Ōrongorongo River

The river and its associated catchments lie within the bounds of the Remutaka Forest Park, which is administered by the Department of Conservation.

Between these floods, the shingle islands are gradually colonised by various low growing plants, followed by a host of native shrubs such as tauhinu and mānuka, and eventually small trees.

Several Department of Conservation huts, some of them serviced, as well as basic private baches dot the Ōrongorongo Valley, mainly around the river's upper half.

Until the 1850s land transport between Wellington and Wairarapa used a route round the coast via the Ōrongorongo river mouth.

[6] In 2013 it became part of a Great Ride cycle route, linking Petone with the existing Remutaka Rail Trail and completing a loop via Ocean Beach and Ōrongorongo[7] on an 18 km (11 mi) farm track, via Turakirae Head.