PLACENAME

WHERE

HISTORY

Ururua

District between Awamangu and Pukekoma

Vial’s Corner

Corner in Romahapa

Named for Vial’s Hotel which was built on top side of road

Waihola

Lake and district north c10 miles of Milton.  Small township early name is ‘Kapiti’

Name associated with Waitaha occupation of south.

Waikaro

Alternative name for Measley Beach

Wai-koata

Tributary of Purakaunui River

Waipahi

River and district and old railway station 10 miles NW of Clinton. River enters Pomahaka River below Conical Hills

Wai pahi means slave river, but believed to be named after the chief Pahi who was born beside it

Wairuna

District and old railway station 6km NW of Clinton

‘Wai’ stream and ‘runa’ means dock

Wairuna Peak

Prominent peak between Conical Hills and Otairaia

Waitahuna Island

Island in Clutha River, just north of where Waitahuna River enters Clutha, opposite mouth of Pomahaka River

Waitahuna River

Tributary of Clutha River, flowing in from west.

Waitahuna was a Ngai Tahu chief killed during Hillend fighting

Waitahuna/Waitahuna West

12km from Lawrence

Once known as Havelock after Sir Henry HAVELOCK, hero of Indian Mutiny

Waitepeka

Ploughing at Waitepeka

District about six miles from Balclutha

‘Wai’ means stream, ‘peka’ branch

Waitepeka Stream

Originally flowed from Waitepeka in easterly direction below Finegand and around eastern side of Otanomomo swamp, into the Puerua River

River course has been altered, part of stream joining Clutha River below Finegand, the other flowing through Paretai into Puerua River

Waiwera/Waiwera South

District and old railway station 24km W of Balclutha

Named after river rising in Steep Face district, passing to W of Brown Dome and E of Waiwera Cone, then NW to Clutha River. 

Wallace Head

Headland on south coast about 2 miles E of Longbeach creek

Wangaloa

District up coast from Coal Point

Warepa

District and old railway station 13km W of Balclutha.

One of earliest settlements was at Warepa Bush.

Washpool Creek

Flows easterly from Kaitangata hills, enters sea above Coal Point

Maori name was ‘Te Waihoaka’, the grindstone stream, after stone used to work greenstone and other hard stone for tool and weapon making

Washpool Stream

Stream flowing through Wharetoa district into Pomahaka River

Wattys Stream

Small stream flowing through Clifton into Waiwera about 3 miles from Clutha River

Also a Wattie’s Creek at Conical Hills

Wetherstones

3km from Lawrence

Named after WETHERSTONE brothers who found gold while pig hunting

Wharetoa

District on west of Clutha River about 3.5 miles SW of Tuapeka Mouth

Wharuarimu

Name of post office opened 1908, school called ‘Rimu’

Whawhapo Creek

Small creek between Kaka Point and Karoro

Name means ‘crawling by night’ in reference to incident in Maori fighting

White Head

Headland 3 miles SW of Owaka Harbour

Willsher Bay

Bay at mouth of Karoro stream, near Kaka Point

George Willsher and companions settled here in 1840

Wisp Hill

Most prominent peak in Wisp Range, the watershed between Catlins River and headwaters of Owaka River

Wisp Hill gave name to Brugh’s Run “The Wisp’ and was given by wife of John CLARKE in 1873.  There is a Wisp Hill in Dumfriesshire.

Woolshed, The

Early name for Glenore district

Named such because of large woolshed erected in late 1850’s by James SMITH

Sources: 

‘Pioneering in South Otago’ by F Waite, pub. 1948

‘Catlins Pioneering’ by AR Tyrell, pub. 1989

‘Faith and Toil’ by DJ Sumpter and JJ Lewis, pub 1949

‘Full Circle’ 1975

‘Place Names of New Zealand’ by AW Reed, pub 1975

‘Otago Place Names’ by JH Beattie, pub