Paterson Inlet
Coordinates: 46 ° 56 ' S , 168 ° 5' E
Paterson Inlet is a large natural harbor on the east coast of Stewart Island in southern New Zealand .
The region was first inhabited by the Māori who settled in a place called The Neck . This is a long peninsula that extends from the south coast into the mouth of the port. Stewart Island's only town, Oban , is on the north coast of Paterson Inlet near its mouth. The area was previously used as a base for whaling for southern right whales . The populations have been severely decimated, but whales have been sighted again and again in recent years.
Paterson Inlet has three main arms: the North Arm and South West Arm lie in the upper part of the bay, 15 km from the mouth. The third arm, Big Glory Bay, lies behind the Neck Peninsula in the southeast. The Rakeahua and Freshwater Rivers flow into Paterson Inlet . The latter is the runoff of a large swampy area that covers a large part of the northern part of the island.
There are several islands in the inlet, the more important of which are Ulva Island and Native Island .
In June 2004 the government announced that the Paterson Inlet as Te Whaka a Te Wera Mätaitai reserve for Mataitai to explain (reserve).