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Story: Marlborough region

Wairau River diversion, 1963

Wairau River diversion, 1963

Flood-control efforts in the Wairau River valley culminated with the opening of the Wairau diversion on 30 April 1963. The diversion established a course for the Wairau River which ran from State Highway 1 at Tuamarina directly across country to Cloudy Bay. The usual course of the river meandered for some kilometres south-east before reaching Cloudy Bay at Wairau Bar, and was unsuited to handling surges of water.

Using this item

Marlborough Historical Society, Marlborough Museum & Archives

Reference: 000.900.1003

by Norman Brayshaw

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Marlborough region – Climate, plants and animals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/31741/wairau-river-diversion-1963 (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 9 May 2011, updated 1 November 2016.

Comments

Ted Church
07 September 2020
I was wondering if there are any pictures of the construction of the Wairau Diversion as my father Laurie Church was plant overseaer at the time and in charge of the construction and the men on the Diversion job. I have his picture on the D8 at the time of opening of the cut.