Water of Leith (New Zealand)

Water Of Leith (New Zealand)

The Water of Leith (also known as the Leith River or Leith Stream), is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.

It rises to the north of the city of Dunedin, flowing for 14 kilometres southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour. The name of the city of Dunedin is the anglicised form of Dùn Èideann which is the Scottish Gaelic form of the name Edinburgh, and thus the river is also named for the Water of Leith which runs through the Scottish capital. The original Māori name for the stream was Owheo ("The place of Wheo"), Wheo being the name of a local chief whose village stood close to its mouth. This name is now rarely used.