Southland Province

Invercargill ( IN-vər-KAR-ghil, Māori: Waihōpai) is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains to the east of the Ōreti or New River some 18 km (11 miles) north of Bluff, which is the southernmost town in the South Island. It sits amid rich farmland that is bordered by large areas of conservation land and marine reserves, including Fiordland National Park covering the south-west corner of the South Island and the Catlins coastal region. Many streets in the city, especially in the centre and main shopping district, are named after rivers in Scotland. These include the main streets Dee and Tay, as well as those named after the Tweed, Forth, Tyne, Esk, Don, Ness, Yarrow, Spey, Eye and Ythan rivers, amongst others. The 2018 census showed the population was 54,204, up 2.7% on the 2006 census number and up 4.8% on the 2013 census number.

Invercargill Central is the central business district and central suburb of Invercargill, in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an estimated population of 1,510 as of June 2023. Invercargill Central is the only area in Southland to contain commercial high rise buildings, which are the most southerly tall buildings in the world.

Invercargill Central is a shopping centre located in the central business district of Invercargill, New Zealand. Stage one of the project opened on 14 July 2022.

Foveaux FM was a local radio station in Invercargill, New Zealand that began operating in May 1981. The station was named after Foveaux Strait which runs between the South Island of New Zealand and Stewart Island. The station was originally started by a group of investors as 4XF Foveaux Radio broadcasting on 1224 AM. In the late eighties the station was sold to Radio Otago and in 1991 Foveaux made the switch to FM when it began broadcasting on 89.2 FM and retained the AM frequency. In October 2018, with trademark now owned by an Invercargill resident, Foveaux Radio began broadcast licensing tests over Invercargill City on 104.4 FM. This broadcast of Foveaux Radio has since been discontinued.

The Civic Theatre is a theatrical venue in the southern New Zealand city of Invercargill. The theatre is located in Tay Street, in the centre of the city. It is a major landmark in Invercargill, and holds a Heritage New Zealand Category I listing, indicating a building of national significance.The theatre's imposing building was constructed in 1906 as a replacement for the city's Royal Theatre, which had closed in 1902. The building originally contained both a theatre and the Invercargill City Council's municipal chambers. Most of the council's activities moved from the building in the 1960s, though it still contains the Council Chamber and committee room.The building was designed by local architect E. R. Wilson (1871–1941) as a two-storey Edwardian Neo-Baroque building. The structure was essentially two separate buildings, with the municipal offices in front and the theatre behind, connected by the dress circle staircase. The theatre originally seated up to 1,350 adults and could be used for either opera or theatre. From 1919 to the 1950s it was converted for use as both a theatre and cinema. The theatre was renovated in 1984 and extensively refurbished and upgraded in 2004–05, and can now seat 1015 people.

St. Mary's Basilica is a Catholic Church in Invercargill, New Zealand. It was designed by the celebrated New Zealand architect, Francis Petre and was opened in 1905.The basilica, named as such because of its style of architecture, rises 37 metres (121 ft) above the ground and is one of the most prominent landmarks in Invercargill. It has been described as the "prettiest church in Australasia". In Roman Catholic ecclesiastical terms, St Mary's Basilica is not a minor basilica. The building is located in Tyne Street, near St Josephs School, the Otepuni Gardens and Te Tomairangi Marae, and is listed as a Category I Historic Place.The church serves the Catholic community in the Invercargill area, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunedin.

E Hayes and Sons is a hardware store and automotive display in Invercargill, in the Southland Region of New Zealand. The store was founded in 1932 by Irving Hayes, a descendant of Ernest Hayes, a New Zealand engineer and inventor who founded the Hayes Engineering works in Oturehua, Central Otago, and developed agricultural tools for farms. The hardware store business has remained in family ownership through four generations. The store became part of the nationwide Hammer Hardware franchise group in 1999. Products on offer in the store include hardware, outdoor power equipment, clothing/footwear, homeware and giftware. The store includes the E Hayes Motorworks Collection that has become a visitor attraction in Invercargill. The display includes around 100 classic and vintage motorcycles, cars and machinery from the Hayes family private collection. Neville Irving Hayes started the collection, and it first went on public display in 2014. A highlight of the collection is the original motorcycle used by Invercargill resident Burt Munro, when he set a new land speed record at Bonneville in 1967 using a highly modified 1920 Indian Scout. After his health deteriorated, in 1977 Munro sold his motorcycles and associated equipment to Norman and Neville Hayes, to ensure that they would remain in Southland. The exhibits in the store include a range of Burt Munro memorabilia, including original wall shelving labelled "Offerings to the God of Speed", containing a large number of pistons that Munro had manufactured for his bikes. The displays also include items used in the making of the 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian. The E Hayes Motorworks Collection is free to view.

