The source of the Waitara River lies in the very steep hill country to the east of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, near Tahora. After proceeding in a southwesterly direction toward Central Taranaki, the river abruptly turns to flow in a northeasterly direction to the Tasman Sea: meeting it at the coastal town of Waitara.[1]
The river once had a dock in Waitara, where export meat from the town's Thos. Borthwick & Sons freezing-works was loaded onto ships. However this trade is now conducted from New Plymouth's Port Taranaki. The river is also prone to flooding, and there are stop banks (levees) to the west of the river (upstream from the bridge) and on both sides downstream.
The Waitara is the first mud-bottomed river to the north of Cape Egmont.
The historic Bertrand Road suspension bridge, (one of only a few such road bridges in New Zealand) is several kilometres from State Highway 3 (just up from the town).
In December 1860 during the First Taranaki War campaign of the New Zealand Wars, British forces under Major-General Pratt carried out sapping operations against a major Māori defensive line called Te Arei ("The barrier") on the west side of the Waitara River, which was barring the way to the historic hill pā of Pukewairangi. During this operation, Colour Serjeant John Lucas was awarded the Victoria Cross on 18 March 1861.