Te Anau is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.

The town only really started to grow after the opening of the Homer Tunnel and road route to Milford in 1953.

Before the 2023 census, Te Anau had a smaller boundary, covering 5.53 km2 (2.14 sq mi).

[8] Whitestone is a statistical area which surrounds Te Anau and covers 89.94 km2 (34.73 sq mi).

Before the 2023 census, Whitestone had a larger boundary, covering 91.17 km2 (35.20 sq mi).

Lying as it does at the borders of Fiordland National Park, it is the gateway to a wilderness area famed for tramping and spectacular scenery.

Visitors to the area also partake in activities such as kayaking, cycling, jet boat riding, fishing and hunting, farm tours and seaplane/helicopter sightseeing.

The Department of Conservation office in Te Anau is active in protecting endangered native birds[12] The Fiordland vintage machinery museum has, in its collection, displays of Te Anau's early history, a blacksmith shop, 60 working tractors, road graders, motor bikes and Te Anau's first school building.

[16][17] Te Anau hosts the Kepler Challenge in early December each year.

The caves include an underground glowworm grotto, which can be viewed from a punt during daily guided tours.

it is possible to see takahē, kākā, Antipodes Island parakeets, blue duck (whio) and other native birds.

[22][23] The RealNZ Fiordland Community Events Centre has a 300 square metre climbing wall, bouldering wall, indoor courts for sports such as netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton.

[27] Fiordland College is a co-educational secondary school for years 7 to 13[28] with a roll of 275 students as of November 2024.[29].

There are a number of private bus operators that connect Te Anau to; Invercargill, Queenstown, smaller nearby towns, and various trailheads or tourist attractions in the area.

There are also a large number of buses that travel through Te Anau while going between Queenstown and Milford Sound as a part of one-day package experiences.

Te Anau once (in 2021) proposed to make daylight savings permanent in the town.