58-540: The Hooker River is a river in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It flows south from Hooker Lake , the glacier lake of Hooker Glacier , which lies on the southern slopes of Aoraki / Mount Cook . After 3 kilometers, it flows through Mueller Glacier Lake , gathering more glacial water, before joining the braided streams of the Tasman River , also an outflow of a glacier lake. The geographic Hooker items were named by
116-439: A Labour stronghold. Since 2008 the rest of Otago has been divided between the large rural electorates of Waitaki , which also includes some of the neighbouring Canterbury Region , and Clutha-Southland , which also includes most of the rural part of the neighbouring Southland Region. The Waitaki electorate has traditionally been a National Party stronghold and is currently held by Miles Anderson . The Southland electorate, also
174-635: A National Party stronghold, is currently represented by Joseph Mooney . The earlier Otago electorate existed from 1978 to 2008, when it was split and merged into Waitaki and Clutha-Southland. Two list MPs are based in Dunedin – Michael Woodhouse of the National Party and Rachel Brooking of the Labour Party. One-time Labour Party Deputy Leader David Parker is a former MP for the Otago electorate and currently
232-421: A high incidence of feldspar . Fossils of the late and middle Triassic Warepan and Kaihikuan stages are found in the area. Weather conditions vary enormously across Otago, but can be broken into two broad types: the coastal climate of the coastal regions and the more continental climate of the interior. Coastal regions of Otago are subject to the alternating warm and dry/cool and wet weather patterns common to
290-524: A list MP. Under the Māori electorates system, Otago is also part of the large Te Tai Tonga electorate, which covers the entire South Island and surrounding islands, and is currently held by Te Pāti Māori Party MP Tākuta Ferris . Three of the 18 Ngāi Tahu Rūnanga (councils) are based in the Otago Region. Each one is centred on a coastal marae, namely Ōtākou , Moeraki and Puketeraki at Karitane . There
348-560: A mixed economy. Dunedin is home to manufacturing, publishing and technology-based industries. Rural economies have been reinvigorated in the 1990s and 2000s: in Clutha district, farms have been converted from sheep to more lucrative dairying. Vineyard planting and production remained modest until the middle of the 1990s when the New Zealand wine industry began to expand rapidly. The Central Otago wine region produces wine made from varieties such as
406-477: A small influx at this time. The early and middle years of the twentieth century saw smaller influxes of immigrants from several mainland European countries, most notably the Netherlands . In line with the region's Scottish heritage, Presbyterianism is the largest Christian denomination with 17.1 percent affiliating, while Catholicism is the second-largest denomination with 11.5 percent affiliating. The seat of
464-571: A small one lane road bridge just as the river enters the Tasman Valley. This article about a river in Canterbury, New Zealand is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Southern Alps The Southern Alps ( Māori : Kā Tiritiri o te Moana ; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana ) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island , reaching its greatest elevations near
522-584: A spa near Lewis Pass , the town of Arthur's Pass , and Mount Cook Village . Major crossings of the Southern Alps in the New Zealand road network include Lewis Pass ( SH 7 ), Arthur's Pass ( SH 73 ), Haast Pass ( SH 6 ), and the road to Milford Sound ( SH 94 ). New Zealand has a humid maritime, temperate climate with the Southern Alps lying perpendicular to the prevailing westerly flow of air. Annual precipitation varies greatly across
580-440: A special character based on a religious or philosophical belief that has been integrated into the state system, but still charge "attendance dues" to cover the building and maintenance of school buildings. These schools are not owned by the government, but otherwise they like state schools cannot charge fees for tuition of domestic students but may request a donation. As Dunedin was founded by Presbyterian Scottish settlers there are
638-571: Is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council . It has an area of approximately 32,000 square kilometres (12,000 sq mi), making it the country's second largest local government region. Its population was 257,200 in June 2024. The name "Otago" is the local southern Māori dialect pronunciation of " Ōtākou ",
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#1732868742009696-614: Is also the Arai Te Uru Marae in Dunedin. The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Otago was estimated at NZ$ 14.18 billion in the year to March 2020, 4.38% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $ 58,353 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 1.25 billion (9.8%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 2.38 billion (18.6%), service industries contributed $ 8.05 billion (63.0%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 1.10 billion (8.6%). Otago has
