By bus

InterCity Coachlines is New Zealand's national coach company and operates over 150 services to more than 600 destinations nationwide. They operate daily services from Dunedin to Invercargill and Christchurch as well as to Queenstown and other places in the southern lakes district. The low cost bus option is nakedbus.com with competitive prices.

By car

Invercargill is the main focal point of numbered highways in Southland.

Heading south from Dunedin you can follow State Highway 1 to Invercargill, with a travelling time of about two-and-a-half hours. Alternatively you can leave SH 1 at Balclutha and follow the Southern Scenic Route, often called SH 92, through the Catlins. While only a half hour longer to drive, allow a day for this trip at there's heaps of natural attractions to see.

By plane

Invercargill Airport is about 3 km from Invercargill's Central Business District. It is served by Air New Zealand with flights from Christchurch and Wellington. A flight from Christchurch to Invercargill takes about an hour in a turboprop aircraft.

Bank Corner, Southland Fire Service Museum, Queen’s Park, Southland Museum and Art Gallery

Bank Corner

the intersection of Tay/The Crescent and Dee/Clyde streets, is located just south of Wachner Place and it features three architecturally wonders from the turn of the 20th Century. These three bank buildings no longer house the banks they were built for but it is worth admiring. In the middle of the roundabout is The Trooper's Memorial which honours those who died during the Boer War in South Africa.

Southland Fire Service Museum

located at Jed and Spey streets, houses several fire engines and other fire fighting items. Generally open Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday and the admission is a gold coin.

Queen’s Park

is on the northern edge of the central business district. This large Edwardian styled city park has a lot of amenities including the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, the Observatory, Queen’s Park Golf Club, rose gardens, duck ponds, an excellent children’s playground, a bird aviary, and a zoo housing introduced species to New Zealand. It is quite easy to spend half a day exploring this 81 hectare park.

Southland Museum and Art Gallery

on Gala Street, where you can see live Tuatara, a reptile that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs.

January - April
October - December

Information not available

Advertisement