The Maitai River is the largest river in the city of Nelson, in the north of New Zealand's South Island. The river stretches from the Bryant Range, situated to the east (inland) of Nelson, where it flows towards the city, flowing west through the heart of the city and into the Tasman bay at Nelson Haven. The catchment of the river covers some 9000 hectares, and has two branches in the upper catchment, the north meets a dam, where the south travels west into the middle catchment, from where it takes its final journey through the urban area of the city before meeting the ocean.