Tumai is a rural locality in East Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 between Waikouaiti and Palmerston, and close to the South Island Main Trunk railway,[1] although trains no longer stop at Tumai. It is close to the northernmost coastal part of Dunedin city.

Tumai
Settlement
Tumai is located in New Zealand
Tumai
Tumai
Location of Tumai in New Zealand
Coordinates: 45°34′00″S 170°41′40″E / 45.56667°S 170.69444°E / -45.56667; 170.69444
CountryNew Zealand
IslandSouth Island
RegionEast Otago
Government
 • Regional councilOtago Regional Council
 • Territorial authorityDunedin City Council
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

A small creek runs close to Tumai, flowing north into the estuary of the Pleasant River. There is evidence of Maori settlement in the area dating to at least the 15th century AD, notably the midden from a small settlement close to the southern edge of the Pleasant River estuary. The site was extensively excavated in 1976, and has a Heritage New Zealand Category II historic place classification.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ Tumai, NZ Topomap.
  2. ^ "Tumai". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand.