W
NW
N
N
NE
W
the Degree Confluence Project
E
SW
S
S
SE
E

New Zealand : North Island

2.8 km (1.7 miles) E of Umutoi, Manawatu-Wanganui, N. Island, NZ
Approx. altitude: 595 m (1952 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 40°N 4°W

Accuracy: 3 m (9 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: View West (up the steep hillside) #3: View North #4: View East (along Horopito Stream towards the Ruahine Range) #5: The confluence point lies on a steep, grassy slope #6: All zeros!

  { Main | Search | Countries | Information | Member Page | Random }

  40°S 176°E (visit #4)  

#1: View South

(visited by Ross Finlayson)

19-Dec-2015 -- In recent years I’ve spent a few months - during each Southern Hemisphere Summer - in my home country of New Zealand. This year, I decided to make a road trip - from my ‘home base’ in Auckland, to the town of Wanganui, in the south-west of New Zealand’s North Island. I spent one day of this trip visiting the nearby 40S 176E Degree Confluence Point, which was last visited more than 12 years ago, in July 2003.

From Wanganui, I drove through the town of Feilding, then turned northwards through the beautiful Pohangina Valley. (Along the way, I saw several signs pointing to interesting-looking hiking trails. Perhaps I’ll check out some of these in a future visit, but today, I was focused on the Degree Confluence Point.)

Two of the previous visitors to this point - Bob Jordan in December 2000, and Joseph Kerski/Ann Olsen in July 2003 - had started hiking from north of Horopito Stream, and consequently had a difficult time negotiating the steep gully. Since that time, however, online satellite imagery has improved, and it clearly shows the confluence point to be south of Horopito Stream. Therefore, I made sure to start my hike from south of the stream/gully.

I parked on Umutoi North Road at 39.99775°S 175.98877°E - about 1 km west of the point. From there, it was an easy hike along farm paths almost the entire way to the point. Notice, however, that I said “almost the entire way”. When I got to 28 m from the point, I found myself at the edge of a very steep hillside - almost a cliff. Taking a short detour to the south, however, I was able to find a way down the hillside, to reach the Degree Confluence Point, which lies on the north-east-facing hillside - i.e., looking towards Horopito Stream and the Ruahine Range from the south-west.


 All pictures
#1: View South
#2: View West (up the steep hillside)
#3: View North
#4: View East (along Horopito Stream towards the Ruahine Range)
#5: The confluence point lies on a steep, grassy slope
#6: All zeros!
ALL: All pictures on one page