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56-668: The Tahakopa River flows southeastward through the Catlins , an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand . Its total length is 32 kilometres (20 mi), and it flows into the Pacific Ocean 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Waikawa , close to the settlement of Papatowai . The Maclennan River is a tributary. The river's source is to the west of Mt Pye , 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Wyndham . 46°34′S 169°29′E  /  46.567°S 169.483°E  / -46.567; 169.483 This article about

112-496: A blowhole located in the Punta Banda Peninsula of Baja California , Mexico. It consists of a littoral cave with a thin opening that has a recurrence eruption interval of 13 -17 seconds, ejecting water up to 100 ft. above sea level. Blowholes have the capacity to change the topography near their locations. Blowholes can eventually erode the area surrounding the crevices to form larger sea caves. In some instances,

168-410: A decline in the 1890s, the logging of native timber expanded into new areas made accessible by an extension of the railway, before petering out in the mid-20th century. A series of bushfires destroyed several mills in 1935. The cleared land was used primarily for pastoral sheep and dairy farming , which continues to be a mainstay of the Catlins' economy. Much of the remaining forest is now protected by

224-737: A growing reputation for big wave surfing , with regular competitions, award-winning rides, and coverage on the Discovery Channel gathering publicity for the sport. The Department of Conservation proposed protecting the Papatowai surf break in 2008, citing its national significance for surfing. The landscape of the Catlins features in many poems by celebrated poet Hone Tuwhare . Born in Northland , Tuwhare lived in Kaka Point from 1992 until his death in 2008, and became one of

280-461: A high incidence of feldspar . Fossils of the late and middle Triassic Warepan and Kaihikuan stages are found in the area. Curio Bay features the petrified remains of a forest 160 million years old. This represents a remnant of the subtropical woodland that once covered the region, only to become submerged by the sea. The fossilised remnants of trees closely related to modern kauri and Norfolk pine can be seen here. The Catlins are partly in

336-857: A larger system known as the Southland Syncline , a fold system which links to similar formations in Tasman District (offset by the Alpine Fault ), the North Island and even New Caledonia , 3,500 km (2,200 mi) away. The north-eastern boundary of this geologic region is marked by the Murihiku escarpment, which runs along the southern edge of the dormant Hillfoot fault line. The Catlins ranges are strike ridges composed of Triassic and Jurassic sandstones , mudstones and other related sedimentary rocks, often with

392-504: A littoral cave is formed. The main factors that contribute to littoral caves formation are wave dynamics and the parent material ’s rock property. A parent material property such as susceptibility or resistance to weathering plays a major role in the development of caves. Littoral caves can be formed by one of two processes: caves made of limestone are produced by karst (dissolution) processes, and caves made of igneous rock are produced by pseudokarst (non-dissolutional) processes. In time

448-858: A population density of 1.7 people per km . Wyndham-Catlins had a population of 2,196 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 18 people (0.8%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 66 people (3.1%) since the 2006 census . There were 834 households, comprising 1,164 males and 1,032 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.13 males per female. The median age was 41.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 462 people (21.0%) aged under 15 years, 375 (17.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,044 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 315 (14.3%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 92.5% European/ Pākehā , 12.2% Māori , 1.6% Pasifika , 1.9% Asian , and 1.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Blowhole (geology) Blowholes are likely to occur in areas where there are crevices, such as lava tubes , in rock along

504-649: A river in the Otago region is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . The Catlins The Catlins (sometimes referred to as The Catlins Coast ) comprise 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,

560-449: A sex ratio of 1.09 males per female. The median age was 50.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 213 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 147 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 675 (51.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 270 (20.7%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.9% European/ Pākehā , 8.7% Māori , 0.7% Pasifika , 1.1% Asian , and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

616-602: A stretch of coast 100 km (60 mi) in extent. The mouths of two large rivers, the Clutha River in the northeast and the Mataura River in the west, mark its coastal limits. To the north and northwest, the rough bush -clad hills give way to rolling pastoral countryside drained and softened by the actions of tributaries of these two rivers such as the Pomahaka River . The rugged, scenic coastline of

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672-622: Is rare except on the peaks even in the coldest part of winter, though frost is quite common during the months of June to September. Typical daily maximum temperatures in winter are 10–13 °C (50–55 °F). The first people known to live in the Catlins, Māori of the Kāti Māmoe , Waitaha , and Kāi Tahu iwi (tribes), merged via marriage and conquest into the iwi now known as Kāi Tahu. Archaeological evidence of human presence dates back to approximately 1350 AD. The area's inhabitants were semi-nomadic, travelling from Stewart Island / Rakiura in

728-721: The Department of Conservation as part of the Catlins Conservation Park . Medical pioneer Dr Truby King established a farm at Tahakopa and a Catlins timber mill from the 1890s to the 1920s, and gave some of his mental patients vocational training there. From the time of the Great Depression until the formation of the New Zealand Rabbit Board in 1954, rabbits became a major pest in the area, and rabbiters were employed to keep

784-782: The Mokoreta River , which flows mainly westwards, reaching the Mataura close to the town of Wyndham . The highest point in the Catlins, Mount Pye (720 m or 2,360 ft) stands 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Waikawa and close to the source of the Mokoreta River, and marks part of the Otago-Southland border. Other prominent peaks above 600 m (2,000 ft) include Mount Rosebery, Catlins Cone, Mount Tautuku, and Ajax Hill. The Catlins has several small lakes, notably scenic Lake Wilkie close to

840-476: The Southern Scenic Route ), or in numerous tiny coastal settlements, most of which have only a few dozen inhabitants. The largest town in the Catlins, Owaka , had a population of 309 in the 2018 census. It is located 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Balclutha. The only other settlements of any great size are Kaka Point (population 231), Waikawa, Tokanui , and Fortrose, which lies at

896-612: The Tautuku Peninsula . Catlins Lake, near Owaka, actually consists of the tidal estuary of the Catlins River. Shipping has found the Catlins coast notoriously dangerous, and many shipwrecks have occurred on the headlands that jut into the Pacific Ocean here. Two lighthouses stand at opposite ends of the Catlins to help prevent further mishaps. The Nugget Point Lighthouse stands 76 m (249 ft) above

952-484: The spider orchid and perching Easter orchid , and many different native ferns . Settlers cleared much of the Catlins' coastal vegetation for farmland, but in some areas the original coastal plant life survives, primarily around cliff edges and some of the bays close to the Tautuku Peninsula, these being furthest from the landward edges of the forest. Plant life here includes many native species adapted to

1008-408: The tūī , pīwakawaka , and kererū . One of New Zealand's only two native species of non-marine mammal, the long-tailed bat , lives in small numbers within the forests, and several species of lizard are also found locally, including the southern forest gecko . Many species of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans frequent both the local rivers and sea, notably crayfish and pāua . Nugget Point in

1064-411: The windward sides of a coastline where they receive higher wave energy from the open ocean. The development of a blowhole is linked to the formation of a littoral cave. These two elements make up the blowhole system. A blowhole system always contains three main features: a catchment entrance, a compression cavern and an expelling port. The arrangement, angle and size of these three features determine

1120-610: The Catlins dates back to over 150 million years ago, when the bedrock of the New Zealand continent was being assembled by thick sediments and volcanic arcs accreting onto the edge of the Gondwana supercontinent in a series of long thin terranes . The parallel hill ranges of the Catlins form part of the Murihiku terrane, which extends inland through the Hokonui Hills as far west as Mossburn . This itself forms part of

1176-605: The Catlins district. Owaka also has a medical centre, the nearest hospital being in Balclutha . The Catlins is governed at local level as part of the Clutha and Southland Districts and is represented at national level as part of the Clutha-Southland electorate. The Catlins area covers some 1,900 km (730 sq mi) and forms a rough triangular shape, extending up to 40 km (25 mi) inland and along

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1232-546: 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

1288-465: The Catlins features sandy beaches, blowholes , a petrified forest at Curio Bay , and the Cathedral Caves , which visitors can reach at low tide. Much of the coastline consists of high cliffs, up to 200 m (660 ft) in height, and the land rises sharply from the coast at most points. For this reason, many of the area's rivers cascade over waterfalls as they approach the ocean (notably

