About the Region

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Invercargill

Bluff

Stewart Island/Rakiura

The Catlins

Gore & Eastern Southland

Riverton & Western Southland

Winton & Central Southland

Lumsden & Northern Southland

Te Anau & Fiordland

Invercargill

Invercargill, New Zealand's southernmost city, is the commercial and administrative hub of Southland. From excellent shopping to lively cafe's, restaurants and bars, Invercargill has all the benefits of city life with few of the drawbacks. The variety and number of heritage buildings in the city centre add to Invercargill's character.

Bluff

World famous for Bluff oysters, Bluff is one of New Zealand's oldest European settlements and a gateway to Stewart Island. Bluff is situated just 1km north of Stirling Point, which is the start (or finish) of State Highway One. The Port of Bluff is the most southern commercial deep water port in New Zealand and is home to a large fishing fleet.

Stewart Island

Stewart Island/Rakiura located to the south of the South Island, across Foveaux Strait, is a 20 minute flight from Invercargill or an hour by ferry from Bluff. In 2002 the island's natural world of bush, beach and birdlife was recognised with the formation of the Rakiura National Park, which encompasses 85% of the Island. Rakiura, is a Maori word which translated means "glowing skies".

The Catlins

Starting just to the east of Invercargill, and extending from the coast to just north of Woodlands, the Catlins / Southern Southland region lies across the Southern Scenic Route (SH 92) that links Invercargill with Dunedin. Although east of Waikawa it falls, administratively, into the Clutha District, this part is included as far as Owaka because it forms a natural geographical region.

Riverton and Western Southland

Western Southland runs from Riverton on the coast northwards to Nightcaps and Ohai, then up to Blackmount and down the Waiau River valley to Tuatapere. It includes a corner of the Takitimu Mountains in the north-east and the Longwoods in the south and extends westwards to encompass the south-western extremity of Fiordland National Park.

Gore and Eastern Southland

This region starts in the Waikaka Valley in the north and runs down State Highway 1 to include Edendale, Wyndham and Mokoreta in the south. The two biggest towns are Gore, which is the main service town for Eastern Southland and West Otago, and Mataura, where the Alliance Group Ltd freezing works are located.

Winton and Central Southland

Central Southland, with Winton ("The Heart of Southland") as its hub, extends from Dipton in the north to Wallacetown in the south. Straddling the lower reaches of the Oreti River, it reaches towards Drummond in the west and stretches eastward to encompass most of the Hokonui Hills.

Lumsden and Northern Southland

Northern Southland covers the area in the valleys between the Takitimu Mountains, Eyre and Garvie Mountains, down the expansive Waimea Plain to Riversdale. The towns of Balfour, Lumsden and Mossburn lie in line with Riversdale on the main road from Gore to Te Anau. Mossburn with its life-size sculpture and deer processing plant, is known as the deer capital of New Zealand.

Te Anau and Fiordland

Fiordland is located in the south west corner of the South Island. The largest township is Te Anau, based on the shores of NZ's second largest lake. The small township of Manapouri is located 20km away on the shores of Lake Manapouri. These large lakes provide the access points for entry into New Zealand's largest National Park.

Roll over the map above to take a quick tour around some of Southland's gems...

Riverton and Western Southland Te Anau Winton and Central Southland Lumsden and Northern Southland Invercargill Stewart Island/Rakiura Bluff Gore and Eastern Southland The Catlins Winton and Central Southland Riverton and Western Southland Gore and Eastern Southland The Catlins Stewart Island/Rakiura Bluff Invercargill Te Anau and Fiordland Lumsden and Northern Southland

Southland is the southernmost region of New Zealand and straddles the 46th Parallel (46° South). Stewart Island lies at 47° South.

 

Land area: 3,035,577 ha (12.0% of New Zealand land area)

 

60% of the land area is taken up with National Parks and conservation lands

 

23%  is intensively farmed

 

 

The balance is steeper hill country used for extensive pastoral farming or forestry

 

Agricultre, particularly pastoral sheep and dairy production, is the mainstay of the region's economy

 

Cool temperate climate with temperature regime similar to western parts of the UK

 

Mean daily temperature ranges from 14°C in January (summer) to 5°C in July (winter). 

 

The average daily maximum temperature ranges from 18.6°C in January (summer) to 9.5°C in July (winter).

 

There can be around 80 days of ground frost in the winter months

 

1000mm of rainfall is fairly evenly spread throughout the year

 

Predominantly westerly winds with wind speed averaging 15-20km/hr

 

1600 hours of sunshine are reported annually

 

In the alpine areas and in Fiordland the climate is more extreme

Population 90,000 (2.3% of New Zealand population)

  • Invercargill 50,000
  • Southland District 28,000
  • Gore District 12,000

Population density of 2.6 people per square kilometre (15.0 people nationally)

 

Median age of 38.2 years

 

 

11.9% identify with the Maori ethnic group (14.6% nationally)

 

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