Last updated October 2026
Rakahouka is a rural locality on the Southland Plains, in Southland District, near Invercargill rather than inside the city. It sits in fertile farming country just south of the Makarewa River, with pasture, shelter belts and scattered houses instead of a village centre.
State Highway 98, also known as Lorne Dacre Road, runs through the locality and links Lorneville with Dacre, forming a flat northern route around Invercargill.
The land here is working farmland, and the highway is the main public face of the place. People who live in Rakahouka look to Invercargill for most shops, schools and services. For visitors, it is a rural drive through open plains country, not a formed village stop.
Practical Information
- Ward or local board
- Ōreti ward and Ōreti Community Board, Southland District Council
- Getting there
- State Highway 98 (Lorne Dacre Road) runs through the locality, linking Lorneville on State Highway 6 with Dacre on State Highway 1. Travel is by road.
- Nearby landmarks
- Makarewa River, just to the north
About Rakahouka
Rakahouka is open country on the Southland Plains. The ground is flat and given over to farming, and the Makarewa River lies just to the north. There is no verified township core. The locality is a spread of farms and rural homes on and off the highway, which is how many Southland plains localities are arranged.
State Highway 98 is the road that defines the place for anyone passing through. It runs from Lorneville, where State Highway 6 and State Highway 99 meet just north of Invercargill, east to Dacre on State Highway 1.
The highway was gazetted in 1997 and is also known as Lorne Dacre Road. It is a flat route through prime agricultural land, and Rakahouka lies about halfway along it, so the locality is part of an indirect northern bypass of the city.
Day to day, this is a place to live and farm, not a service town. A shop, school or community hall based in Rakahouka was not confirmed in Southland District Council facility listings or in the main published description of the locality.
Residents use Invercargill, and other centres in the wider district, for shopping, schooling and most appointments. That pattern suits people who want space and quiet, and who are happy to drive for everyday needs.
Local government sits with Southland District Council, not Invercargill City Council. Rakahouka is listed among the communities of the Ōreti ward, and residents vote for Ōreti ward councillors.
The same community is included in the Ōreti Community Board area, which covers a wide sweep of rural and small-town Southland to the north of the city, including Winton and Wallacetown. Council’s head office is in Invercargill, at 15 Forth Street.
Getting Around
The practical way in and out is by road. State Highway 98 runs through Rakahouka and is the direct link between the State Highway 6 junction at Lorneville and State Highway 1 at Dacre.
One clear approach from Invercargill is north to Lorneville, then onto the highway. The other end of the route meets State Highway 1 at Dacre. Plan on a private vehicle.
The highway is very flat, which makes the drive straightforward in ordinary conditions. It passes through working farmland, so farm traffic is part of using the route. No public car park or visitor pull-off is described for the locality, so do not assume there is a formed place to stop on the shoulder.
Farming Country and the River
The setting is the Southland Plains at their most open. Pasture runs to shelter belts, and the Makarewa River marks the country just north of the locality. This is not a reserve, beach or walking destination, and no Department of Conservation track or council park was confirmed inside Rakahouka itself. Time outdoors is on public roads, or on private land with the owner’s permission.
For someone passing through, the interest is the view of how this edge of the plains is farmed, and the easy highway link between the roads north and east of Invercargill. Treat gates, races and verges as working farm infrastructure, and keep to the public road unless you have a reason to be on a property.
Where to Learn More
Southland District Council representation proposal: lists Rakahouka in the Ōreti ward and the Ōreti Community Board.
Rakahouka on Wikipedia: short description of the locality, the Makarewa River setting and State Highway 98.
State Highway 98 on Wikipedia: route summary from Lorneville to Dacre, with Rakahouka named as the locality along the highway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rakahouka part of Invercargill?
No. It is a locality in Southland District, near Invercargill, and it is not administered by Invercargill City Council.
Which council ward covers Rakahouka?
The Ōreti ward of Southland District Council. Rakahouka is also included in the Ōreti Community Board area.
How do you get to Rakahouka?
Follow State Highway 98, also known as Lorne Dacre Road. It runs through the locality between Lorneville on State Highway 6 and Dacre on State Highway 1.
Is there a town centre or shops?
No village centre, shop or community hall in Rakahouka was confirmed. It is open farming country, and most services are in Invercargill.
Is there a school in Rakahouka?
No school based in the locality was confirmed. Families use schools in Invercargill and the wider district.
What is the landscape like?
Flat, fertile Southland Plains farmland, just south of the Makarewa River, with State Highway 98 crossing prime agricultural land.
When was State Highway 98 gazetted?
The highway was gazetted in 1997. It provides an indirect northern route around Invercargill and passes through Rakahouka about halfway between Lorneville and Dacre.
Is Rakahouka a visitor attraction?
It is a living rural area, not a park or sightseeing stop. The interest is the plains landscape and the highway. Stay on public roads and respect working farms.
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