Waiau River, Waikoau River, Waimeamea River, Rowallan Burn
Basin countries
New Zealand
Max. length
27 km (17 mi)
Te Waewae Bay is the westernmost of three large bays lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay. Twenty-seven kilometres in length, the western end of the bay is mountainous, with the southern terminus of the Southern Alps and Fiordland National Park.
Its Māori name reflects the southern chief (rangatira), Te Waewae who resided in the bay for large periods of time.[1]
The small farming town of Orepuki is situated on the cliffs at the eastern end of the bay and the timber town of Tuatapere and Port Craig is located seven kilometres north of the bay, on the banks of the Waiau River, which has its outflow in the bay.
The bay, lining from Sand Hill Point to Pahia Point, is declared as a marine mammal sanctuary[2] and hosts an important habitat for New Zealand fur seals,[3] the endemic Hector's dolphins and one of major winter breeding grounds for southern right whales on mainland coasts.[4] Other species can be seen within the areas, from time to time, include such as humpback whales, orcas,[5] Hooker's sea lions, and leopard seals.[6] Sea Shepherd is conducting annual patrolling named the "Operation Pahu" (Pahu stands for Hector's Dolphins in Māori).[7]
Surrounding lands, both coastal and terrestrial, are home to little blue penguins and Fiordland crested penguins, 25 species of native birds, and the endangered New Zealand long-tailed bats [3]
^Roberts, W.H.S (1910). "Maori Nomenclature: Early history of Otago". Otago Daily Times. Dunedin, New Zealand. p. 44.
^"Marine reserves & other protected areas-Te Waewae Bay marine mammal sanctuary". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
^ abTuatapere area - Department of Conservation
^"Southern right whales - something really special". Department of Conservation. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
^Video: Orca takes on sharks near Tuatapere. 2012. Otago Daily Times
^Four months jail for attack on leopard seal. 2010. Department of Conservation
TeWaewaeBay is the westernmost of three large bays lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being Oreti Beach and Toetoes...
Southland, New Zealand is a small country township on the coast of TeWaewaeBay some 20 minutes from Riverton, 15 minutes from Tuatapere and 50 minutes...
Toetoes Bay is the easternmost of three large bays lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being TeWaewaeBay and Oreti...
as it represents the upturned hull of the Tākitimu waka wrecked in TeWaewaeBay to the south of the Takitimu Mountains. "Takitimu Mountains, Southland...
Tākitimu was wrecked at TeWaewaeBay, the crew decided to walk overland to the north of the South Island. While stopping at Te Anau, Tamatea decided to...
southern coast. The Waiau River flows through the town before reaching TeWaewaeBay, where it has its outflow into Foveaux Strait. The main local industries...
is the central bay of three lying on the Foveaux Strait coast of Southland, New Zealand, the others being TeWaewaeBay and Toetoes Bay. Twenty-six kilometres...
(canoe). The waka Tākitimu, captained by Tamatea, was wrecked near TeWaewaeBay on the shores of what is now called Foveaux Strait. In the traditional...
Zealand. It rises in the Longwood Range and flows south-eastward into TeWaewaeBay north of Orepuki. List of rivers of New Zealand "Place name detail:...
Tamarereti. In a South Island Māori account, Tamatea was shipwrecked at TeWaewaeBay as he rounded Murihiku and his canoe became the Takitimu Mountains....
Wairaurāhiri River into Foveaux Strait 10 kilometres to the west of TeWaewaeBay. The largest island in Lake Hauroko is Mary Island, named in 1883 after...
Otago Peninsula, Taieri Mouth, Nugget Point, The Catlins, Port Craig in TeWaewaeBay, Fiordland, Paterson Inlet, Chatham and Kermadec Islands may possibly...
Alfred Philpott in 1918 using a specimen collected at Blue Cliff in TeWaewaeBay, Fiordland by C.C. Fenwick in January. Fenwick captured this specimen...
tourism venture, launched in 2020 by the Māori hapū or subtribe Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae, intended to create four linked visitor experience centres on...
about how to respond. Te Koki and Ta-waewae called for an immediate attack, saying “blood has flown; do not let it get cold!” But Te Wera convinced Ngāpuhi...
Longwood Range and the Tasman Sea. There are outlooks in places over TeWaewaeBay and the Princess Mountains, and also Stewart Island/Rakiura. Pahia Hill...
Railways Magazine. Retrieved 6 April 2020. Taonui, Rāwiri. "Ngā waewae tapu – Māori exploration". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 6 April...
Secretary Island (Māori: Ka Tū-waewae-o-Tū) is an island in southwestern New Zealand, lying entirely within Fiordland National Park. Roughly triangular...
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