PLACENAME

WHERE

HISTORY

Jack’s Bay

Small bay about a mile sth of Catlins River estuary.  Hayward Point is northern headland

Name refers to John Tuhawaiki

Jack’s Island

Off southern end of Jack’s Bay

Jackman’s Stream

Small creek flowing into Glenomaru Stream

Named after JACKMAN, early settler and sawmill owner

Jacob’s Hill

Prominent hill overlooking Newhaven

Named after an old maori

Johnstone

5km from Waitahuna

Named after surveyor of district

Kahuika

District between Caberfeidh and Maclennan, 24km from Owaka

Said to mean ‘meeting of the waters’

Kaihiku

Old railway siding in district between Warepa and Waiwera, 19km from Balclutha

‘Kai’ is food, ‘hiku’ tail of fish.

Kaihiku Range

Prominent range running from Warepa to Clinton

Kaihiku River

Rise southern slopes of Kaihiku Range

Flows into Clutha River 6mls upstream from Balclutha

Kaimaitaitai

Name for old port at The Nuggets, 30km from Balclutha

‘Kai’ food, ‘mataitai ‘salty’

Kaitangata

Kaitangata Coal Mine c1890

Coal mining centre in South Otago situated on Matau branch of Clutha River, 13km from Balclutha

One meaning given -‘Kai’ to eat, food; ‘tangata’ man’.  Battle fought here between two tribes over eeling rights, chief Mokomoko being killed and eaten by victors.  Another is that was named for Kaitakata of Arai-te-uru canoe who found type of clay used in painted designs.  Another version is based on mythology, Rupe’s son, Kaitangata was crushed by a heavy beam and his blood spread across the heavens, explaining sky at sunset.

Kaiwera

Stream flowing around south side of Otaraia Hill into Waipahi River.

Corruption of ‘Kahuwera’, hot clothes.  ‘Kaiwera’ would be hot food

Kaka Point

Seaside town between Port Molyneux and Karoro Creek, 22km from Balclutha

Name refers to native parrot once common in district

Kakapuaka

Old railway station and township 3mls west of Balclutha

Railway station was originally Waitepeka and post office Kakapuaka.  Settlers petitioned to change railway station to Kakapuaka

Karoro Creek

Small creek flowing into Willsher Bay

Maori name for black backed gull  OR  short for Ka-o-Ue, fire of Ue

Katea

District 5km up Hunts Road, 5km from Owaka

Probably abbreviation of ‘kahikatea’ the white pine

Kenneth Peak

Mountain 1mile nth of Tahakopa River

Koau River

Commencing just below railway bridge at Balclutha, the Koau River is the branch of the Clutha River forming western boundary of Inch Clutha and southern boundary of Balclutha

Koau is Maori name for pied shag.

Kuramea

Maori name for Catlins River

Kuriwao

District 48km from Gore 5km sth of Clinton.  Also Kuriwao Peak - prominent peak within area

Maori name was ‘Koaka-kaeaea’ – nest of the sparrow hawk

Kuriwao Stream

Rises in hills south of Clinton, flows down Kuriwao Gorge, west of Kuriwao Peak then through Clinton district into Waiwera River

Kuri means dog and wao is forest

Lawrence

96km from Dunedin on Central Otago Highway

Named in 1857 after Sir HM LAWRENCE, hero of Indian Mutiny

Lochindorb

Also known as Shaw’s old run.  Top end of Puerua Valley

Lochindorb is a lake in Morayshire, Scotland

Long Point

Prominent headland 7 miles east of Tautuku Peninsula.

S.S. Manuka was wrecked here in 1929.  Maori name was ‘Irihuka’ – hanging with foam

Longbeach Creek

East of Waikawa  Harbour.

Boundary between Otago and Southland

Lovell’s Flat

District between Moneymore and Stirling, 14km from Balclutha.  Also Lovells Creek

Originally owned by pioneer settler, John LOVELL, one of whose sons discovered coal at Kaitangata.

MacKenzie Stream

Rises near Tarara and flows into Catlins Lake near Ratanui

Named after Sir Thomas MACKENZIE, MP for district

Maclennan

Old railway station on Catlins River line where Maclennan River joins the Tahakopa, 63km from Balclutha

Murdoch MacLENNAN took up the MacLennan run in 1884

Maclennan Range

Range between head waters of Tauruku and Tahakopa Rivers.

Maclennan River

Small river rising near Ajax Hill, about 5 miles nth of Tahakopa Valley, flows into Tahakopa River

Maori name ‘Waimaeroero’

Manuka Creek

District just beyond the Manuka Gorge on Lawrence/Central Otago highway, 14km from Milton

Manuka shrub growing prolifically in area

Manuka Island

Small island in Clutha River , 3 miles up from Balclutha

Maranuku

Maori reserve at Karoro

Marshall’s Creek

Also known as Awakia Stream

Matthew MARSHALL was a shepherd of Meredith’s Popotunoa Run in 1853

Mataipipi

Old time Maori pa at mouth of Clutha River near Coal Point

McPhee Cove

Small bay west of Pillan’s Head

Named after McPHEE, boat builder at Owaka River

Measley Beach

Between Clutha and Tokomairiro

Large party of Maoris died from measles c 1835

Milburn

Small settlement 6km north of Milton

Name derived from ‘Millbourne’, property name of Mr BLACK, so named because of stream flowing through farm the water from which drove the wheels of mills at Milton

Miller’s Point

Catlins

Milton

McGill’s Flour Mill, Milton

est 1858

Town at heart of Tokomairiro region

Name derived from Mill Town, the settlement around McGill’s flourmill and several other mills in the area

Mokamoka

Name adopted for short period for Pounawea

Molyneux

Alternative name for Clutha River

Captain Cook named what he took to be a harbour after Robert MOLINEUX, sailing master of ‘Endeavour’ who died during the voyage.  Whalers adopted name for the river.  Old miners referred to the river above Cromwell as the Clutha and below, the Molyneux.

Moneymore

District 6km south of Milton

Named after district in Ireland where guardian of orphaned MARTIN family came from.  Property named Moneymore Farm.  Formerly known as Southbridge or South Toko, name changed as confusion with same name in Southland. 

Mount Cooee

Hill on bank of Clutha to north of Balclutha

So named as settlers often had to ccoey loudly to attract attention of ferryman.

Mount Roseberry

Highest peak in South Otago called the Steep Face area, about 15 miles south of Clinton and 20 miles north of Chaslands.

Three early runs, the Merrie Creek, the Cairn and the Wisp shared the rough tussock country of this area.

Murikauhaka

Old Maori village at old mouth of Clutha River (near Port Molyneux)

Canoes were tied up in a backwater.  ‘Muri’ means behind, ‘kauhaka’ a bay

Sources: 

‘Pioneering in South Otago’ by F Waite, pub. 1948

‘Catlins Pioneering’ by AR Tyrell, pub. 1989

‘Faith and Toil’ by DJ Sumpter and JJ Lewis, pub 1949

‘Full Circle’ 1975

‘Place Names of New Zealand’ by AW Reed, pub 1975

‘Otago Place Names’ by JH Beattie, pub