Mataura Island, Southland Map

About Mataura Island, Southland

Mataura Island is a locality in the Southland Region of New Zealand. It sits at an elevation of around 13 m above sea level. It lies approximately 33 km east of Invercargill, the regional capital. Mataura Island is located at 46.4167°S, 168.7833°E. It observes New Zealand Time (NZST/NZDT).

Mataura Island rests in a land of sweeping pastoral beauty, its character shaped by the gentle contours of the Southland plains. It lies 33.3 km east of Invercargill (from Invercargill: bearing 93°T), and is situated 11.1 km south of Edendale. The landscape here is a tapestry of rich, dark earth, meticulously delineated by fences into paddocks of verdant pasture, where the air carries the sweet, earthy scent of clover and well-tended soil. Rolling hills, cloaked in a patchwork of emerald green and ochre brown depending on the season, rise and fall in a steady rhythm, culminating in the more rugged slopes of the distant Forest Range. To the west, the Mataura River, a ribbon of clear, cool water, carves its way through the land, its banks often fringed with native bush, including the dense greenery of Mararua Bush, offering a welcome contrast to the open farmland.

The history of Mataura Island is deeply entwined with the agricultural enterprise that continues to define its economy. For generations, sheep and beef farming have been the bedrock of this place, their presence evident in the well-established farmsteads and the enduring rhythm of the seasons. Dairy farming has also gained a significant foothold, its operations contributing to the region's prosperity and its distinctive landscape of milking sheds and extensive grazing lands. The land itself, once largely open tussock country, has been progressively shaped by human endeavour, a testament to the resilience and foresight of those who first settled here. While the immediate vicinity is inland, the spirit of enterprise that once drove exploration and settlement now fuels a quiet dedication to the land, a distinctive characteristic of Mataura Island.

About This Mataura Island Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Mataura Island, Southland, New Zealand — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: -46.41667, 168.78333. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time New Zealand and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorial description provides background on Mataura Island.

Mataura Island sits within the Southland Region. Location data is drawn from the GeoNames geographical database and verified by coordinates, ensuring the correct Mataura Island is identified even where the name is shared across multiple New Zealand localities.