Tututawa - Geography

Geography

The valley is entered from the north via the Tututawa Saddle and Mangaotuku Road, which follows the meandering Mangaotuku Stream. At Tututawa the Tututawa Stream feeds into the Mangaotuku Stream, and the Mangaotuku meets the Mangaehu Stream. Similarly Tututawa Road, which runs along the Tututawa Stream valley, meets Mangaotuku Road, and Mangaotuku Road meets Mangaehu Road. The valley is surrounded by four high peaks; the Mangaotuku trig (365 m alt.) to the west, Popuanui (443m) to the east, Tututawa (451m) to the south-east and Waitiri (490m) to the south.

A bridge crosses the Mangaehu Stream to the south, and the road stretches across a small open plain to the intersection of Mangaotuku, Mangaehu and Soldiers Roads.

Mangaehu Road follows the valley floor of the upper Mangaehu Stream to the east to Puniwhakau, Makahu and Aotuhia, completing a loop to Strathmore and State Highway 43 via Brewer Road. The Tewheniwheni Stream feeds into the Mangaehu Stream east of the Tututawa trig, while the Pipi Stream runs northwards to the Mangaehu from the Waitiri trig.

Soldiers Road follows the Mangaehu Stream approx. 5 km to the west where it forks into two tributaries; Tauwharenikau Road and Perry Road. Tauwharenikau Road follows the stream of the same name south-east towards the Waitiri trig.