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Longwood Range
The Longwood Range is a range of hills to the west of the Southland Plains, Southland, New Zealand. From the 1860s until the 1950s gold mining was prevalent in the Longwood Ranges. There are many small towns and localities situated around the periphery of these hills: clockwise from the south-east, these include Riverton, Pourakino Valley, Colac Bay, Pahia, Orepuki, Tuatapere, 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 elev ... and Thornbury. The highest point of the range is Bald Hill, west of Otautau, and is used for a cellphone tower. References Hills of New Zealand Landforms of Southland, New Zealand Geography of Southland, New Zealand {{Southland-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southland Plains
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. Geography 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. 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 Ōreti, and the Makarewa. They stretch inland for over 45 kilometres from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southland Region
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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the List of island countries, sixth-largest island country by area, covering . New Zealand is about east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's Capital of New Zealand, capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. The islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable land to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight and record New Zealand. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Riverton, New Zealand
Riverton / Aparima is a small town west of Invercargill and located on the south-eastern shorelines of the Jacobs River Estuary. This is formed by the Aparima and Pourakino rivers, leading through a narrow outflow channel into Foveaux Strait. Accessible via on the Southern Scenic Route, the main part of the town is on flat land (the Southland Plains) and the northern end of Oreti Beach. South Riverton is built on the hills (the Longwood Range) between the eastern shore of the estuary and Taramea Bay.McLintock, A. H. ''An Encyclopedia of New Zealand Volume 3'' Riverton is the oldest permanent settlement of Southland and one of New Zealand's oldest towns. In 2011 Riverton residents celebrated the town's 175th anniversary. The main industry is fishing. Farming (especially dairying) has become more important economically as the fishing industry has been less productive due to competition and climate change. Support services such as transport, irrigation, engineering and v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colac Bay
Colac Bay / Ōraka is a small township situated on the bay of the same name facing Foveaux Strait, and located on the Southern Scenic Route, 10 minutes from Riverton, New Zealand. Surrounding areas include Longwood, Tihaka, Waipango, Round Hill, Wakapatu, Ruahine, Pahia and Orepuki. The town hugs the bay, with sandy beaches, and has a popular surf spot known as Trees. It is a beach break that breaks to the left and right. The northern end of the bay is generally good for swimming. The town has a well appointed cafe, craft shop, pub, caravan park, community hall and Marae. The town also features a statue of a surfer riding a wave, which is popular with tourists. The hills behind Colac are part of the Longwood Range, which were popular in early days for gold mining. Further west shale was also mined for a short time. In the gold mining days there was a significant Chinese village towards Orepuki called Canton. Colac Bay Hill, Lake George, Howell's Hills and the Longwood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pahia
Pahia is a small rural locality in coastal Southland, New Zealand, not to be confused with the North Island tourist resort of Paihia. Surrounding areas include Ruahine, Wakapatu, Round Hill, Colac Bay and Orepuki. The main road, Orepuki-Riverton Hwy (section of ), runs through it. Pahia is 15 minutes from Riverton, 20 minutes from Tuatapere and 45 minutes from Invercargill. History During the early years of European contact with New Zealand, Pahia was home to a substantial Māori village and island pā (fortified stronghold) near Cosy Nook (known locally as the "Old Pā"). The village served as an important contact point for European sealers and traders requiring potatoes and flax for the Australian market in the 1820s. The naming is uncertain. One theory is that the name 'Pahia' comes from the village Chief of the time, Tahu Pahia. The other theory is that it is a literal translation for 'slapped', referring to the hill resembling meals of mashed or pounded food. It used to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orepuki
Orepuki in Southland, New Zealand is a small country township on the coast of Te Waewae Bay some 20 minutes from Riverton, 15 minutes from Tuatapere and 50 minutes from Invercargill that sits at the foot of the Longwood Range. Once a thriving gold mining settlement of 3000 people, today Orepuki is something of a ghost town with an assortment of abandoned stores, goldmining relics and sluicing scars as the only reminders of its former glory. History In pre-European times, local Māori used the unique and highly prized garnet gemstones on the beach to polish and sharpen their 'toki' or adzes/axes. According to Maori history several Ngati Mamoe Maori were killed by a tsunami while walking along the beach near Orepuki in the 1820s. They had been gathering fish at the Waiau River mouth in autumn as provisions for the winter period. The beach runs between the sea and a line of cliffs meaning that only a moderate tsunami of 2–4 metres high would have been needed to cause so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuatapere
Tuatapere is a small rural town in Southland, New Zealand. It is the self declared "Sausage Capital of New Zealand". Tuatapere is located eight kilometres from the southern coast. The Waiau River flows through the town before reaching Te Waewae Bay, where it has its outflow into Foveaux Strait. The main local industries are forestry and farming. Tuatapere has a logging museum and is located on the Southern Scenic Route from Invercargill to Te Anau making it a well-travelled tourist stop. The Clifden Suspension Bridge and Clifden War Memorial are located near outside Tuatapere. History First European settlers A group of Hungarians settled in Tuatapere, but were assimilated into the general population by the mid 20th century. Railway On 1 October 1909, a branch line railway from Invercargill was opened to Tuatapere and it became known as the Tuatapere Branch. On 20 October 1925, an extension was opened to Orawia, 14 kilometres to the north-eastWises New Zealand Guide, 7t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 elevation of Otautau is 60 meters. Otautau is also known as "The Heart of Western Southland" as can be seen on the roadside sign photo below. Otautau township has one building registered with Pouhere Taonga Heritage New Zealand. This is the historic courthouse building in Main Street from 1908, which currently houses the district's small museum and some archives from local institutions and businesses. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of near pendant" for the name . Early history There have been claims made in some modern day publications, that Otautau was founded after the discovery of gold in Central Otago in 1861, to meet the needs of travellers on their way to the then newly discovered gol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thornbury, New Zealand
Thornbury is a small township on the east bank of the lower Aparima River, in western Southland, New Zealand. It is approximately 10 km northeast of Riverton, and 31 km northwest of Invercargill. It is mainly a farming service community. Local small industries include machinery and transport/trucking companies, and a tannery. The township was founded by pioneer settlers Matthew Instone and Robert Foster. It was named by Robert Foster after his wife's birthplace, the market town of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, Thornbury, in Gloucestershire, England. Originally Thornbury had grown around a railway junction. The railway line from Invercargill split at Thornbury, with one branch going around the coast to Riverton and Tuatapere/Orawia, and the Wairio Branch going inland to the coal mines at Nightcaps. In 1978 the Tuatapere Branch was closed and was eventually removed. Thornbury has one school for primary-age children, called Thornbury Schoo The school celebrated in 2008 its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
