Orari RiverThe Orari River is a river of the south Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It rises to the northwest of the , initially flowing north then east to circumnavigate the range before flowing southeast across the Canterbury Plains. It reaches the Pacific Ocean 8 kilometres (5 mi) east of Temuka. The towns of Geraldine and Orari are both close to its banks.State Highway 79 (New Zealand)State Highway 79 (SH 79) is a New Zealand state highway connecting the South Canterbury communities of Rangitata, Geraldine, and Fairlie. Starting at State Highway 1 the highway is 61 kilometres in length and runs in a general east–west direction. 6.3 km of the highway through Geraldine runs concurrently with the Inland Scenic Route (), formerly State Highway 72. The road is a two-lane single carriageway, with a one-lane bridge crossing the Orari River.
TimaruTimaru (English: ; Māori: Te Tihi-o-Maru) is a port city in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand, 157 km (98 mi) southwest of Christchurch and about 196 km (122 mi) northeast of Dunedin, on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island. The urban area's population of 29,300 people is the largest in South Canterbury, and the third-largest in the Canterbury Region overall, after Christchurch and Rolleston.
Fairlie, New ZealandFairlie is a Mackenzie District service town (or township) located in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. The estimated population was 970 as of June 2025. Being on state highway 8 between Christchurch (182 km, 2 hours 20 minutes drive) and Queenstown (300 km 3.5 hours drive), tourism is fast becoming a major industry within the town. Kimbell is 8 km west of Fairlie via state highway 8.
Canterbury RegionCanterbury (Māori: Waitaha) is a region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of 44,503.88 square kilometres (17,183.04 sq mi), making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of 698,200 (June 2025). The region in its current form was established in 1989 during nationwide local government reforms.
Māori peopleIndigenous Polynesian people of New ZealandEthnic groupMāori are the indigenousPolynesian people of mainland New Zealand. Māori are descended from East Polynesian settlers who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. Over several centuries in isolation, these settlers developed a distinct culture, whose language, mythology, crafts, and performing arts evolved independently from those of other eastern Polynesian cultures.
Podocarpus totaraPodocarpus totara (), the tōtara, is a species of coniferous tree in the family Podocarpaceae, endemic to New Zealand. Found across New Zealand, the tree can grow up to a height of 35 m (115 ft), and is known for its longevity. The wood of tōtara is rot-resistant, and prized in Māori culture, and was often used as a material to create large-scale waka.
South IslandOne of the two main New Zealand islandsThe South Island (official alternative name Te Waipounamu, from Māori) is the larger of the two main islands of New Zealand by surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. With a population of 1,256,700 as of June 2025, the South Island is home to 24% of New Zealand's 5.3 million inhabitants. The most populous cities are Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson and Invercargill.Hae Hae Te Moana RiverThe Hae Hae Te Moana River is a river in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. It originates in the Four Peaks Range of the Southern Alps, with a North Branch and South Branch merging to the north of Pleasant Valley. The river runs south-east to join the Waihī River near Winchester. The combined river is called the Temuka River, which flows past Temuka to join the Ōpihi River shortly before it runs into the Canterbury Bight.
ChristchurchChristchurch ( ; Māori: Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of 407,800, and a metropolitan population of 556,500. It is located in the Canterbury Region, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains.
TownType of human settlementLeft to right, from top:Ipswich in England, Porvoo in Finland, Lemgo in Germany, Davos in Switzerland, Skalica in Slovakia, Ubud in Bali (Indonesia), Fátima in Portugal, Viljandi in Estonia.A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
Māori languagePolynesian language spoken in New ZealandMāori (Māori:; endonym: te reo Māori, 'the Māori language', also shortened to te reo) is an Eastern Polynesian language and the language of the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. The southernmost member of the Austronesian language family, it is related to Cook Islands Māori, Moriori, Tuamotuan, and Tahitian.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.