Southland District Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Southland District
Territorial authority district
Lake Te Anau
Location of the Southland District within the South Island
Country	New Zealand
Region	Southland Region
Communities	Ardlussa Fiordland Northern Oraka Aparima Oreti Stewart Island/Rakiura Tuatapere Te Waewae Waihopai Toetoe Wallace Takitimu
Wards	Mararoa Waimea Stewart Island Rakiura Waiau Aparima Waihopai Toetoes Winton Wallacetown
Formed	1989
Seat	Invercargill
Area
• Land	29,575.19 km² (11,419.04 sq mi)
Population (June 2023)
• Total	33,000
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)	Map of postcodes

Southland District is a New Zealand territorial authority district that covers most of the southern end of the South Island as well as Stewart Island.

History
Geography
- Urban areas and settlements
Demographics
Sister cities
- Current sister city
- Former sister city
See also

History

Southland District was formed through the 1989 local government reforms. Four local authorities were amalgamated at that time: Wallace County, Winton Borough, Stewart Island County and most of Southland County. John Casey, who was first elected onto Southland County Council in 1977, oversaw the amalgamation and was elected Southland District's first mayor in 1989.

Winton Wallacetown Ward was renamed Oreti Ward with effect from the Council election on 12 October 2019. The Oreti River flows through this ward.

Geography

Lake Manapouri

Southland District covers the majority of the land area of Southland Region, although the region also covers Gore District, Invercargill City and adjacent territorial waters. It has a land area of 29,574.53 square kilometres (11,419 sq mi), excluding inland waters such as Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri, and Lake Hauroko.

Southland District contains the islands south of Foveaux Strait:

The seat of the district council is Invercargill, which, however, is not part of Southland District, but a territorial authority in its own right.

Two of New Zealand's largest national parks are within the boundaries of Southland District: Fiordland National Park, and Rakiura National Park (which covers most of Stewart Island/Rakiura).

Urban areas and settlements

The Southland District has three towns with a population over 1,000. Together, they are home to 21.7% of the district's population.

Urban area	Population (June 2023)	% of district
Te Anau	3,060	9.3%
Winton	2,460	7.5%
Riverton	1,640	5.0%

Other settlements and localities in the district include:

Mararoa Waimea Ward

Five Rivers Area:
- Athol
- Castlerock
- Eyre Creek
- Fairlight
- Five Rivers
- Garston
- Josephville
- Lowther
- Lumsden
- Mossburn
- Nokomai
- Parawa
- Saint Patricks

Te Anau Area:
- Cascade Creek
- Knobs Flat
- Manapouri
- Milford Sound
- Te Anau
- The Key

Waikaia Area:
- Ardlussa
- Balfour
- Kauhoe
- Riversdale
- Waikaia
- Wendon
- Wendonside

Waiau Aparima Ward

Riverton Area:
- Colac Bay
- Gummies Bush
- Orepuki
- Pahia
- Riverton/Aparima
- Thornbury
- Waipango

Tuatapere Area:
- Blackmount
- Clifden
- Merrivale
- Monowai
- Papatotara
- Piko Piko
- Pukemaori
- Te Tua
- Te Waewae
- Tuatapere

Wallace Area:
- Drummond
- Fairfax
- Isla Bank
- Nightcaps
- Ohai
- Otahuti
- Otautau
- Wairio
- Wreys Bush

Waihopai Toetoe Ward

Toetoes Area:
- Curio Bay
- Fortification
- Fortrose
- Glenham
- Haldane
- Mokoreta
- Niagara
- Otara
- Pine Bush
- Pukewao
- Quarry Hills
- Redan
- Slope Point
- Titiroa
- Te Peka
- Tokanui
- Waipapa Point
- Waikawa
- Waimahaka
- Wyndham

Waihopai Area:
- Ashers
- Dacre
- Gorge Road
- Grove Bush
- Kapuka
- Kapuka South
- Longbush
- Mabel Bush
- Mokotua
- Oteramika
- Rakahouka
- Rimu
- Roslyn Bush
- Timpanys
- Woodlands

Te Tipua Area:
- Brydone
- Edendale
- Glencoe
- Menzies Ferry
- Morton Mains
- Ota Creek
- Seaward Downs
- Te Tipua
- Waitane

Oreti Ward

Wallacetown Area:
- Branxholme
- Lochiel
- Makarewa
- Ryal Bush
- Spar Bush
- Tussock Creek
- Waianiwa
- Wallacetown
- Waimatuku

Winton Area:
- Benmore
- Browns
- Caroline
- Centre Bush
- Dipton
- Dipton West
- Hedgehope
- Kauana
- Lady Barkly
- Limehills
- Oreti Plains
- Otapiri
- South Hillend
- Springhills
- Winton

Stewart Island-Rakiura Ward

Oban
Port Pegasus (uninhabited)
Port William (uninhabited)

Demographics

Southland District covers 29,575.19 km² (11,419.04 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 33,000 as of June 2023, with a population density of 1.1 people per km².

Ethnicities, 2023 Census
Ethnicity	Population
New Zealand European	27,465
Māori	4,137
Pasifika	453
Asian	2,409
MELAA	252
Other	591

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	28,437	—
2013	29,613	+0.58%
2018	30,864	+0.83%
2023	31,833	+0.62%

Southland District had a population of 31,833 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 969 people (3.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,220 people (7.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 16,887 dwellings. The median age was 40.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 6,387 people (20.1%) aged under 15 years, 5,025 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 14,874 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 5,541 (17.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 86.3% European/Pākehā, 13.0% Māori, 1.4% Pasifika, 7.6% Asian, 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders, and 1.9% other. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Southland District had a population of 30,864 at the 2018 New Zealand census. There were 11,982 households, comprising 16,029 males and 14,835 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female.

The percentage of people born overseas was 13.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.7% had no religion, 38.4% were Christian, 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 3,363 (13.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 5,739 (23.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 3,732 people (15.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 13,956 (57.4%) people were employed full-time, 4,053 (16.7%) were part-time, and 519 (2.1%) were unemployed.

Individual wards (2018 boundaries)
Name	Area (km²)	Population	Density (per km²)	Households	Median age	Median income
Mararoa-Waimea Ward	17,420.86	7,953	0.46	3,081	38.8 years	$36,800
Waiau-Aparima Ward	6,381.17	7,908	1.24	3,153	40.6 years	$31,900
Oreti Ward	1,826.23	9,117	4.99	3,468	39.1 years	$38,600
Waihopai-Toetoe Ward	2,176.35	5,481	2.52	2,055	37.2 years	$37,900
Stewart Island/Rakiura Ward	1,747.74	408	0.22	222	49.3 years	$33,500
New Zealand					37.4 years	$31,800