New Zealand , according to the gazetteer maintained by Land Information New Zealand has "249 named waterfalls and 31 named rapids ". There are perhaps seven named "Bridal Veil", and 17 whose names include "Rere" meaning "to leap or descend". In the North Island only 18 of 130 have non-Māori names (including 5 clustered around Mount Taranaki ), but in the South Island only 15 of the 150 named waterfalls (or rapids) have retained their Māori name.[ 1]
There are disagreements on what constitutes a waterfall. For example, the Browne Falls is claimed by some to be a waterfall with a drop of 800 metres. Other sources describe it as a steep stream with numerous small cataracts.[ 2]
Wairēinga / Bridal Veil Falls Huka Falls Purakaunui Falls Sutherland Falls This is a list of notable waterfalls in New Zealand . Many of the highest waterfalls are in Fiordland .
Name
Height
Location
Ananui Falls
106 metres (348 ft)
South Auckland
Āniwaniwa Falls
15 metres (49 ft)
Hawke's Bay Region
Bowen Falls
162 metres (531 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Bridal Veil Falls
55 metres (180 ft)
Waikato Region
Browne Falls
836 metres (2,743 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Chamberlain Falls
700 metres (2,300 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Fairy Falls
15 metres (49 ft)
Auckland Region
Fantail Falls
23 metres (75 ft)
Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
Grainger Falls
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Haruru Falls
6 metres (20 ft)
Northland Region
Helena Falls
50 metres (160 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Huka Falls
11 metres (36 ft)
Waikato River , Waikato Region
Humboldt Falls
275 metres (902 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Hunua Falls
30 metres (98 ft)
Auckland Region
Karekare Falls
30 metres (98 ft)
Auckland Region
Kitekite Falls
40 metres (130 ft)
Auckland Region
Lady Alice Falls
200 metres (660 ft) - 280 metres (920 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Lake Unknown Falls
680 metres (2,230 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Madonna Falls
5 metres (16 ft)
Waikato Region
Maraetotara Falls
16 metres (52 ft)
Hawke's Bay Region
Marokopa Falls
35 metres (115 ft)
Waikato Region
Maruia Falls
West Coast Region
Mauku Falls
5 metres (16 ft)
Auckland Region
McLean Falls
22 metres (72 ft)
The Catlins , Otago Region
Mōkau Falls
37 metres (121 ft)
Te Urewera National Park , Hawke's Bay Region
Mount Damper Falls
74 metres (243 ft)
Taranaki Region
Okere Falls
5 metres (16 ft)
Bay of Plenty Region
Omaru Falls
45 metres (148 ft)
Waikato Region
Owharoa Falls
6 metres (20 ft)
Waikato Region
Palisade Falls
55 metres (180 ft)
Fiordland , Southland Region
Purakaunui Falls
20 metres (66 ft)
The Catlins , Otago Region
Rainbow Falls (Waianiwaniwa)
27 metres (89 ft)
Northland Region
Roaring Billy Falls
30 metres (98 ft)
Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
School Creek Falls (Ross Creek Falls)
20 metres (66 ft)
Dunedin , Otago Region
Stirling Falls
151 metres (495 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Sutherland Falls
580 metres (1,900 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Tarawera Falls
35 metres (115 ft)
Bay of Plenty Region
Te Rere I Oturu Falls
40 metres (130 ft)
Kaimai Ranges , Bay of Plenty Region
Te Rere o Kapuni
Taranaki Region
Terror Falls
740 metres (2,430 ft)
Fiordland National Park , Southland Region
Thunder Creek Falls
28 metres (92 ft)
Mount Aspiring National Park , West Coast Region
Wainui Falls
20 metres (66 ft)
Wainui Bay , Tasman Region
Wairere Falls
153 metres (502 ft)
Kaimai Ranges , Waikato Region
Waitakere Falls
95 metres (312 ft)
Auckland Region
Whangārei Falls
26 metres (85 ft)
Northland Region
^ Kirkpatrick, p. 114.
^ Kirkpatrick, pp. 128 and 130.
Kirkpatrick, Russell (2011). Walks to Waterfalls: 100 New Zealand Waterfalls . Auckland: David Bateman. ISBN 978 1 86953 806 4
Cheng, Johnny T. (2006). A guide to New Zealand waterfalls (1st ed.). Artesia, CA: Story Nature. ISBN 9780976955191 
