Awarua Plains

[1] Covering an area of around 600 km², the plain stretches for 35 kilometres along the coast of Foveaux Strait.

In addition, several small streams enter Foveaux Strait along this stretch of coast, mainly via Awarua Bay and Waituna Lagoon.

[2] The Awarua Plains statistical area covers 409.10 km2 (157.95 sq mi)[3] within Southland District.

[8] Radio-related facilities here are: Awarua Radio (callsign VLB or ZLB) was New Zealand's main receiving and transmitting coast radio station providing worldwide radiotelegraph and voice communications with ships at sea.

[9] The site was selected following an expedition in 1911 led by Mr J Orchiston, head of the New Zealand Telegraph Department, Captain Gard'ner of the New Zealand Artillery and representatives of Australian Wireless, seeking 'an extensive area of flat lands [producing] the best results'.