For the electorate see Invercargill (NZ electorate)

Invercargill Waihōpai (Māori)
Population:	50,328[1]
Urban Area
Extent:	Makarewa to Woodend; west to Otatara
Territorial Authority
Name:	Invercargill City
Mayor:	Tim Shadbolt
Deputy Mayor:	Neil Boniface
Land area:	491km²
Extent:	Makarewa to Bluff; Oreti Beach to Kennington
Website:	http://www.icc.govt.nz
Regional Council
Name:	Environment Southland
Website:	http://www.es.govt.nz

Esk Street, one of the main shopping streets of Invercargill. The Invercargill electorate is a seat in the Parliament of New Zealand, representing Invercargill city and the surrounding rural area Timothy Richard Shadbolt (born February 19 1947) is the mayor of the city of Invercargill New Zealand, and former mayor of Waitemata City Southland (Murihiku is the name of New Zealand 's southernmost region and is also the name of a district within that region

Invercargill (Waihōpai in Māori) is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost settlements in the world. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. Southland (Murihiku is the name of New Zealand 's southernmost region and is also the name of a district within that region The region is the top tier of Local government in New Zealand. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff, which is the southernmost town in the South Island. The Southland Plains is a general name given to several areas of low-lying land in the South Island of New Zealand, separated by the rise of the Hokonui Hills The Oreti (or New River is one of the main rivers of Southland New Zealand, and is 170 kilometres in length Bluff is a town and Seaport in the Southland region on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. 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.

Invercargill is home to the Southern Institute of Technology, which has introduced a free-fees scheme. The Southern Institute of Technology (SIT is the most well recognized Tertiary Education Institution of the province of Southland, New Zealand. The scheme was partly responsible for rejuvenating the city when it was in a steady state of population decline.

Invercargill is also the home to New Zealand's only indoor cycling velodrome. A velodrome is an arena for Track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights The indoor 250m wooden velodrome is home to Track Cycling in Southland and is currently the fastest track in the country. Track cycling is a Bicycle racing Sport usually held on specially-built banked tracks or Velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the The Invercargill Licensing Trust supports the Velodrome which is situated at Stadium Southland. It promises to become the focal point of track cycling in New Zealand. It is also home of the SBS Invitational Amateur golf tournament which is held every year at the beginning of March. The SBS Invitational is a 72-hole amateur stroke play team championship played between the 15 Golf associations of New Zealand. Another facility is Queen's Park, which is just north of the city centre, with botanical gardens, an aviary, sports grounds, and the Southland museum and art gallery. Queen's Park is a tourist attraction in Invercargill, New Zealand, and was part of the original plan when Invercargill was founded in 1856. Botanical gardens grow a wide variety of Plants primarily to categorize and document for scientific purposes The Southland Museum and Art Gallery is located in Gala Street Invercargill. Anderson Park, on the northern boundary of Invercargill, is a large Georgian-style residence set in 24 hectares of landscaped gardens. The house displays Invercargill's extensive collection of New Zealand art.

Many streets in the city, especially in the centre and main shopping district, are named after rivers in the United Kingdom, mainly Scotland. These include Dee, Tyne, Esk, Don, Thames, Mersey, Ness, Yarrow, Spey, Tay, and Eye rivers. The River Dee ( Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Dè) is a River in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. River Esk is the name of several rivers United Kingdom England River Esk North Yorkshire River Esk Cumbria (in The River Don is a River in the northeast of Scotland. It rises in the Grampians and flows eastwards through Aberdeenshire, The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. The River Ness ( Scottish Gaelic: "Abhainn Nis" is a River flowing from Loch Ness in Scotland, north to Inverness and the The River Yarrow is a River in the Borders in the south east of Scotland. The River Spey ( Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Spè) is a River in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest flowing river in The Tay ( Gaelic: Tatha) is a river starting in the Highlands and flowing down into the centre of Scotland through Perth and

