New Zealand
Southland
Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region, from the peaks of Fiordland to Foveaux Strait. It includes vast farmland, the city of Invercargill, Bluff Harbour, Stewart Island, and the southern Catlins.
by Felix Gillen
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region, from the peaks of Fiordland to Foveaux Strait. It includes vast farmland, the city of Invercargill, Bluff Harbour, Stewart Island, and the southern Catlins.
Southland is largely agricultural and considerably less visited than Otago. For travellers, highlights include the Southern Scenic Route from Te Anau via Invercargill through the Catlins to Dunedin, the ferry from Bluff to Stewart Island, and the coastal wildlife. Invercargill serves as a supply and accommodation hub. The weather is variable and windy, but summers offer very long days: in late December, darkness falls only around 10 PM.
Murihiku and Oysters
Murihiku and OystersThe Māori name Murihiku means roughly “tail end” and refers to the south of the Kāi Tahu tribal territory. Early Europeans came to the coast as sealers and whalers; later, Scottish settlers and sheep farming shaped the region.Southland is known for the Bluff oyster from the Foveaux Strait, whose season lasts from roughly March to August and is celebrated in May with the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival.
On the Road in Southland
Getting Around SouthlandThe Southern Scenic Route is the main travel route and easily driveable. Buses connect Invercargill with Te Anau, Queenstown, and Dunedin. Stewart Island can be reached by ferry from Bluff or by small plane from Invercargill.
