Southland Plains
The Southland Plains is the name of a large lowland in the south of the South Island of New Zealand . It is bounded to the north by the Hokonui Hills and covers a considerable part of the Southland region including the region's largest cities, Invercargill and Gore . The Southland Plains is home to some of the most fertile farmland in New Zealand.
The plain extends from the Waiau River in the west to the Mataura River , which forms the border with Otago in the east . The area can be divided into three larger parts: the actual Southland Plain , the Waimea Plains and the plain to the west near the Waiau River.
The Southland and Waimea Plains are separated from the highlands of the Hokonui Hills west of Gore. The Southland Plain lies north of Invercargill and was formed by several major rivers, the Aparima , Oreti and Makarewa Rivers . These extend here about 45 km from inland to the coast of the Foveaux Strait . Their area is almost 1500 km².
Northeast of Invercargill, the Waimea Plains of the Mataura River and its tributary Waimea Stream extend into the country to the town of Gore. On the southern edge they become the Awarua Plain , an area of marshland that extends from the area around Bluff to the foot of the Catlins in the east. This area covers a further 2000 km².
To the west lies a third level on the lower reaches and the mouth of the Waiau River. This smaller plain is bounded by the Longwood Range and Tākitimu Mountains to the east and Fiordland to the west.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b David Grant: Southland region: Geology and landforms . Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. November 24, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
Coordinates: 46 ° 20 ′ 4.6 ″ S , 168 ° 12 ′ 37.1 ″ E