The Rakaia River is typical of Canterbury’s braided rivers. Its separate strands weave their way through wide shingle beds. C. W. Adam noted in 1853 that all Canterbury’s rivers ‘run in innumerable channels varying in width from one to a hundred yards, and interlacing until they form a complete net-work of considerable width. They are continually changing their course, and being interspersed with shifting quicksands present great obstacles in the way of the traveller.’