Awarua Plains

Awarua Plain (top), Tiwai Point (centre) and Bluff (lower left) viewed from the International Space Station in 2008.

The Awarua Plain is a large area of wetland to the east of Bluff, New Zealand.[1] 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 Ōreti 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.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "two streams" for Awarua.[2]

  1. ^ "Place name detail: Awarua Plains". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  2. ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.