1344-507: The Catlins within the Otago region, covers 1,072.98 km (414.28 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,430 as of June 2024, with a population density of 1.3 people per km . Catlins had a population of 1,305 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 51 people (4.1%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 27 people (−2.0%) since the 2006 census . There were 579 households, comprising 681 males and 624 females, giving

1400-484: The Otago region and partly in Southland, and consequently are covered in two statistical areas. They cover 2,454.81 km (947.81 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 3,760 as of June 2024, with a population density of 1.5 people per km . Almost all of the Catlins' population lies either close to the route of the former state highway running from Balclutha to Invercargill (which now forms part of

1456-539: The area since around 1350 AD. Prior to European settlement, the region was sparsely inhabited by nomadic groups of Māori , most of whom lived close to river mouths. In the early days of European settlement the area was frequented by whalers and sealers, and saw milling became a major local industry from the mid-19th century until the 1930s. Tourism has become of growing importance in the Catlins economy, which otherwise relies heavily on dairy farming and fishing. The region's population has fallen to less than half its peak in

1512-454: The area's best-known inhabitants. His family plan to establish a writers' retreat at his crib there. The film Two Little Boys , starring comedians Bret McKenzie and Hamish Blake , was filmed in the Catlins early in 2011. The Catlins has a cool maritime temperate climate, somewhat cooler than other parts of the South Island, and strongly modified by the effect of the Pacific Ocean. Winds can reach considerable strength, especially on

1568-424: The cave itself may collapse. This event may create shallow pools along the coast. A blowhole is also the name of a rare geologic feature in which air is blown through a small hole at the surface due to pressure differences between a closed underground system and the surface. The blowholes of Wupatki National Monument are an example of such a phenomenon. It is estimated that the closed underground passages have

1624-445: The coast, notably the rare yellow-eyed penguin ( hoiho ), as do other seabirds including mollymawks and Australasian gannets , and the estuaries of the rivers are home to herons , stilts , godwits and oystercatchers . Bitterns and the threatened fernbird ( mātātā ) can also occasionally be seen along the reedy riverbanks. In the forests, endangered birds such as the mōhua and kākāriki occur, as do other birds such as

1680-443: The coast. These areas are often located along fault lines and on islands. As powerful waves hit the coast, water rushes into these crevices and bursts out in a high pressured release. It is often accompanied by a loud noise and wide spray, and for this reason, blowholes are often sites of tourism. Marine erosion on rocky coastlines produce blowholes that are found throughout the world. They are found at intersecting faults and on

1736-656: The coastline during winter. The Catlins features dense temperate rainforest , dominated by podocarps . This is the largest area of native forest remaining on the South Island's east coast, with over 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) of forest and neighbouring subalpine areas being protected in Catlins Conservation Park. The forest is thick with trees such as rimu ( Dacrydium cupressinum ), tōtara ( Podocarpus totara ), silver beech ( Nothofagus ), mataī ( Prumnopitys taxifolia ) and kahikatea ( Dacrycarpus dacrydioides ). Of particular note are

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1792-624: The creatures under control. The trapping of rabbits and auctioning of their skins in Dunedin became a minor but important part of the Catlins area's economy during this time. The area's population has declined from a peak of around 2,700 in 1926 to its current level of around 1,200. This decline has halted in recent decades, with 2008 figures being very similar to those of 1986. The Catlins coast often hosts New Zealand fur seals and Hooker's sea lions , and occasionally southern elephant seals can be seen. Several species of penguin also nest along

1848-484: The early 20th century. Some 1,200 people now live in the Catlins, many of them in the settlement of Owaka . This is linked to population centres to the north and southwest via the area's only major road, part of the Southern Scenic Route . Owaka contains the area's main school, the Catlins Area School , catering for students from year 1 to year 13. There are three other small primary schools throughout

1904-490: The exposed coast; most of the South Island's storms develop to the south or southwest of the island, and thus the Catlins catches the brunt of many of these weather patterns. The Catlins—and especially its central and southern areas—experiences considerably higher precipitation than most of the South Island's east coast; heavy rain occurs infrequently, but drizzle is common and the region averages around 150 days of rain per year. Rain days are spread fairly evenly throughout

