Pohangina River at Totara Reserve

Nestled in the Pohangina Valley lays Totara Reserve Regional Park; a treasure of the Horizons Region. Covering 340 ha of bush, the Reserve offers a wide range of attractions to the day visitor, including a coveted swimming spot.

Amenities on site include toilets, showers, drinking water, BBQs, a 'back to roots' adventure playground, and also powered and unpowered tent sites.

If you are coming from Palmerston North, once you reach Totara Reserve, keep travelling north until you get to the Highland Christian Camp and veer off to the left.

The camp grounds are open to stay during the summer months, opening on Labour Weekend every year through until the end of April. 

What is Horizons doing to improve the River?
Rivers have a range of things that need to be balanced to keep the water clean so its fish and plant life can survive and we can enjoy these special spots.

Horizons works to improve water quality by:

• Helping to fence off rivers and streams so stock do not get into water and contaminate it
• Helping rural land users to stop soil eroding from hills and into water
• Ensuring waste that has to go into water is properly treated to meet water quality standards
• Monitoring water that is taken out of the river so there is enough for everyone, including the fish

Manawatu River Leaders' Accord
Industry, councils, iwi and environmentalists have made a promise to look after all the rivers in the Manawatu Catchment. It is called the Manawatu River Leaders' Accord and more information can be found here.