754-473: Is frequently visible in summer across Canterbury and North Otago . The 'Nor'wester' is a foehn wind similar to the Chinook of Canada, where mountain ranges in the path of prevailing moisture laden winds force air upwards, thus cooling the air and condensing the moisture to rain, producing hot dry winds in the descending air lee of the mountains. The Southern Alps lie along a geological plate boundary , part of
812-399: Is part of the reason why Central Otago vineyards are successful in this region. This inland region is one of the driest regions in the country, sheltered from prevailing rain-bearing weather conditions by the high mountains to the west and hills of the south. Summers can be hot, with temperatures often approaching or exceeding 30 degrees Celsius; winters, by contrast, are often bitterly cold –
870-537: The Canterbury provincial geologist, Julius von Haast , after the English botanist William Jackson Hooker . The Hooker River drains both the Hooker and Mueller Glaciers and is the principal ablation outlet for these ice masses. Its water is a milky bluish light grey due to the suspended glacial rock flour in the water. Hooker River along transports 20,000 m (710,000 cu ft) of sediment per year. The majority of
928-633: The Marlborough , Canterbury and Otago regions to the southeast and the Tasman and West Coast regions to the northwest. The Māori name of the range is Kā Tiritiri o te Moana , meaning "the Mirage of the Ocean". The English explorer James Cook bestowed the name Southern Alps on 23 March 1770, admiring their "prodigious height". They had previously been noted by Abel Tasman in 1642, whose description of
986-549: The Ngāi Tahu iwi or tribe. Other significant ethnic minorities include Asians, Pacific Islanders, Africans, Latin Americans and Middle Easterners. Otago's early waves of settlement, especially during and immediately after the gold rush of the 1860s, included a substantial minority of southern ( Guangdong ) Chinese settlers, and a smaller but also prominent number of people from Lebanon . The region's Jewish population also experienced
1044-626: The Pacific Ring of Fire , with the Pacific Plate to the southeast pushing westward and colliding with the northward-moving Indo-Australian Plate to the northwest. Over the last 45 million years, the collision has pushed up a 20 km thickness of rocks on the Pacific Plate to form the Alps, although much of this has been eroded away. Uplift has been most rapid during the last 5 million years, and
1102-539: The Pinot noir , Chardonnay , Sauvignon blanc , Merlot and Riesling grapes. It has an increasing reputation as New Zealand's leading Pinot noir region. Otago has numerous rural primary schools, several small town primary and secondary schools, and some larger schools in Dunedin . Most are state schools which do not charge tuition, except for international students. Some are state integrated schools, former private schools with
1160-576: The University of Otago , was founded in 1869 as the provincial university in Dunedin. The Province of Southland separated from Otago Province and set up its own Provincial Council at Invercargill in 1861. After difficulties ensued, Otago re-absorbed it in 1870. Its territory is included in the southern region of the old Otago Province which is named after it and is now the territory of the Southland region. The provincial governments were abolished in 1876 when
1218-473: The great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) , the South Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis meridionalis) , and the orange-fronted kākāriki (Cyanoramphus malherbi) . The kea can be found in the forested foothills as well as higher, colder elevations. It is the world's only alpine parrot , and was once hunted as a pest. The mountains are inaccessible and retain their natural vegetation. A large proportion of
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#17328687420091276-559: The Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 November 1876, and were replaced by other forms of local authority, including counties. Two in Otago were named after the Scottish independence heroes Wallace and Bruce . From this time the national limelight gradually shifted northwards. Otago's flag was chosen from a 2004 competition. It was designed by Gregor Macauly. Beginning in
1334-563: The Alpine Fault to dip-slip motion at these subduction zones to the north creates the Marlborough Fault System , which has resulted in significant uplift in the region. In 2017 a large international team of scientists reported they had discovered beneath Whataroa , a small township on the Alpine Fault, "extreme" hydrothermal activity which "could be commercially very significant". The mountains are rich in flora with about 25% of
1392-684: The Hooker River is within the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park , as far southeast as the Tasman Valley Road truss bridge . It flows through the flat Hooker Valley, the main tourism area of the park. The river is bridged three times by the pedestrian suspension bridges along the Hooker Valley Track , the most popular walking track in the area. A further track leads further downstream along the river to Tasman Valley Road, which crosses Hooker River on
