Tiwai Point facts for kids
Tiwai Point lies at the entrance to Bluff Harbour on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. A spit which extends from the western end of the Awarua Plain, it lies between Awarua Bay to the north and Foveaux Strait to the south. It is known for the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, one of the largest industrial facilities in New Zealand. However, in July 2020 it was announced by Rio Tinto that the aluminium smelter would close in August 2021.
Tiwai Rocks Important Bird Area
The rocks at the tip of Tiwai Point have been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because they are home to a breeding colony of Foveaux shags.
Foveaux looper moth
Tiwai Point is one of the two remaining locations where the critically endangered Foveaux looper moth lives. A. frivola is at high risk of extinction, and has already disappeared from one of its three known localities. Its main population exists on an area at Tiwai Point of less than 25 m² of coastal vegetation.
