Panorama taken from the sand and mud flats of the Ngunguru river estuary exposed at low tide. The picture was taken on a rainy day with low cloud hanging over the Ngunguru Sandspit on the far side of the river.

Ngunguru River Estuary - Whangarei visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Ngunguru River Estuary' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Northland.

The Ngunguru River flows past Ngunguru before emptying into Nguguru Bay close to Whangarei in the Northland region of New Zealand. The Sandspit was the site of a large battle between the Māori Te Waiariki and other southern tribes in 1838. It is a fragile nature reserve and during very large storms, such as in 1838, 1917 and 1930, the sandspit can be topped by waves. During 1956 heavy rains caused the Ngunguru river to swell and flow across the southern end of the spit directly into the sea, turning the northern end into a temporary island. There is now guarantee that this may not happen again, especially if sea levels rise..

Ngunguru is about 25km east of Whangarei on the Ngunguru Road.