About River Notes Aotearoa

River Notes Aotearoa is an independent guide to New Zealand rivers and the outdoors. The notes are written by a small group of editors who tramp, paddle and spend a lot of time beside rivers. We write for people who do the same: trampers planning a trip with unbridged crossings, new paddlers, families at the swimming hole, and anyone curious about what lives in the water.

What we cover

• Rivers: how rivers are protected, and how to read flow and rain data before a trip.
• Safety & skills: crossings, paddling and the habits that bring people home.
• Freshwater life: whio, native fish and the care a river needs from the people who use it.

How we check things

Every figure in a note comes from a source linked in that note, usually a government agency, a council, a research body or a national safety organisation. We check that each link still works when a note is published. Rivers, rules and track conditions change, so treat any note as background reading and check current conditions with the agency responsible before you go.

What this site is not

This site is independent. It is not a club, an agency or a campaign, and it does not take sides on current consents, schemes or political questions. It is not connected with any earlier site that used this address; see about this address. We run no tracking scripts, no forms and no comment sections.