Te Anau Basin Catchment Group
Read our Factsheet | Read the 2021 Water Report
Read our Catchment Group Summary
Your Catchment Group Coordinator
Ginny Kennedy
021914765
ginny@thrivingsouthland.co.nz
Catchment Group Contact
Ed Pinckney
021 330 845
About Us
The Te Anau Basin Catchment Group is part of the Waiau Catchment, located on the eastern edge of Fiordland. The group was formed to connect landowners and the wider community to discuss environmental challenges and explore practical ways to improve water and land management in the Te Anau area.
The group’s mission is to support sustainable land and water management, encourage knowledge sharing, and build local connections to achieve positive environmental outcomes Since forming in 2020, the Te Anau Basin Catchment Group has brought the community together to explore local water quality and sustainable land management. They have hosted a National Environmental Standards information evening, holding initial meetings to define priorities, analysing water quality data with expert support.
Catchment Area
The Te Anau Basin covers the headwaters of the Waiau River, which drains Lake Te Anau into Lake Manapouri and flows on to Te Waewae Bay via Tuatapere. Its major tributary, the Mararoa River, is an important focus for water quality and land management efforts. The catchment includes a mix of high-country farmland, pastoral areas, and local communities around Te Anau.
Events
Upcoming Events
Phase 3 of the Multi-Catchment Project: Case studies on local farms to demonstrate how soil data outputs can support practical on-farm management decisions.
Field Days: Presentations of the Soil Management Unit (SMU) project to the wider community.
Focus Days: Hands-on sessions for farmers and rural professionals to build skills in using SMU data effectively for improved farm and environmental outcomes.
Projects
The Te Anau Basin Catchment Group is part of a multi-catchment project aimed at updating and improving soil information across the agricultural areas of the Waiau Catchment. The project is developing high-resolution Soil Management Units (SMUs) for the Te Anau Basin, as well as the Orauea and Lower Waiau catchments.
This detailed soil and landscape information helps farmers understand land variability, identify opportunities and risks, and make informed decisions. The data supports optimised fertiliser use, improved soil health, and better environmental outcomes, providing a holistic approach to sustainable farm management across the catchment.
A Committee is working with Land and Water Science to showcase the outputs of the project to the wider Waiau Catchment.
Thriving Southland is a community-led group with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea.
CONTACT US
25 Don Street,
Invercargill 9810
