New Zealand , according to the gazetteer maintained by Land Information New Zealand has "249 named waterfalls and 31 named rapids ". There are perhaps seven named "Bridal Veil", and 17 whose names include "Rere" meaning "to leap or descend". In the North Island only 18 of 130 have non-Māori names (including 5 clustered around Mount Taranaki ), but in the South Island only 15 of the 150 named waterfalls (or rapids) have retained their Māori name.[1]
There are disagreements on what constitutes a waterfall. For example, the Browne Falls is claimed by some to be a waterfall with a drop of 800 metres. Other sources describe it as a steep stream with numerous small cataracts.[2]
Wairēinga / Bridal Veil Falls Huka Falls Purakaunui Falls Sutherland Falls This is a list of notable waterfalls in New Zealand . Many of the highest waterfalls are in Fiordland .
More information Name, Height ...
Name
Height
Location
Ananui Falls 106 metres (348 ft) South Auckland
Āniwaniwa Falls 15 metres (49 ft) Hawke's Bay Region
Bowen Falls 162 metres (531 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Bridal Veil Falls 55 metres (180 ft) Waikato Region
Browne Falls 836 metres (2,743 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Chamberlain Falls 700 metres (2,300 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Fairy Falls 15 metres (49 ft) Auckland Region
Fantail Falls 23 metres (75 ft) Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
Grainger Falls Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Haruru Falls 6 metres (20 ft) Northland Region
Helena Falls 50 metres (160 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Huka Falls 11 metres (36 ft) Waikato River , Waikato Region
Humboldt Falls 275 metres (902 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Hunua Falls 30 metres (98 ft) Auckland Region
Karekare Falls 30 metres (98 ft) Auckland Region
Kitekite Falls 40 metres (130 ft) Auckland Region
Lady Alice Falls 200 metres (660 ft) - 280 metres (920 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Lake Unknown Falls 680 metres (2,230 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Madonna Falls 5 metres (16 ft) Waikato Region
Maraetotara Falls 16 metres (52 ft) Hawke's Bay Region
Marokopa Falls 35 metres (115 ft) Waikato Region
Maruia Falls West Coast Region
Mauku Falls 5 metres (16 ft) Auckland Region
McLean Falls 22 metres (72 ft) The Catlins , Otago Region
Mōkau Falls 37 metres (121 ft) Te Urewera National Park , Hawke's Bay Region
Mount Damper Falls 74 metres (243 ft) Taranaki Region
Okere Falls 5 metres (16 ft) Bay of Plenty Region
Omaru Falls 45 metres (148 ft) Waikato Region
Owharoa Falls 6 metres (20 ft) Waikato Region
Palisade Falls 55 metres (180 ft) Fiordland , Southland Region
Purakaunui Falls 20 metres (66 ft) The Catlins , Otago Region
Rainbow Falls (Waianiwaniwa) 27 metres (89 ft) Northland Region
Roaring Billy Falls 30 metres (98 ft) Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
School Creek Falls (Ross Creek Falls)20 metres (66 ft) Dunedin , Otago Region
Stirling Falls 151 metres (495 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Sutherland Falls 580 metres (1,900 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Tarawera Falls 35 metres (115 ft) Bay of Plenty Region
Te Rere I Oturu Falls 40 metres (130 ft) Kaimai Ranges , Bay of Plenty Region
Te Rere o Kapuni Taranaki Region
Terror Falls 740 metres (2,430 ft) Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Thunder Creek Falls 28 metres (92 ft) Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
Wainui Falls 20 metres (66 ft) Wainui Bay , Tasman Region
Wairere Falls 153 metres (502 ft) Kaimai Ranges , Waikato Region
Waitakere Falls 95 metres (312 ft) Auckland Region
Whangārei Falls 26 metres (85 ft) Northland Region
Close
Many of the highest New Zealand waterfalls are in Fiordland National Park in the Southland region of the South Island , and are geographically on the west coast; an area with very high rainfall. Several of the waterfalls empty into fiords off the Tasman Sea :
falls into Doubtful Sound - Chamberlain Falls , Helena Falls , Lady Alice Falls .
falls into Milford Sound - Bowen Falls , Stirling Falls .
Notes
Kirkpatrick, pp. 128 and 130.
Bibliography
Kirkpatrick, Russell (2011). Walks to Waterfalls: 100 New Zealand Waterfalls . Auckland: David Bateman. ISBN 978 1 86953 806 4
Cheng, Johnny T. (2006). A guide to New Zealand waterfalls (1st ed.). Artesia, CA: Story Nature. ISBN 9780976955191 
