The Orepuki Catchment, located in western Southland, features a diverse landscape of coastal terraces, rolling hill country, and native forest. Within the catchment boundary lie the settlements of Orepuki, Round Hill, Pahia, and Colac Bay. The northern part of the catchment includes the elevated, bush-covered Longwood Forest, while the southern areas transition into rolling coastal farmland. Key waterways within the catchment include the Waimeamea River in the north, Grindstone Creek in the northwest, and the Ourawera Stream in the southern region, which also includes Lake George.  A number of smaller streams flow out to sea between Orepuki and Pahia. These water bodies are central to the catchment’s hydrology and influence land management practices. The area spans several physiographic zones—Bedrock-Hill Country, Oxidising, Gleyed, and Lignite Marine Terraces—which shape how water and contaminants move through the landscape, guiding the catchment group’s environmental priorities.