Murchison, New Zealand
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Murchison is a small town in the Tasman region of the South Island of New Zealand. It lies near the western end of the "Four Rivers Plain", at the confluence of the Buller River and the Matakitaki River. The two other rivers are the Maruia River, and the Matiri River.
It is a rural service town for the surrounding mixed farming district and lies on State Highway 6 approximately halfway between Westport and Nelson.
Recognised as the "Whitewater Capital" of New Zealand, its nearby rivers include the Gowan River, Mangles River, Matiri River, Glenroy River, Matakitaki River, Maruia River, and of course the Buller (with many excellent whitewater runs along its length). These rivers vary from Class 2 to 4 whitewater.
Each summer, Murchison is inundated with tourists in campervans heading down the spectacular west coast of the South Island, and whitewater paddlers, who often follow the tourists south in search of more challenging runs.