Transport

Road

Invercargill is the southernmost city on New Zealand's state highway network and is linked to Fiordland and the Catlins by the Southern Scenic Route. Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand that is situated on the south-western corner of the South Island. Geography The Catlins area covers some 1900 km² (730 sq mi and forms a rough triangular shape extending up to 50 km (30 mi inland and along a stretch The Southern Scenic Route is a tourist highway in New Zealand linking Te Anau and Dunedin via Fiordland, Invercargill and

See also: Public transport in Invercargill

Rail links

Invercargill is at the southern end of the Main South Line railway, which extends up the east coast to Christchurch and Lyttelton via Dunedin. Public transport in Invercargill, New Zealand is mainly by Bus. |}}|}The Main South Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, runs south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand Lyttelton ( is a Port Town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour next to Banks Peninsula, 12 km by road from Christchurch Until the cancellation of the Southerner in 2002, Invercargill had the southernmost passenger railway station in the world. The Southerner was a passenger express Train that ran in New Zealand 's South Island between Christchurch and Invercargill via Passenger trains no longer call at Invercargill, except for occasional excursions. The Bluff Branch extends south from Invercargill and has been freight-only since 1967. The Bluff Branch is a Railway line in Southland, New Zealand that links Invercargill with the port of Bluff. The Wairio Branch extends northwest from Invercargill to the Solid Energy coalfields and continues to carry freight. The Wairio Branch, now incorporating the Ohai Industrial Line, is a Branch line Railway in Southland, New Zealand. Solid Energy is the largest Coal mining company in New Zealand and is a State owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.

Invercargill Airport

During the mid 1950s, Invercargill Airport was used for fuel top-up and final take off by Operation Deep Freeze. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Invercargill Airport is a controlled aerodrome located 1 NM northwest of Invercargill at the south of the South Island of New Zealand. Operation Deep Freeze (OpDFrz or ODF is the codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze Twin-engine propeller-driven planes destined for McMurdo Sound in the Antarctic used the airport, assisted in takeoff by JATO rockets under their wings. The ice-clogged waters of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound extend about 55 km (35 mi long and wide JATO may also refer to the group Jews Against the Occupation. Bigger aircraft flew from Christchurch where Deep Freeze had a base. Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand

Invercargill Airport's primary traffic currently comprises Air New Zealand ATR 72 aircraft flying to and from Christchurch, and regular flights to and from Stewart Island. Invercargill Airport is a controlled aerodrome located 1 NM northwest of Invercargill at the south of the South Island of New Zealand. Air New Zealand Limited (, Air New Zealand is a scheduled passenger Airline based in Auckland, New Zealand, and the national Flag carrier WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

History

Downtown Invercargill

Southland was a scene of early extended contact between Europeans and Maori, in this case sealers and whalers and missionaries - Wohlers at Ruapuke. From 1848, Otago, of which Southland was itself part, was the subject of planned settlement by the Free Church, an offshoot of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Settlement broadened with the discovery of gold in Central Otago in the 1860s.

Even today, traces of Scottish speech persist in Southland voices, with R often pronounced with a rolling burr. This is more noticeable in country people.

In 1856 a petition was put forward to Thomas Gore Browne, the Governor of New Zealand, for a port at Bluff. Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Colonel Sir Thomas Robert Gore Browne KCMG, CB, ( July 3, 1807 &ndash April 17, 1887) was a British The Governor-General of New Zealand (Te Kawana Tianara o Aotearoa is the representative of the Sovereign in right of New Zealand (currently Queen Browne agreed to the petition and gave the name Invercargill to the settlement north of the port. Inver comes from the Scots Gaelic word inbhir meaning a river's mouth and Cargill is in honour of Captain William Cargill, who was at the time the Superintendent of Otago, of which Southland was then a part. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. William Walter Cargill (27 August 1784 &ndash 6 August 1860 was the founder of the Otago settlement in New Zealand, after serving as a officer in the British (For the current top-level subdivision of Otago in New Zealand see Otago) The Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until