1450-860: The Murihiku terrane , an accretion which extends inland through the Hokonui Hills in the Southland region. This itself forms part of a larger system known as the Southland Syncline , which links to similar formations in Nelson (offset by the Alpine Fault ) and even in New Caledonia , 3,500 km (2,200 mi) away. The Catlins ranges are strike ridges composed of Triassic and Jurassic sandstones , mudstones and other related sedimentary rocks, often with
1508-617: The Otago Regional Council is in Dunedin. The council is chaired by Andrew Noone as of July 2021 . There are five territorial authorities in Otago: Otago is represented by four parliamentary electorates . Dunedin and nearby towns are represented by the Dunedin electorate, held by Rachel Brooking , and the Taieri electorate, occupied by Ingrid Leary . Both MPs are members of the Labour Party, and Dunedin has traditionally been
1566-727: The South Island's west coast is often translated as "a land uplifted high". Following the passage of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 , the official name of the range was updated to Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana . The Southern Alps run approximately 500 km northeast to southwest. Its tallest peak is Aoraki / Mount Cook , the highest point in New Zealand at 3,724 metres (12,218 ft). The Southern Alps include sixteen other points that exceed 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in height (see NZ mountains by height ). The mountain ranges are bisected by glacial valleys, many of which are infilled with glacial lakes on
1624-608: The block mountains impede and dilute the effects of the Nor'wester . The main Central Otago centres, such as Alexandra and Cromwell , are found in the intermontane basins between the block mountains. The schist bedrock influence extends to the eastern part of Otago, where remnant volcanics mark its edge. The remains of the most spectacular of these are the Miocene volcanics centred on Otago Harbour . Elsewhere, basalt outcrops can be found along
1682-586: The broad high valley of the Strath-Taieri in its upper reaches, and the fertile Taieri Plains as it approaches the ocean. Travelling east from the mountains, the Central Otago drylands predominate. These are Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands dominated by the block mountains, upthrust schist mountains. In contrast to Canterbury, where the Northwest winds blow across the plains without interruption, in Otago
1740-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 40,458 (19.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 106,080 (52.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 43,974 (21.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 39,100, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 19,692 people (9.7%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
1798-666: The coast and at other sites. Comparatively similar terrain exists in the high plateau land of the Maniototo Plain , which lies to the east of Central Otago, close to the upper reaches of the Taieri River. This area is sparsely populated, but of historical note for its importance during the Otago gold rush of the 1860s. The townships of Ranfurly and Naseby lie in this area. In the southeastern corner of Otago lies The Catlins , an area of rough hill country which geologically forms part of
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1856-468: The conifer snow totara (Podocarpus nivalis) and Carex sedge grasses. Wildlife of the mountains includes the endemic rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris) . There are also a number of endemic insects adapted to these high altitudes, like flies, moths, beetles, bees, and the mountain stone wētā , which can freeze solid over winter to survive the alpine conditions. The beech forests of the lower elevations are important habitat for several birds, such as
1914-462: The country from the southwest. A common variant in this pattern is the centring of a stationary low-pressure zone to the southeast of the country, resulting in long-lasting cool, wet conditions. These have been responsible for several notable historical floods, such as the "hundred year floods" of October 1878 and October 1978. Typically, winters are cool and wet in the extreme south areas and snow can fall and settle to sea level in winter, especially in
1972-447: The country's hydroelectric power. Vineyards and wineries have been developed in the Central Otago wine region . Some parts of the area originally covered by Otago Province are now administered by either Canterbury Regional Council or Southland Regional Council . Like the rest of mainland New Zealand, Otago was first settled by the Māori people . Most of the Māori settlement in Otago
2030-573: The country's plant species being found above the treeline in alpine plant habitats and grassland with mountain beech forest at lower elevations (of the eastern side but not in Westland ). The cold windswept slopes above the treeline are covered with areas of fellfield . To the east, the Alps descend to the Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands . Plants adapted to the alpine conditions include woody shrubs like Hebe , Dracophyllum , and Coprosma ,
