The Waitaki River boat ramp at State Highway 1 has had a long overdue upgrade, restoring safe access for anglers, jet boaters, and rescue crews who rely on this busy stretch of river.
Paul Dickson, a drainage engineer with Christchurch City Council who also supports regional councils in managing gravel rivers, brought welcome news to Waitaki River jet boat anglers last week. For several years the northern-side ramp beside the SH1 Waitaki Bridge has been unusable. Shifting river flows left the old launch point stranded, and the steep track down to the riverbed had deteriorated. Access was becoming near impossible in some conditions, and rescue operations were at risk of being delayed at the very time when speed matters most.
Recognising the need, the Waitaki Branch of Jet Boating NZ stepped in. With support from Environment Canterbury, Waimate District Council, and Rooney’s Earthmoving, the branch organised a project to rebuild the site and restore reliable launching options. Late last week a 20 tonne digger went to work deepening the boat ramp pond and widening the access channel so jet boats can reach the current more safely. Crews also improved the track through the trees that leads down to the river.
High flows of about 400 cumecs made the work challenging, and the team plans to return in the New Year to finalise the shaping once the river settles back to around 200 to 300 cumecs. The track from the ramp to the toilet block near the SH1 rest area has also been cleared, improving access on foot and by vehicle.
The Waitaki – a powerhouse fishery
The Waitaki is a powerhouse fishery, known for its annual salmon run and its strong brown and rainbow trout populations. It is one of New Zealand’s most heavily fished rivers, ranking sixth in the 2014 to 2015 National Angling Survey. The lower river, shaped by the construction of the Waitaki Dam in the 1930s, provides 65 kilometres of varied water for experienced anglers who enjoy both its rewards and its challenges.
Flow is the key to fishing the Waitaki well. Many anglers rely on the Kurow flow recorder on Environment Canterbury’s website to judge conditions:
- Under 300 cumecs: generally the best all round
- 300 to 350 cumecs: still very workable
- Over 400 cumecs: often too heavy in the lower river, with better options upstream around Kurow
Because flows change the riverbed quickly, safe access points are essential. A 2019 review recorded 35 angler access options along the river, outlined in the Waitaki angler access pamphlet. These range from simple walk-in tracks to sites where jet boats are the only practical way to reach deeper channels.
Jet boat access: where the SH1 ramp fits
The Waitaki is a popular jet boating river, and many anglers use boats to reach side channels and holding water that are hard to approach from shore. The only permanent public ramp on the river is at Kurow, on the island between the northern and southern braids. Jet boaters also frequently launch at Bells Ponds (Ross Road), Te Maiharoa Road, Duntroon, and several other spots when flows allow.
This is why the SH1 ramp upgrade is such a significant gain. It restores a dependable launching point near the lower river, opening access to reaches that have been difficult to fish for years. For boat-based anglers, particularly those targeting salmon or exploring the deeper braids during the right flows, the improved ramp reopens opportunities that many thought were lost.
Most of the ramp upgrade has been funded by the Waitaki Branch of Jet Boating NZ, which will also manage ongoing maintenance. In recognition of Gary Rooney’s considerable support, both current and future, the site will officially be known as Rooneys Ramp.
