The Cust River is a river in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. It flows east across the upper Canterbury Plains from its source north of the town of Oxford, New Zealand, flowing into the Cam River / Ruataniwha close to the town of Rangiora. The small town of Cust lies on the banks of the river.[1] The lower part of the river, to the south-west of Rangiora, is diverted into a channel and called the "Main Drain".[2] The channel was built in 1862 to drain the swampy land between Rangiora and the Waimakariri River, and when it was enlarged in 1868 it accidentally captured the Cust.[3]

Cust River
Location
CountryNew Zealand
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationCanterbury Plains
Mouth 
 • location
Cam River / Ruataniwha
 • coordinates
43°22′26″S 172°38′04″E / 43.37375°S 172.63433°E / -43.37375; 172.63433
Length51 km (32 mi)

The river was named in 1849 after Sir Edward Cust, a member of the Canterbury Association.[4][5]

Brown trout spawn in the river[6] and are suitable for fishing in spring.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. Maps 81–82. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  2. ^ Discover New Zealand:A Wises Guide (9th ed.). 1994. pp. 373, 394.
  3. ^ "The Waimakariri River". Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Cust, New Zealand". Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  5. ^ Reed, A. W. (2010). Peter Dowling (ed.). Place Names of New Zealand. Rosedale, North Shore: Raupo. p. 94. ISBN 9780143204107.
  6. ^ "Central Plains Water Proposal: Concerns of the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council" (PDF). p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  7. ^ "Fishing Close to Christchurch". Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2009.