Pihama, Taranaki Map

About Pihama, Taranaki

Pihama is a locality in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand. It sits at an elevation of around 56 m above sea level. It lies approximately 50 km south-southwest of New Plymouth, the regional capital. Pihama is located at 39.5000°S, 173.9333°E. It observes New Zealand Time (NZST/NZDT).

Pihama lies in the rolling green folds of Taranaki's western flank, where the land dips and swells towards the distant murmur of the Tasman Sea. It lies 49.9 km south-south-west of New Plymouth (from New Plymouth: bearing 195°T), and is situated 8.1 km south-east of Opunake. The air here carries a clean, damp scent, a perpetual whisper of the ocean carried inland on the prevailing westerly winds, even though the closest reach of the tide is some seven kilometres away. Fields of emerald pasture, meticulously fenced and divided, stretch across the landscape, broken only by the dark, sturdy lines of shelter belts and the occasional clump of native bush clinging to a steeper slope. The Waiaua River, a silver thread in the afternoon sun, carves its patient course through the country, its banks often softened by the verdant growth of ferns and mosses.

This is a place where the rhythm of the seasons is dictated by the needs of the land and the animals that inhabit it, a place built on the bedrock of dairy farming. For generations, families have worked these fertile soils, their lives interwoven with the cycles of milking and calving. The rich volcanic loam, a legacy of the region's powerful geological past, provides an almost inexhaustible bounty for the dairy herds that graze contentedly across the hills. While the sea is a presence, a constant backdrop to the coastal plains, it is the land itself that has shaped the enduring character and economy of Pihama, fostering a quiet resilience and a deep connection to the earth. Nearby, the historic site of Whakatukorau hints at older stories, a silent sentinel watching over the contemporary pulse of agricultural life.

About This Pihama Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Pihama, Taranaki, New Zealand — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: -39.5, 173.93333. 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 Pihama.

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