gorges of New Zealand
• Water gaps
This page was last modified on 11 November 2011 at 10:20. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of
the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.Contact us
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers Mobile view
1