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Kaitorete Spit

New Zealand / Canterbury / Taitapu /
 spit/sandspit, rocket launch complex
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Kaitorete Spit is a long finger of land which extends along the coast of Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs southwest from Banks Peninsula for 25 kilometres, and separates the shallow Lake Ellesmere from the Canterbury Bight and Pacific Ocean.

This long sandy spit that separates Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) from the sea was once an important thoroughfare for Māori travelling from Horomaka (Banks Peninsula) to settlements such as Kaiapoi and Kaikōura.

Kaitōrete provided ease of travel when compared to the swampy route inland around the edges of Te Waihora.

The remains of many ovens and middens along Kaitōrete’s length are an indication of the great numbers of people who travelled this ancient highway which extends for nearly 30 kilometres down Te Wai Pounamu’s eastern coast.

Kaitōrete is flanked by Taumutu at its southern end and the site of Waikākahi pā in the north.

It remains an important mahinga kai for foods such as birds' eggs and tuna and is an important source of weaving materials such as pīngao.

The area is steeped in the histories of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe and Waitaha.

It has been used by a number of groups including NASA to launchg rockets and satellites. A new Zealand company has plans to build a permanent satellite launch facility here
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaitorete_Spit
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   43°49'27"S   172°32'37"E

Comments

  • kencummings
    A Tsunami of government and non-government bodies have gotten in the way so the private launch company has built a facility far to the North. They do small and tiny satellites and expect their first launch in August of 2017
This article was last modified 10 years ago