Hawarden is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located near Waikari, just off State Highway 7. From 15 December 1884 until 15 January 1978, the town was served by the Waiau Branch, a branch line railway that at one stage was planned to become the Main North Line to Nelson and Blenheim. The Weka Pass Railway restoration project once had plans to retain the line through Hawarden, but later chose to terminate their line in Waikari.