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Catlins
The Catlins (sometimes referred to as The Catlins Coast) comprises an area in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The area lies between Balclutha and Invercargill, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southland regions. It includes the South Island's southernmost point, Slope Point. A rugged, sparsely populated area, the Catlins features a scenic coastal landscape and dense temperate rainforest, both of which harbour many endangered species of birds, most notably the rare yellow-eyed penguin. The coast attracts numerous marine mammals, among them New Zealand fur seals and Hooker's sea lions. In general terms the area enjoys a maritime temperate climate. Its exposed location leads to its frequently wild weather and heavy ocean swells, which are an attraction to big-wave surfers, and have also caused numerous shipwrecks. People have lived in the area since around 1350 AD. Prior to European settlement, the region was sparsely inhabited by nomadi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Owaka
Owaka is a small town in the Clutha District of South Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest community in the rugged, forested Catlins area, close to the border with Southland, some south of Balclutha on the Southern Scenic Route. Geography Owaka lies to the north of Catlins Lake, an estuarial widening in the Catlins River which is largely mudflats at low tide. The mouth of the river, shared with the smaller Owaka River, lies to the southeast of the town. The smaller settlement and holiday location of Pounawea is from Owaka on the estuary of the Catlins and Owaka rivers. The town lies on a river flat surrounded by hills - it is overlooked by the Mount Misery, which lies immediately to the town's east. History The town's name comes from the Māori for "the place of canoes", a reference to the town's location close to the Ōwaka River, which joins the Catlins River three kilometres (2 miles) from the town, close to the coast. The town was origina ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yellow-eyed Penguin
The yellow-eyed penguin (''Megadyptes antipodes''), known also as hoiho or tarakaka, is a species of penguin endemic to New Zealand. Previously thought closely related to the little penguin (''Eudyptula minor''), molecular research has shown it more closely related to penguins of the genus ''Eudyptes''. Like most other penguins, it is mainly piscivorous. The species breeds along the eastern and south-eastern coastlines of the South Island of New Zealand, as well as Stewart Island, Auckland Islands, and Campbell Islands. Colonies on the Otago Peninsula are a popular tourist venue, where visitors may closely observe penguins from hides, trenches, or tunnels. On the New Zealand mainland, the species has experienced a significant decline over the past 20 years. On the Otago Peninsula, numbers have dropped by 75% since the mid-1990s and population trends indicate the possibility of local extinction in the next 20 to 40 years. While the effect of rising ocean temperatures is stil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaka Point
Kaka Point is a small town at the northern edge of The Catlins, an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand. It is located 14 km south of Balclutha and 8 km north of the headland of Nugget Point. It has a seasonally fluctuating population, and there are numerous cribs (holiday homes) at the settlement. The settlement's best known resident was Māori poet Hone Tūwhare, who lived in Kaka Point for many years until his death in 2008. Kaka Point is named for the kākā bird, whose signature call is "ka-aa." There is a restaurant, a motel, bed and breakfasts and camping grounds. Demographics Kaka Point is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers , and is part of the much larger Catlins statistical area. Kaka Point had a population of 231 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (4.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 30 people (14.9%) since the 2006 census 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and prec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clutha District
Clutha District is a local government district of southern New Zealand, with its headquarters in the Otago town of Balclutha. The Clutha District has a land area of and an estimated population of as of . Clutha District occupies the majority of the geographical area known as South Otago. Geography The geography of the Clutha District is dominated by the valley of the Clutha River, which flows southeast from the lakes of Central Otago, bisecting the Clutha District and reaching the Pacific Ocean via two river mouths, one of which is not far from Kaitangata, the other is closer to Kaka Point. The two branches of the river (the Matau and the Kouau) form the island of Inch Clutha. To the south of this is the rough bush country of the Catlins, with its forests and rugged coastline. To the north of the Clutha valley is mainly rolling hill country, with the plain of the Tokomairaro River to the northeast, along with Lake Waihola and Lake Waipori, which are part of the catchment of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fortrose, New Zealand
Fortrose is a locality on the southernmost coast of the South Island of New Zealand in the Southland region. It is situated on Toetoes Bay at the mouth of the Mataura River, and is on the far western edge of the Catlins. Nearby settlements include Otara to the southeast, Pukewao and Tokanui to the northeast, and Titiroa and Waimahaka to the north. History From 1834 to 1836, whalers lived at a station in the Fortrose area, and the first surveys for a town - slightly to the west of Fortrose's present location - gave it the name of Russelltown. In the mid-19th century, Fortrose acquired its current name, a tribute to Fortrose in Scotland, from a Scottish drover. Its location at the Mataura's mouth meant it developed as a port to service the local region, and in 1875, a long jetty was built. However, Fortrose's economy declined after the Tokanui Branch railway was opened to Waimahaka in 1899 and then Tokanui in 1911, as the railway provided much quicker transportation f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waikawa, Southland
