West Otago is the local name given to part of the region of Otago

Otago

Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 which lies close to the border with Southland. It is administratively connected to South Otago

South Otago

South Otago lies in the south east of the South Island of New Zealand. As the name suggests, it forms the southernmost part of the geographical region of Otago....

, but is geographically separated from it by a range of hills known as the Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains, New Zealand

The Blue Mountains are a range of rugged hills in West Otago, in southern New Zealand. They form a barrier between the valleys of the Clutha and Pomahaka Rivers. They lie between the towns of Tapanui and Lawrence and rise to about 1000 metres ....

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West Otago consists of rolling farmland and forested hills close to the Pomahaka River

Pomahaka River

The Pomahaka River is located in South Otago in New Zealand's South Island. It is a tributary of the Clutha River, flowing south for 80 kilometres from the Old Man Range of mountains to join the Clutha just north of Balclutha...

. The largest settlement in West Otago is Tapanui

Tapanui

Tapanui is a picturesque town in West Otago in New Zealand's South Island, close to the boundary with Southland region . A forestry town, it lies between the foot of the Blue Mountains and the Pomahaka River. Deer stalking and trout fishing are popular pastimes of the area...

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