Lewis River (Canterbury)

The Lewis River is a river in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. The valley of this river forms the southeastern approach to Lewis Pass; the river is thus adjacent to State Highway 7. The Lewis River is a tributary of the Boyle River. The Nina River flows into the Lewis River a few kilometres upstream from the confluence with the Boyle River.[1] Land Information New Zealand lists the name of the river as "not official", i.e. the name is not confirmed by the New Zealand Geographic Board.[2] It was named for the surveyor Henry Lewis, who discovered[a] the pass in 1860 alongside his colleague Christopher Maling. Later in 1860, the river was named by Julius von Haast during his own expedition; von Haast became the brother-in-law of Lewis' daughter in 1866.[3]

Lewis River near Sylvia Flats hot pools (view north/upstream; the third peak visible in the range is called Norma)

See also edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Note that the route had long been known to Māori people, who used it to get access to greenstone.

References edit

  1. ^ "NZ Topo Map". Topomap.co.nz. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Place name detail: Lewis River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ Reed, A. W. (2010). Peter Dowling (ed.). Place Names of New Zealand. Rosedale, North Shore: Raupo. pp. 216f. ISBN 9780143204107.

42°29′S 172°23′E / 42.483°S 172.383°E / -42.483; 172.383