Te Tomairangi Marae is an Invercargill Marae on the same city block as St Josephs School and St. Mary's Basilica. In late 2005, the Marae was affected by vandals who set fire to the main building. Months previously a Warehouse within a few hundred metres was also burnt. The fire consumed much of the marae. As of March 2005 the marae is currently boarded up. After being destroyed by fire twice the building reopened in 2008 with a sprinkler system installed.

Invercargill Brewery was the southernmost brewer of beer in New Zealand. It was established by Steve Nally in 1999 near Invercargill. Nally, who has a degree in chemistry, is a self-trained brewer who was an early adopter of distinct New Zealand flavours. He made an early commitment to using locally sourced ingredients at Invercargill and was one of the first craft brewers to use Gladfield malt from Dunsandel. Invercargill's first beer was an English-style pale ale IBS that was rebranded as Stanley Green in 2006. In 2000, Invercargill released Pitch Black stout - a malt driven style, designed to match the Bluff Oyster. The stout was said to stood out in a market where hop bitterness was becoming dominant. In 2001, Invercargill developed Biman for a local curry restaurant. In 2006, Invercargill Brewery upsized to a 1200-litre batch and moved to 8 Wood Street, Invercargill when Nally's interest in creating new flavours was given freer rein. In 2007, Invercargill developed Strong New Zealand Pilsner. This pilsner beer has the distinctive flavour of the new varietals developed by the New Zealand Hop Board, originally known as b-saaz and d-saaz, later marketed as Motueka and Riwaka. Also in 2007, Invercargill launched New Zealand's first commercial Manuka smoked beer - Smokin' Bishop. It won a medal at the New Zealand Beer Awards that year. It was later included in the book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die. It proved so popular it became the brewery's first winter seasonal beer. In 2008 Invercargill released Boysenbeery - a deeply hued fruit beer which also won a best in class at its Beer Awards debut. It was adopted as a summer seasonal beer. That same year, Biman received the trophy for Best New Zealand Style Beer. Biman was mentioned in Ben McFarland's book World's Best Beers The beer was rebranded as b.man to clarify pronunciation. By 2008, Invercargill had diversified into contract brewing to better utilise its plant. One of its first clients was Yeastie Boys. In 2014. Invercargill upscaled to a 2500litre plant and moved production to 72 Leet Street.In 2014, Nally received the Morton Coutts Trophy for Innovation by The New Zealand Brewers Guild for his invention of a box packaging system for beer.The company went into receivership in 2018 and ceased production the following year.

4ZA (now known as The Hits Southland 98.8) was an adult contemporary radio station in Southland, New Zealand.

Southern Institute of Technology (SIT; Māori pronunciation: [Te Whare Wānanga o Murihiku]) is a public tertiary education institute (NZ TEI), established in 1971. It is one of New Zealand's largest institutes of technology, with 13,758 enrolees in 2017 contributing to a total of 4,922 Equivalent Full-Time students (EFTs), 3,989 domestic, 933 International.SIT is famous for its Zero Fees Scheme. The Scheme was initiated by the Invercargill City Council as a means to attract students to Invercargill due to dwindling student numbers. The scheme, which is open to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, sees students save thousands of dollars on the cost of their tertiary education. The institute is also renowned for the quality of its facilities and equipment. On 1 April 2020, the Southern Institute of Technology was subsumed into Te Pūkenga (the New Zealand Institute of Skills & Technology) alongside the 15 other Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs).SIT offers over 200 programs in a range of academic, technical, and professional subjects at postgraduate, graduate, bachelor, diploma, and certificate levels. SIT is a member of the International Association of Universities.

The Southland Astronomical Society is the southernmost astronomical society in the world. Based in Invercargill at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island, its small, active group of about 36 amateur astronomer members participate in a variety of astronomical activities including education with groups and school children, deep sky observing, astrophotography and aurora observation.The society operates the Southland Astronomical Society Observatory and telescope at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, with public viewing nights during the winter (April to September). The telescope is a fork mounted 30 cm (12 inch) diameter Cassegrain design.The society meets monthly to discuss general astronomical topics and receive presentations of astronomical interest. The society has a small library which holds a range of astronomical texts and magazines both contemporary and historical. The society publishes a monthly newsletter for members.