Clarence, New Zealand

Clarence
Clarence
Coordinates: 42°9′19″S 173°55′42″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury
District	Kaikōura District

Clarence is a small town in Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. It was named after King William IV of the United Kingdom, who prior to his accession was Duke of Clarence.

It lies on State Highway 1, about 30 km (19 mi) north of Kaikōura, near the mouth of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River.

Surfing

Clarence has several surf breaks near the river mouth. Due to their difficulty, they are recommended for advanced to expert surfers.[1]

River rafting

River rafting trips on the Waiau Toa / Clarence River have been run commercially since 1998.[2]

2016 Kaikōura earthquake

Clarence and the surrounding area was significantly affected by the M7.8 2016 Kaikōura earthquake and cut off for some months from the rest of the South Island. The area was briefly evacuated following a slip upstream on the Waiau Toa / Clarence which caused a build up of water, threatening flash flooding in the town.[3][4][5]

References

1. "Clarence | Surf Seeker | NZ Surf Guide". surfseeker.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
2. "Clarence River Rafting makes most of post-earthquake changes to Clarence River". Stuff. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
3. "Earthquake turns Clarence road into cliff". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
4. "Clarence River: Slip causes breach after earthquake damage". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
5. "Quake shuts off Clarence Valley access, isolates farmers and residents". Stuff. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2020.

• Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.