2088-504: The eastern side including Lake Coleridge in the north and Lake Wakatipu in Otago in the south. According to an inventory conducted in the late 1970s, the Southern Alps contained over 3,000 glaciers larger than one hectare, the longest of which – the Tasman Glacier – is 23.5 kilometres (14.6 mi) in length which has retreated from a recent maximum of 29 kilometres (18 mi) in the 1960s. Settlements include Maruia Springs,
2146-620: The focus of the Otago Association , an offshoot of the Free Church of Scotland , notable for its adoption of the principle that ordinary people, not the landowner, should choose the ministers. Major centres include Dunedin (the principal city), Oamaru , Balclutha , Alexandra , and the major tourist centres Queenstown and Wānaka . Kaitangata in South Otago is a prominent source of coal . The Waitaki and Clutha rivers provide much of
2204-412: The hills and plains of South Otago . More Central and Northern Coastal areas winter is sunnier and drier. Summers, by contrast, tend to be warm and dry, with temperatures often reaching the high 20s and low 30s Celsius. In Central Otago cold frosty winters are succeeded by hot dry summers. Central Otago's climate is the closest approximation to a continental climate anywhere in New Zealand. This climate
2262-459: The interannual Southern oscillation . The Southern Hemisphere storm track produces an irregular short cycle of weather which repeats roughly every week, with three or four days of fine weather followed by three or four days of cooler, damp conditions. Drier conditions are often the result of the northwesterly föhn wind, which dries as it crosses the Southern Alps . Wetter air is the result of approaching low-pressure systems which sweep fronts over
2320-556: The mountains continue to be raised today by tectonic pressure, causing earthquakes on the Alpine Fault and other nearby faults. Despite the substantial uplift, most of the relative motion along the Alpine Fault is transverse , not vertical . However, significant dip-slip occurs on the plate boundary to the north and east of the North Island, in the Hikurangi Trough and Kermadec Trench . The transfer of motion from strike-slip on
2378-568: The name of the Māori village near the entrance to Otago Harbour . The exact meaning of the term is disputed, with common translations being "isolated village" and "place of red earth", the latter referring to the reddish-ochre clay which is common in the area around Dunedin . "Otago" is also the old name of the European settlement on the harbour, established by the Weller Brothers in 1831, which lies close to Otakou . The upper harbour later became
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2436-465: The office of provincial Superintendent after the New Zealand provinces were created in 1853. The Otago Province was the whole of New Zealand from the Waitaki River south, including Stewart Island and the sub-Antarctic islands. It included the territory of the later Southland Province and also the much more extensive lands of the modern Southland Region . Initial settlement was concentrated on
2494-529: The population of the Queenstown-Lakes District grew by 60% due to the region's booming tourism industry. Otago had a population of 240,900 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 15,714 people (7.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 38,430 people (19.0%) since the 2013 census . There were 118,524 males, 121,185 females and 1,188 people of other genders in 94,425 dwellings. 4.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
2552-691: The population resides in the Dunedin urban area—the region's main city and the country's sixth largest urban area. For historical and geographical reasons, Dunedin is usually regarded as one of New Zealand's four main centres. Unlike other southern centres, Dunedin's population has not declined since the 1970s, largely due to the presence of the University of Otago – and especially its medical school – which attracts students from all over New Zealand and overseas. Other significant urban centres in Otago with populations over 1,000 include: Queenstown , Oamaru , Wānaka , Port Chalmers , Cromwell , Alexandra , Balclutha , Milton and Mosgiel . Between 1996 and 2006,
2610-458: The port and city, then expanded, notably to the south-west, where the fertile Taieri Plains offered good farmland. The 1860s saw rapid commercial expansion after Gabriel Read discovered gold at Gabriel's Gully near Lawrence , and the Otago gold rush ensued. Veterans of goldfields in California and Australia, plus many other fortune-seekers from Europe, North America and China, poured into
2668-478: The prevailing westerly winds, the range creates excellent wave soaring conditions for glider pilots. The town of Omarama , in the lee of the mountains, has gained an international reputation for its gliding conditions. The prevailing westerlies also create a weather pattern known as the Nor'west arch , in which moist air is pushed up over the mountains, forming an arch of cloud in an otherwise blue sky. This weather pattern
