[1] Slightly less than 20 kilometres (12 mi) long, the Northland river is hardly a significant waterway, but because it terminates at one of the most important historic sites in the country, the Kerikeri Basin, adjacent to the Stone Store.

The ford replaced a bridge which crossed at that point for decades, but which needed to be demolished to protect Kerikeri's historic buildings in the basin.

Part of the history of the river is that it was used by chief Hongi Hika whose Kororipo Pa is about 100 metres (330 ft) across the basin from the ford.

Hongi used the river and tracks beside it to commute to Kororipo, his coastal pā, which played a significant part in the historic Musket Wars.

A popular walking track from the basin leads about five kilometres to the river’s spectacular Rainbow Falls.