Waikawa is a small settlement at the mouth of the Waikawa River in Southland, New Zealand, at the southwestern edge of The Catlins. The township is now a small fishing settlement, but at one time in the late 19th century was a major port, shipping timber from the sawmills of the Catlins north to help build the new town of Dunedin. Originally a small Maori community, the first European settlers to the area set up sawmills in the late 1830s. Unfortunately for Waikawa, the port facilities were prone to silting, and the nearby township of Fortrose became the more prominent port. It too fell prey to the arrival of the Tokanui Branch railway, and to a lesser extent the Catlins River Branch, in the late 1890s. Today Waikawa hosts a museum, community centre, a popular fish and chip wagon and numerous accommodations and holiday homes because of its close proximity to Curio Bay and Porpoise Bay. Parts of Catlins Conservation Park are located nearby. ThWaikawa Museum and Informati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southland, New Zealand
Southland ( mi, Murihiku) is New Zealand's southernmost region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura. It includes Southland District, Gore District and the city of Invercargill. The region covers over 3.1 million hectares and spans over 3,400 km of coast. History The earliest inhabitants of Murihiku (meaning "the last joint of the tail") were Māori of the Waitaha iwi, followed later by Kāti Māmoe and Kāi Tahu. Waitaha sailed on the Uruao waka, whose captain Rakaihautū named sites and carved out lakes throughout the area. The Takitimu Mountains were formed by the overturned Kāi Tahu waka Tākitimu. Descendants created networks of customary food gathering sites, travelling seasonally as needed, to support permanent and semi-permanent settlements in coastal and inland regions. In later years, the coastline was a scene of early extended contact between Māori and Europeans, in this case sealers, whalers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Invercargill
Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains to the east of the Ōreti or New River some north of Bluff, which is the southernmost town in the South Island. It sits amid rich farmland that is bordered by large areas of conservation land and marine reserves, including Fiordland National Park covering the south-west corner of the South Island and the Catlins coastal region. Many streets in the city, especially in the centre and main shopping district, are named after rivers in Scotland. These include the main streets Dee and Tay, as well as those named after the Tweed, Forth, Tyne, Esk, Don, Ness, Yarrow, Spey, Eye and Ythan rivers, amongst others. The 2018 census showed the population was 54,204, up 2.7% on the 2006 census number and up 4.8% on the 2013 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balclutha, New Zealand
Balclutha ( mi, Iwikatea) is a town in South Otago, lying towards the end of the Clutha River, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about halfway between Dunedin and Gore on the Main South Line railway, State Highway 1 and the Southern Scenic Route. Balclutha has a population of (as of ), and is the largest town in South Otago. The Clutha District Council is based in Balclutha. The major service centre for the fertile farming region around the lower reaches of the Clutha River, it is also the nearest large town to the Catlins, a scenic region of native forest, wildlife, and rugged coastline. History Known locally as "Clutha", Balclutha's name – and that of the river on which it stands – reflects the Scottish origin of the town's settlement. The name comes from Scottish Gaelic and would be spelt Baile Chluaidh in that language; this translates into English as "Town on the Clyde". James McNeil from Bonn Hill, Dumbartonshire, Scotland, who is re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slope Point
Slope Point is the southernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand. Slope Point lies just south of the small settlements of Waikawa and Haldane, near the southwestern edge of the Catlins and Toetoes Bay and 71 km (40 mi) east of Invercargill. The land around Slope Point is used for sheep farming with no houses anywhere nearby. Eroded cliffs drop down to the sea below. An AA signpost there shows the distance to the Equator and the South Pole, and a small solar-powered lighthouse stands on farmland. There is no road to Slope Point; it can be reached by a 20-minute walk following dilapidated yellow markers. Its latitude, longitude is approximately 46.67 S, 169.00 E. There is no public access during the lambing season (September – November). See also {{commons category *Jacquemart Island Jacquemart Island, one of the islets surrounding Campbell Island in New Zealand, lies south of Campbell Island and is the southernmost island of New Zealand. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government region. Its population was The name "Otago" is the local southern Māori dialect pronunciation of "Ōtākou", the name of the Māori village near the entrance to Otago Harbour. The exact meaning of the term is disputed, with common translations being "isolated village" and "place of red earth", the latter referring to the reddish-ochre clay which is common in the area around Dunedin. "Otago" is also the old name of the European settlement on the harbour, established by the Weller Brothers in 1831, which lies close to Otakou. The upper harbour later became the focus of the Otago Association, an offshoot of the Free Church of Scotland, notable for its adoption of the principle that ordinary people, not the landowner, should choose the ministe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Papatowai
Papatowai is a small settlement in the Catlins ward of the Clutha District of the southeastern South Island of New Zealand. The settlement is situated half-way between the cities of Dunedin and Invercargill, on the Pacific coast close to the mouth of the Tahakopa River. There is a permanent population of around 40 people but with most of the houses in the town being holiday homes (locally known as "cribs") the population rises dramatically during the holiday seasons, particularly around New Year's Day and Easter. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of " tōwai tree flat" for . Papatowai is surrounded by native podocarp forest and there are numerous walks in the area to waterfalls, and sand beaches in addition to bushwalks. There is also a walk to an archaeological site where it is possible to see middens left by early Māori inhabitants of the area. In the past, the bones of moa have also been found here. In addition to its outstanding uns ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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