2726-746: The range is well protected by national parks—notably the Westland Tai Poutini National Park , Mount Aspiring National Park , and Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park —or by protected areas such as Lake Sumner Forest Park . Indigenous plant life is affected by introduced animals such as red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), chamois ( Rupicapra rupicapra ), and Himalayan tahr ( Hemitragus jemlahicus ), all of which have at times been targeted for culling. Likewise, native birds and reptiles are vulnerable to introduced predators. Otago Otago ( / ə ˈ t ɑː ɡ oʊ / , / oʊ -, ɒ -/ ; Māori : Ōtākou [ɔːˈtaːkou] )
2784-515: The range's western side. The name "Southern Alps" generally refers to the entire range, although separate names are given to many of the smaller ranges that form part of it. The range includes the South Island's Main Divide , which separates the water catchments of the more heavily populated eastern side of the island from those on the west coast. Politically, the Main Divide forms the boundary between
2842-531: The range, from 3,000 millimetres (120 in) at the West Coast , 15,000 millimetres (590 in) close to the Main Divide, to 1,000 millimetres (39 in) 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of the Main Divide. This high precipitation aids the growth of glaciers above the snow line . Large glaciers and snowfields can be found west of or on the Main Divide, with smaller glaciers farther east (See Glaciers of New Zealand ). Because of its orientation perpendicular to
2900-459: The region's current official boundaries put much of that river's catchment in Canterbury . The country's fourth-longest river, the Taieri , also has both its source and outflow in Otago, rising from rough hill country and following a broad horseshoe-shaped path, north, then east, and finally southeast, before reaching the Pacific Ocean. Along its course it forms two notable geographic features –
2958-406: The sources of the Clutha / Matau-au, the largest river (by discharge) in New Zealand. The Clutha flows generally to the southeast through Otago and discharges near Balclutha . The river has been used for hydroelectric power generation, with large dams at Clyde and Roxburgh . The traditional northern boundary of the region, the Waitaki River , is also heavily utilised for hydroelectricity, though
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#17328687420093016-518: The then Province of Otago, eroding its Scottish Presbyterian character. Further gold discoveries at Clyde and on the Arrow River around Arrowtown led to a boom, and Otago became for a period the cultural and economic centre of New Zealand. New Zealand's first daily newspaper, the Otago Daily Times , originally edited by Julius Vogel , dates from this period. New Zealand's first university,
3074-414: The township of Ranfurly in Central Otago holds the New Zealand record for lowest temperature with a reading of −25.6 °C on 18 July 1903. Otago Region covers 31,186.16 km (12,041.04 sq mi). The population is 257,200 as of June 2024, which is approximately 4.8 percent of New Zealand's total population of 5.3 million. The population density is 8.2 people per km . About 41.5 percent of
3132-631: The west, the geography of Otago consists of high alpine mountains. The highest peak in Otago (and highest outside the Aoraki / Mount Cook area) is Mount Aspiring / Tititea , which is on the Main Divide . From the high mountains the rivers discharge into large glacial lakes. In this part of Otago glacial activity – both recent and very old – dominates the landscape, with large U-shaped valleys and rivers which have high sediment loads. River flows also vary dramatically, with large flood flows occurring after heavy rain. Lakes Wakatipu , Wānaka , and Hāwea form
3190-561: Was 38.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 37,749 people (15.7%) aged under 15 years, 53,532 (22.2%) aged 15 to 29, 106,926 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 42,690 (17.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.2% European ( Pākehā ); 9.9% Māori ; 3.4% Pasifika ; 8.5% Asian ; 2.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
3248-557: Was spoken by 97.5%, Māori language by 1.9%, Samoan by 0.6% and other languages by 11.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 23.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 28.4% Christian , 1.0% Hindu , 0.8% Islam , 0.2% Māori religious beliefs , 0.7% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.3%, and 6.6% of people did not answer
3306-413: Was that 101,514 (50.0%) people were employed full-time, 31,086 (15.3%) were part-time, and 4,848 (2.4%) were unemployed. The majority of the population of European lineage is of Scottish stock—the descendants of early Scottish settlers from the early 19th century. Other well-represented European groups include those of English, Irish, and Dutch descent. A large proportion of the Māori population are from
3364-798: Was upon the coast and centred around the Otago Peninsula . The Otago settlement, an outgrowth of the Free Church of Scotland , was founded in March 1848 with the arrival of the first two immigrant ships from Greenock on the Firth of Clyde — the John Wickliffe and the Philip Laing . Captain William Cargill , a veteran of the Peninsular War , was the secular leader. Otago citizens subsequently elected him to
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