Temuka is a town on New Zealand's Canterbury Plains, 15 kilometres north of Timaru and 142 km south of Christchurch. It is located at the centre of a rich sheep and dairy farming region, for which it is a service town. It lies on the north bank of the Temuka River, just above its confluence with the Ōpihi River.

Temuka is the second largest town in South Canterbury after Timaru. Temuka is home to three schools, two primary schools and one secondary school. Temuka is accessed by New Zealand's State Highway Number 1 and the Main South Line railway allowing for major cargo handling. Temuka is north of the Opihi and Temuka rivers. The local secondary school, Opihi College, takes its name from the Opihi River. Both rivers are popular with locals and tourists. Almost all traffic passing north or south goes through or around Temuka. Temuka has recently had the redevelopment of the local Domain by incorporating a skate park to join the other facilities which include a swimming pool, mini golf, golf, netball, outdoor bowls and tennis. There are also rugby and football fields, a stadium complex and a holiday park.

The name Temuka, or Te Muka, is a corruption of Te Umu-kaha, which is thought to mean either 'fierce ovens' or 'strong current'. The fierce ovens would be the large earth ovens (umu) that Māori used to cook the roots of plentifully-growing cabbage trees. Temuka was originally called Wallingford.

Temuka was gazetted as a town in 1858. The first survey was conducted in 1863. The first buildings were erected in 1860. Initial industries included a tannery works, a cheese factory, a flour mill and potteries. The police barracks were built in 1863 and the telegraph office was opened in 1868. In 1878, the Oddfellows lodge and the St George Masonic lodge were opened. The Temuka town board was constituted in 1884. In 1899, Wallingford and Arowhenua town districts were incorporated into the borough of Temuka.

The population of Temuka was 1465 people in 1901. Temuka was described in 1903 as having two doctors, two chemists and one dentist in the town, which has a well kept park and domain, with a bicycle track, and tennis, cricket and football grounds. The two storied post and telegraph office was opened in 1902 by Sir Joseph Ward.

Temuka was a stop on the Main South Line until passenger services were discontinued. At one time Temuka supported wool scouring plants, it had a flour mill and manufactured electric power transmission insulators.

Temuka was hit by a significant flood on March 13, 1986, with Temuka being isolated after the bridge crossing State Highway 1 being washed out.

Temuka previously had its own council system in place, but has been under the administration of Timaru District Council since 1989. Recently, the council has been redeveloping Temuka in the form of cleaning waterways, new walkways, redeveloping of existing walkways, new gardens, domains, new tennis courts, complete skate park and general modernisation of the large service town.