Otautau, Southland Map

About Otautau, Southland

Otautau is a locality in the Southland Region of New Zealand. It is a small community with a population of 672. It sits at an elevation of around 55 m above sea level. It lies approximately 39 km north-west of Invercargill, the regional capital. Otautau is located at 46.1500°S, 168.0000°E. It observes New Zealand Time (NZST/NZDT). Statistics New Zealand classifies the area as a rural settlement.

Otautau rests in a broad, fertile valley, its physical character shaped by the gentle sweep of the land towards the horizon. It lies 38.7 km north-west of Invercargill (from Invercargill: bearing 316°T), and is situated 25.7 km west of Winton. The landscape here is a patchwork of emerald pastures and darker, richer soil, crisscrossed by the occasional ribbon of grey gravel road. Rolling hills, softened by the passage of time and cultivation, rise in the distance, their slopes a muted green under the often-overcast Southland sky. The air carries a clean, earthy scent, a perpetual reminder of the agricultural heartland that surrounds Otautau.

The history of Otautau is inextricably linked to the land and its bounty. Once a bustling centre for sawmilling and timber, the economy has since shifted, finding its steady pulse in the robust dairy farming that defines much of the Southland region. The Aparima River, a constant presence just a few kilometres to the west, has historically been a vital artery, though its role is now more about the enduring beauty it lends to the landscape than the commercial transport of yesteryear. The Longwood Range, a protective, wooded barrier, offers a backdrop of deeper green, hinting at the native bush and forests that still hold sway in the wilder parts of the region, a stark contrast to the cultivated fields that sustain Otautau.

About This Otautau Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Otautau, Southland, New Zealand — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: -46.15, 168.0. 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 Otautau.

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