Gummies Bush is a farming locality in Southland, New Zealand, west of the Aparima River, north of Riverton, and south from

Otautau Otautau is a small farming, forestry and milling town located inland on the western edge of the Southland Plains of New Zealand on the banks of the Aparima River. Otautau is located approximately north west of Invercargill. The average elevatio ...

. It is said to be named after whaler and later pig-farmer James Leader, nicknamed "Gummie" because he had no teeth. Leader had a camp in the bush in this location. To Māori, the area was known as Opuaki. It was apparently named after a person, Puaki, a word which means "to come forth in position," or "to come forth in language – that is to utter.Maori Place-names of Otago'' Author 1944. p 60

References

{{coord, 46, 17, S, 168, 01, E, region:NZ_type:city, display=title Populated places in Southland, New Zealand