1960-406: The force of the air to water ratio that is ejected from the port. The blowhole feature tends to occur in the most distal section of a littoral cave . As their name suggests, blowholes have the ability to move air rapidly. Strong reverse draughts in response to pressure changes in a connecting littoral cave can send wind speeds upwards of 70 km/h. The formation of a blowhole system begins as

2016-464: The iconic Purakaunui Falls on the short Purakaunui River). The South Island's southernmost point, Slope Point , projects near the southwestern corner of the Catlins. To the west of this lies Waipapa Point , often considered the boundary of the Catlins region, beyond which lies the swampy land around the mouth of the Mataura River at the eastern end of Toetoes Bay . But various people place

2072-584: The interior of the Catlins, separated by the valleys of the Ōwaka , Catlins and Tahakopa Rivers , which all drain southeastwards into the Pacific Ocean. The most notable of these ranges is the Maclennan Range. Between them, these hills are often simply referred to as the Catlins Ranges . Their northwestern slopes are drained by several tributaries of the Clutha and Mataura Rivers, most notably

2128-399: The littoral cave enlarges growing inland and vertically through weak joints in the parent material. As weathering continues the roof of the cave is exposed, and the blowhole continues to enlarge, eventually the roof of the littoral cave is weaken and collapses. This creates a steep-wall inlet that allows the next stage of coastal morphology to progress. La Bufadora is a large example of

2184-584: The mouth of the Catlins River before its 271 immigrants abandoned ship. A beach at the mouth of the Catlins River is named Surat Bay in commemoration of this wreck. The schooner Wallace and steamer Otago were also both wrecked at or near Chasland's Mistake, in 1866 and 1876 respectively, and a 4534-ton steamer, the Manuka , ran aground at Long Point north of Tautuku in 1929. In all there were eight shipwrecks of note between 1839 and 1892. After

2240-541: The mouth of the Clutha River. The Catlins take their name from the Catlins River, itself named for whaling captain Edward Cattlin (sometimes spelt Catlin). He purchased an extensive block of land along Catlins River on 15 February 1840 from Kāi Tahu chief Hone Tūhawaiki (also known as "Bloody Jack") for muskets and £30 (roughly NZ$ 3000 in 2005 dollars). New Zealand's land commissioners declined to endorse

2296-474: The mouth of the Clutha to the north and silted up the port, after which the town gradually dwindled. Sealers and whalers founded the first European settlements in the early years of the 19th century, at which time the hunting of marine mammals dominated European economic activity in New Zealand. A whaling station was established on the Tautuku Peninsula in 1839, with smaller stations at Waikawa and close to

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2352-569: The northern Catlins hosts a particularly rich variety of marine wildlife. The establishment of a marine reserve off the coast here, discussed in 1992, 2004 and 2015, has been controversial. Hector's dolphins can often be seen close to the Catlins coast, especially at Porpoise Bay near Waikawa, which is protected as part of the Catlins Coast Marine Mammal Sanctuary, established in 2008. Migratory southern right whales and humpback whales can be spotted along

2408-526: The purchase, however, and the Māori received much of the land back after long negotiations ending more than a decade after Cattlin's death. During the mid-19th century the area developed into a major saw-milling region, supplying the newly developing town of Dunedin with timber shipped from the ports of Waikawa and Fortrose. A 70 m (230 ft)-long jetty was built at Fortrose in 1875, although this has long since disappeared. Several shipwrecks occurred along

2464-496: The settlement Owaka means "Place of the canoe"). No formal Māori pā (villages) were located in the Catlins, but there were many hunting camps, notably at Papatowai, near the mouth of the Tahakopa River. Europeans first sighted the area in 1770 when the crew of James Cook 's Endeavour sailed along the coast. Cook named a bay in the Catlins area Molineux's Harbour after his ship's master Robert Molineux. Although this

2520-408: The south and inland to Central Otago . They generally dwelt near river mouths for easy access to the best food resources. In legend, the Catlins forests further inland were inhabited by Maeroero (wild giants). The Catlins may have offered one of the last places where the giant flightless bird, the moa , could be hunted, and the timber of the forest proved ideal for canoe construction (the name of

