| Cardrona River Ōrau | |
|---|---|
 View of Cardrona Valley of the Cardrona River | |
 | |
| Native name | Ōrau (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Region |  Otago |
| Settlements | Wānaka,Cardrona |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Crown Range |
| Mouth | Clutha / Mata-au River |
• coordinates | 44°41′S169°12′E / 44.683°S 169.200°E /-44.683; 169.200 |
| Length | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | → Clutha River →Pacific Ocean |
TheCardrona River is inOtago in theSouth Island ofNew Zealand. It is one of the first tributaries of theClutha River / Mata-Au, which it meets only 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the latter's origin at the outflow ofLake Wānaka.
The Cardrona flows north for 40 kilometres (25 mi) down the steep narrow Cardrona Valley. Its headwaters are near New Zealand's highest main road, theCrown Range route.[1] The river runs past the settlement ofCardona and theCardrona skifield, then south ofWānaka township.
The original name of the river is theŌrau. It was a traditionalMāori route linking Whakatipu Waimāori (Lake Wakatipu) with lakes Wānaka andHāwea.Ngāi Tahu recorded Ōrau as a kāinga mahinga kai (food-gathering place) where tuna (eels), pora ('Māori turnip') and weka were gathered.[2]