Ōreti River / Oreti River

The Ōreti River, also known as the Oreti River, rises in the Thomson Mountains near the Mavora Lakes and flows roughly 200 km | 130 mi south across the fertile Southland Plains through towns such as Lumsden and Winton to the New River Estuary near Invercargill, where it reaches Foveaux Strait. Its clear upper reaches with gravel beds and the calmer tidal lower stretches create a varied landscape of mountain tussock and open farmland. For Māori it has long served as a key inland travel route, a valued place for mahinga kai and part of traditional trade paths. Today it draws visitors with excellent brown trout fishing, from challenging upper waters to accessible spots close to the city, along with swimming, rowing, walking and picnicking along its banks and at nearby Sandy Point Domain.