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 The Clutha Mata-Au River is New Zealand's largest river, and one of the most unique rivers in the world. It carves 338kms from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, traversing the golden semi-desert heartland of Central Otago.
The extraordinary qualities of the Clutha Mata-Au place it among the great rivers of the world. It consistently ranks as one of the world's swiftest high volume rivers, and its clear turquoise-tinted waters - the result of glacial and snow-melt filtering by upland lakes, are a global rarety.
The river corridor environment also has the distinction of having a greater variety of species, confined to a single area, than any other river corridor in the world. This reflects the globally unique ecological values of Central Otago.
These qualities firmly establish the Clutha Mata-Au as one of the rarest rivers in the world.
The Clutha Mata-Au is famous for its spectacular riverscapes, unique conservation values, recreation, tourism, and its Maori, pioneer and gold-rush history. By many criteria it is a national treasure.
Unfortunately, the Clutha Mata-Au River is threatened by further major hydro dam development, and it is also being quickly degraded by subdivision developments, reduced recreational access, loss of farmland and open spaces, habitat damage, invasive species, ever-increasing water extraction, and so on. The many serious issues facing the Clutha Mata-Au River corridor need to be addressed collectively and consistently from Lake Wanaka to the Pacific Ocean.
The mission of the Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway project is to protect and improve the Clutha Mata-Au by establishing New Zealand's largest regional river park, including a river-length Clutha River Trail.
The river park and trail will bring significant long-term economic benefits to the river communities.
The Parkway Group is an umbrella organisation assisting local trail-focused community groups such as the Clutha Gold Trail Trust, and the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust. Our membership consists of river corridor stakeholders, and as such we can focus on the 'big picture.'
This site is for our many supporters, far and near, and for all the Clutha Mata-Au River towns and communities including Wanaka, Luggate, Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, Miller's Flat, Beaumont and Balclutha. We are working to create New Zealand's largest river park, and we welcome your support and involvement.
"When we save a river, we save a major part of an ecosystem, and we save ourselves as well because of our dependence - physical, economic, spiritual; on the water and its community of life."
~ Tim Palmer, Wild and Scenic Rivers |
