Maruia River

The Maruia River is located in the northwestern South Island of New Zealand. It is a major tributary of the Buller River, flowing for 80 km before joining the larger river eight kilometres to the west of Murchison.

The Maruia River rises in the Spenser Mountains, travelling first to the southwest before turning north for the last 50 km of its length. In its upper reaches, the river's valley forms the western approach to the Lewis Pass, the northernmost of the three main mountain passes across the Southern Alps. Hot springs are to be found close to the river in its upper reaches, and the spa of Maruia Springs is located five kilometres to the west of the Lewis Pass, 50 km southeast of Reefton.

3 km east of Springs Junction, the Maruia River flows through the deep and narrow Sluice Box gorge. The river cuts through a band of marble amongst the otherwise predominant greywacke. The Sluice Box, at the junction with the Alfred River, separates the upper and middle section of the Maruia Valley. The area offers a Department of Conservation campsite and is the start of the Lake Daniell Track.

Maruia

Maruia is a locality in the West Coast region of New Zealand. The Shenandoah Highway (State Highway 65) passes through it. Murchison is 65 km north, the Lewis Pass is 39 km to the south-east, and Reefton is 63 km west by road. The Maruia River flows past to the west.

The population of Maruia and its surrounds was 174 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 12 from 2001.

The principal activity is dairy farming. The community celebrated 100 years of settlement in the Maruia Valley in 2005. The Maruia Valley inspired the environmental lobby group, the Maruia Society (later changing its name to the Ecologic Foundation) and the Maruia Mail Order Catalogue, organised by the New Zealand Nature Company.

Education

Maruia School, a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 9 and a roll of 14, dates from 1926.

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