2576-480: The strong salt-laden winds found in this exposed region. The Catlins coastal daisy ( Celmisia lindsayii ) is unique to the region, and is related to New Zealand's mountain daisies. Tussocks , hebes , and flaxes are common, as are native gentians , though the endangered native sedge pingao can now rarely be found. In years when the southern rātā flowers well, the coastal forest canopy turns bright red. The rātā also thrives in some inland areas. The geology of

2632-569: The treacherous coastline during this period. Most notably, one of New Zealand's worst shipping disasters occurred here: the wreck of the passenger-steamer Tararua , en route from Bluff to Port Chalmers , which foundered off Waipapa Point on 29 April 1881 with the loss of all but 20 of the 151 people aboard. Another noted shipwreck, that of the Surat , occurred on New Year's Day in 1874. This ship, holed on rocks near Chasland's Mistake eight kilometres southeast of Tautuku Peninsula, limped as far as

2688-466: The virgin rimu and tōtara forest remaining in those areas which were too rugged or steep to have been milled by early settlers, and an extensive area of silver beech forest close to the Takahopa River. This is New Zealand's most southerly expanse of beech forest. Many native species of forest plant can be found in the undergrowth of the Catlins forest, including young lancewoods , orchids such as

2744-538: The water at the end of Nugget Point , casting its light across a series of eroded stacks (the "nuggets" which give the point its name). It was built in 1869–70. The Waipapa Point light , which stands only 21 m (69 ft) above sea level, was the last wooden lighthouse to be built in New Zealand, and was constructed in 1884 in response to the tragic 1881 wreck of the Tararua . Both of these lighthouses are now fully automated. O then, drama abounds for sure, and

2800-596: The western boundary of the Catlins region in different places, and some more stringent definitions exclude even Slope Point. A proposed boundary circulated in 2009 by the New Zealand Geographic Board ran roughly north from Slope Point, then inland around the Catlins Ranges and east to Nugget Point. Tourist organisations objected, asking that the boundary be moved further west to include Fortrose . Several parallel ranges of hills dominate

2856-586: The western edge of the Catlins on the estuary of the Mataura River . Most of the area's other settlements are either little more than farming communities (such as Romahapa , Maclennan , and Glenomaru ) or seasonally populated holiday communities with few permanent residents (such as Papatowai or Pounawea ). An outdoor education centre, run by the Otago Youth Adventure Trust is located at Tautuku, almost exactly halfway between Owaka and Waikawa. The Catlins statistical area, which includes

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2912-410: The window to the sea-ward side of my crib begins rattle-screeching an order for me to 'Come out! Come out, Sloth! And witness this!' 'Uh huh', I say. — Hone Tuwhare , Here's looking at You, Sea Due to its position at the southern tip of New Zealand, the Catlins coastline lies exposed to some of the country's largest ocean swells , often over 5 m (16 ft). The region has enjoyed

2968-591: The year; there is no particularly rainy season in the northern Catlins, and only a slight tendency towards more autumn rain in the southwest. The average annual rainfall recorded at the Tautuku Outdoor Education Centre is about 1,300 mm (51 in), with little variation from year to year. Fine days can be sunny and warm, and daily maxima may exceed 30 °C (86 °F) in mid-summer (January/February). A more usual daily maximum in summer would be 18–20 °C (64–68 °F). Snow

3024-461: Was $ 30,000, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 129 people (11.8%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 579 (53.0%) people were employed full-time, 186 (17.0%) were part-time, and 21 (1.9%) were unemployed. Wyndham-Catlins, which includes the Catlins within the Southland region, covers 1,381.83 km (533.53 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,330 as of June 2024, with

3080-430: Was 10.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.0% had no religion, 31.5% were Christian , 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 144 (13.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 291 (26.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income

3136-602: Was almost certainly the mouth of the Waikawa River , later visitors applied the name to a bay to the northeast, close to the mouth of the Clutha River , which itself was for many years known as the Molyneux River. The town of Port Molyneux , located on this bay, was a busy harbour during the 19th century. Its location at the mouth of the Clutha made it a good site for trade both from the interior and for coastal and ocean-going shipping. A major flood in 1878 shifted

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