Aparima River

The Aparima River rises in the Takitimu Mountains of southern New Zealand and flows roughly 136 km | 84 mi southward through alpine bush and the broad Southland Plains before reaching the Jacobs River Estuary near Riverton and emptying into Foveaux Strait. One of the region’s defining waterways, it helped shape the fertile alluvial plains. Historically known as Jacob’s River after a Māori resident at the mouth whom European whalers called Jacob, the site became home to Captain John Howell’s whaling station in the 1830s, marking the start of Southland’s oldest permanent European settlement. For Māori, especially Ngāi Tahu, the river held deep significance as a mahinga kai rich in whitebait, eels and shellfish, and as a launch point for coastal voyages. Today it draws anglers with excellent brown trout in clear pools and braided reaches, seasonal whitebaiting, birdwatching along the banks and estuary, plus picnicking, camping and relaxed boating.