Acheron River (Canterbury)

The Acheron River is a river in Canterbury, New Zealand, that flows from Lake Lyndon south into the Rakaia River.[1]

Acheron River
Map
Route of the Acheron River
Acheron River (Canterbury) is located in New Zealand
Acheron River (Canterbury)
Mouth of the Acheron River
Acheron River (Canterbury) is located in South Island
Acheron River (Canterbury)
Acheron River (Canterbury) (South Island)
Native nameKairaumati (Māori)
Location
CountryNew Zealand
regionCanterbury Region
DistrictSelwyn District
Physical characteristics
SourceLake Lyndon
 • coordinates43°18′48″S 171°41′23″E / 43.31333°S 171.68972°E / -43.31333; 171.68972
 • elevation830 m (2,720 ft)
MouthRakaia River
 • coordinates
43°23′58″S 171°34′20″E / 43.39944°S 171.57222°E / -43.39944; 171.57222
 • elevation
330 m (1,080 ft)
Length19.8 kilometres (12.3 mi)
Basin features
ProgressionLake LyndonAcheron RiverRakaia River
River systemRakaia River

Small deposits of coal are found near the river. In the 1870s, a proposal existed to extend the Whitecliffs Branch, a branch line railway, through the Rakaia Gorge to the Acheron River to access these coal deposits. An1880 Royal Commission on New Zealand's railway network was in favour of this extension, but it never came to fruition.[2]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Place name detail: Acheron River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  2. ^ David Leitch and Bob Scott, Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways, rev. ed. (Wellington: Grantham House, 1998), pg. 71.