Owaka
Encyclopedia
Owaka is a small town in Otago
, in the southern South Island
of New Zealand
. It is the largest community in the rugged, forested Catlins
area, close to the border with Southland
, some 35 km (21.7 mi) south of Balclutha
on the Southern Scenic Route
. The town's population was 334 in the 2006 census, a decrease of 39 from 2001. In the census figures, 72.9% of the population were European, and 15% were Māori.
The town's name comes from the Māori
for "the place of canoes", a reference to the town's location close to the Owaka River
, which joins the Catlins River
three kilometres (2 miles) from the town, close to the coast. The town was originally called Catlins River, then Quakerfield.
On 22 June 1896, Owaka became the terminus of the Catlins River Branch
railway, and it retained this status until an extension of the branch line
to Ratanui was opened on 1 August 1904. The railway ultimately terminated in Tahakopa
, but as traffic declined on the line in its later years, the Tuesday freight train (one of four per week) ran only as far as Owaka after 1958. The branch closed on 27 February 1971, and little evidence of its existence remains in or around Owaka besides some of the line's old formation, as the last substantial relic, Owaka station's goods shed
, was removed in 1986.
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
, in the southern South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is the largest community in the rugged, forested Catlins
The Catlins
The Catlins comprises an area in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The area lies between Balclutha and Invercargill, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southland regions...
area, close to the border with Southland
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
, some 35 km (21.7 mi) south of Balclutha
Balclutha, New Zealand
Balclutha is a town in Otago, it lies towards the end of the Clutha River on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about halfway between Dunedin and Invercargill on the Main South Line railway, State Highway 1 and the Southern Scenic Route...
on the Southern Scenic Route
Southern Scenic Route
The Southern Scenic Route is a tourist highway in New Zealand linking Queenstown, Fiordland, Te Anau and the iconic Milford Road to Dunedin via, Riverton, Invercargill and The Catlins...
. The town's population was 334 in the 2006 census, a decrease of 39 from 2001. In the census figures, 72.9% of the population were European, and 15% were Māori.
The town's name comes from the Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
for "the place of canoes", a reference to the town's location close to the Owaka River
Owaka River
The ' flows southeastward through The Catlins, an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand. Its total length is , and it shares the estuary of the Catlins River, flowing into the Pacific Ocean at Pounawea, south of Balclutha. Its source is on the slopes of Mt Rosebery, south of...
, which joins the Catlins River
Catlins River
The ' flows southeastward through The Catlins, an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand. Its total length is , and it shares its estuary with the Owaka River, flowing into the Pacific Ocean at Pounawea, south of Balclutha....
three kilometres (2 miles) from the town, close to the coast. The town was originally called Catlins River, then Quakerfield.
On 22 June 1896, Owaka became the terminus of the Catlins River Branch
Catlins River Branch
The Catlins River Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network. It ran through the Catlins region in southwestern Otago and was built in sections between 1879 and 1915. It closed in 1971 except for the first four kilometres, which remain open as the...
railway, and it retained this status until an extension of the branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
to Ratanui was opened on 1 August 1904. The railway ultimately terminated in Tahakopa
Tahakopa
Tahakopa is a small settlement in The Catlins, an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand. It is located 25 kilometres northeast of Waikawa on the Tahakopa River. On 17 February 1915, Tahakopa became the terminus of the Catlins River Branch railway and retained this status until the...
, but as traffic declined on the line in its later years, the Tuesday freight train (one of four per week) ran only as far as Owaka after 1958. The branch closed on 27 February 1971, and little evidence of its existence remains in or around Owaka besides some of the line's old formation, as the last substantial relic, Owaka station's goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
, was removed in 1986.