The first Southern Hemisphere measurements of the vertical column abundance of atmospheric hydroxyl (OH) have been obtained at Lauder, New Zealand (45¿S) with a PEPSIOS instrument measuring the absorption of sunlight at 308 nm. The variation of column OH with solar zenith angle is similar to that measured at other sites. However average annual abundances of OH are about 20% higher than those found by similar measurements at 40¿N. Minimum OH abundances, about 10% less than average levels at 40¿N, are observed during austral spring. The OH abundance abruptly increases by 30% in early summer and remains at the elevated level until late the following winter. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1994