The Southland Plains is a general name given to several areas of low-lying land in the South Island of New Zealand, separated by the rise of the Hokonui Hills in the north. It forms a sizeable area of Southland region and encompasses its two principal settlements the city of Invercargill and the town of Gore. The Southland Plains include some of New Zealand's most fertile farmland.
The Plains extend from the Waiau River in the west to the Mataura River which forms the border with the Otago region to the east. It can be divided into three broad areas: the Southland plain proper, the Waimea Plains and the lower Waiau plain to the west near the Waiau river. [1]
The Southland and Waimea Plains are separated by the uplands of the Hokonui Hills, which lie to the west of Gore. The Southland plain lies to the north of the city of Invercargill, and is formed by several large rivers, the Aparima, the Oreti, and the Makarewa. They stretch inland for over 45 kilometres from the coast of the Foveaux Strait, and cover an area of close to 1500 km2.
To the northeast of Invercargill, the Waimea Plains of the Mataura River and its tributary the Waimea River stretch inland as far as the town of Gore. At their southern extreme they become the Awarua Plain, a large area of marshy land which stretches from near Bluff to the foot of the Catlins in the far east. Between them, the lowlands around the Awarua Plain and Mataura River cover a further 2000 km2.
To the west lies the lower Waiau plain which is situated around the mouth of the Waiau River. This smaller region is wedged between the Longwood Range to the east and Fiordland to the west.
Gore is a town and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.
Mataura is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. Mataura has a meat processing plant, and until 2000 it was the site of a large pulp and paper mill.
The Catlins 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.
The Awarua Plain is a large area of wetland to the east of Bluff, New Zealand. Covering an area of around 600 km², the plain stretches for 35 kilometres along the coast of Foveaux Strait. This stretch of coast includes the peninsula of Tiwai Point, Awarua Bay, the Waituna Lagoon, and Toetoes Bay. The Mataura River is the major river responsible for the presence of the Awarua Plain; along with the Oreti River, it is a remnant of the rivers from the Ice Ages that formed the Southland Plains (Murihiku). In addition, several small streams enter Foveaux Strait along this stretch of coast, mainly via Awarua Bay and Waituna Lagoon.
Toetoes Bay is the easternmost of three large bays lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being Te Waewae Bay and Oreti Beach. The 240 km Mataura River drains to sea at Toetoes Bay, first passing through the Toetoes Harbour estuary. Thirty kilometres in length, the bay is the southern end of the Awarua Plain, an area of swampy land stretching inland for about fifteen kilometres. The eastern end of the bay is close to Slope Point, the South Island's southernmost point, and the western end of the Catlins.
The Hokonui Hills, also known as The Hokonui Mountains or simply The Hokonui, are a range of hills in central Southland, New Zealand. They rise to 600 metres above the surrounding Southland Plains, of which the hills mark a northern extremity.
The Waiau River is the largest river in the Southland region of New Zealand. 'Waiau' translates to 'River of Swirling Currents'. It is the outflow of Lake Te Anau, flowing from it into Lake Manapouri 10 kilometres (6 mi) to the south, and from there flows south for 70 kilometres (43 mi) before reaching the Foveaux Strait 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Tuatapere. It also takes water from Lake Monowai.
The Waimea Plains Railway was a secondary railway line that linked the towns of Lumsden and Gore in northern Southland, New Zealand. It skirted the Hokonui Hills, and operated as a through route between 31 July 1880 and 1 April 1971, with the short section from Lumsden to Balfour continuing as the Balfour Branch until 15 January 1978.
Balfour is a small town located in the Southland region of New Zealand.
The Southland Province was a province of New Zealand from March 1861, when it split from Otago Province, until 1870, when it rejoined Otago.
Dacre is a small town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the Southland Plains between Invercargill and Edendale on State Highway 1. In Dacre, SH 1 is met by State Highway 98, which runs west to Makarewa via Rakahouka. Nearby villages include Mabel Bush to the northwest and Woodlands to the southeast. Dacre is 25 km north east of Invercargill, the closest city. The Main South Line railway passes just to the south of Dacre. It is a dairy farming community, that currently has a community hall and a small engine garage.
Glencoe is a locality in the central Southland region of New Zealand's South Island. Named after Glen Coe in Scotland, it is situated in the Hokonui Hills on the route of State Highway 96 as it travels between Hedgehope and Waitane. The nearest town of significant size is Mataura to the east, while the city of Invercargill is to the southwest.
Waitane is a locality in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island in the foothills of the Hokonui Hills. It is located in a rural setting on State Highway 96 between Glencoe and Te Tipua. The nearest sizeable town is Mataura to the east, while the main city of Southland, Invercargill, is southwest.
Titiroa is a locality in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island. It is on the eastern bank of the lower Mataura River, inland from Toetoes Bay. Pine Bush is nearby to the northeast, and Waimahaka is to the southeast.
Gorge Road is a locality in the Southland region of New Zealand's South Island. It is on the Southern Scenic Route and is situated on the western bank of the Mataura River. Nearby settlements include Ashers to the west, and across the Mataura, Pine Bush and Titiroa to the east.
State Highway 6 is a major New Zealand state highway. It extends from the Marlborough region in the northeastern corner of the South Island across the top of the island, then down the length of the island, initially along the West Coast and then across the Southern Alps through inland Otago and finally across the Southland Plains to the island's south coast. Distances are measured from north to south.
State Highway 94 is a New Zealand state highway connecting the large Southland town of Gore with one of New Zealand's most popular destinations, Milford Sound. It also passes the significant townships of Lumsden and Te Anau as well going through the Homer Tunnel. The road also goes through Fiordland and crosses the Main Divide of the Southern Alps.
Southland 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.
Mataura Island is a farming community in Southland, New Zealand. It is located close to the east bank of the lower reaches of the Mataura River. Despite its name, it is no longer an island. Mataura Island is located some 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of the region's main city of Invercargill, and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of the town of Edendale, on the Awarua Plains and close to the western edge of The Catlins.
The Ensign is a regional newspaper based in Gore, New Zealand published on Wednesdays and Fridays by Allied Press Ltd. It was first published in 1878 as The Mataura Ensign and changed to its current name in 1973. The newspaper features coverage of local government, sports and recreation, arts and entertainment, education, farming and business news. It is currently distributed to approximately 12,000 homes over a circulation area that includes Gore and the surrounding area that stretches from Mandeville and Waikaka in the north to Mataura in the south.
Coordinates: 46°20′05″S168°12′37″E / 46.33472°S 168.21028°E