North Otago
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North Otago in New Zealand covers the area of Otago between Shag Point and the Waitaki River, and extends inland to the west as far as the village of Omarama (which has experienced rapid growth as a developing centre for astronomy and for gliding).
Geography
Prominent rivers include the
Mount Pisgah, to 1,643 metres (5,390 ft). These are separated from the lower, parallel Horse Range
by the upper valleys of the Waianakarua and Shag rivers.
The large east-coast town of
, all on or close to the coast south of Oamaru. The coastal plain north of Oamaru has the settlements of Hilderthorpe and Pukeuri.Inland settlements include Weston, Ardgowan, Windsor, Five Forks, Peebles, Papakaio, Duntroon, Kurow (on the south bank of the Waitaki), Omarama, and Otematata.
History and economy
The area aspired to
Canterbury
region, testing this sense of identity and raising the ire of many locals.
The rolling,
hydro-electricity in the Waitaki Valley has also drawn attention to the area (see Project Aqua
), and tourism has grown in recent years.