From 1861 to 1870, Invercargill was the centre of Southland Province, which separated from Otago Province, but later rejoined it. (For the current top-level subdivision of Southland in New Zealand see Southland Region) The Southland Province was a province of New (For the current top-level subdivision of Otago in New Zealand see Otago) The Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until

In December 1905, Invercargill voted in local prohibition of alcohol sales. This lasted for 40 years until voted out by returning servicemen in World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Drinking continued meanwhile, thanks to huge volumes of beer, often in kegs, brought to private homes, or sold by the glass by keggers at hiding spots round the City. When prohibition ended, a committee of citizens persuaded the Government to give the monopoly on liquor sales in Invercargill to the specially formed Invercargill Licensing Trust. The Invercargill Licensing Trust is a Licensing Trust in the city of Invercargill, New Zealand. Based on a scheme in Carlisle, England, it returns profits to city amenities. Even today, alcohol is not sold in supermarkets.

In recent years, publicity has been brought to the southern city by the election of Tim Shadbolt, a colourful and outspoken former student activist, as mayor. Timothy Richard Shadbolt (born February 19 1947) is the mayor of the city of Invercargill New Zealand, and former mayor of Waitemata City He once appeared on a cheese ad stating "I don't mind where, as long as I'm Mayor". His supporters like the colour he brings to the city. His opponents refer to his controversial mayoral career in the Auckland suburbs and to his attitude to veterans during his opposition to the Vietnam War.

Climate

Invercargill has a temperate oceanic climate similar to that of the British Isles. An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan The mean daily temperature ranges from 5. 2°C in July to 14°C in January. The yearly mean temperature is 9. 9°C. Rainfall averages 1112 mm annually, and measurable snowfall is occasionally seen during the winter months of June to September. It is the cloudiest centre of New Zealand with 1580 hours of sunshine per annum.

The average temperature high ranges from 18. 4°C in January to 11. 1°C in August. Owing to its relatively high latitude (46° 42'), the city enjoys nearly 16 hours of daylight at the summer solstice in late December. Solstices occur twice a year when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most oriented toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to reach its northernmost and southernmost extremes

Invercargill is "The City of Water and Light". This refers to the long summer twilights and the aurora australis (southern lights). The water reference, humorists suggest, comes from notorious horizontal, driving rain in high wind at the corner of the two main streets, Dee and Tay. A recent sign also states "Invercargill, where dreams can come true" with an image from the 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian. The World's Fastest Indian (2005 is a film based on the legendary New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro.

Panorama of Invercargill from the city's historic watertower. Queen's Park can be seen toward the right of the image. Queen's Park is a tourist attraction in Invercargill, New Zealand, and was part of the original plan when Invercargill was founded in 1856.

The Invercargill March

Invercargill provided the inspiration for the Invercargill March, a stirring piece of military music written in 1908 by the composer Alex F. Lithgow, who lived in Invercargill from the age of six, although born in Scotland. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The march was written for the City of Invercargill, which Alex Lithgow dearly missed while he was away.

"Invercargill" rates alongside old favourites such as the Gladiator March, Liberty Bell, the Radetsky March, and other stirring Sousa marches. John Philip Sousa ( November 6, 1854 &ndash March 6, 1932) was an American Composer and conductor of the late The Invercargill March is especially popular in the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is a favorite of the US Marines, and was the Regimental March of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the New York Guard during World War 2. The New York Guard is the name of the State Defense Force of New York State. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band continues the Scottish tradition today.

Here is a clip of the Invercargill March as performed by the band of the United States Marine Corps. Listen

Education

Main article: List of schools in Southland, New Zealand#Invercargill City

Tuatara at Southland museum and art gallery

High schools

All High Schools in Invercargill are Year 7-13, following a Ministry of Education review in 2004 that made most of Invercargill's primary schools Year 1-6 and closed the Year 7-8 schools Rosedale Intermediate and Collingwood Intermediate and Tweedsmuir Junior High

• James Hargest College is in northern Invercargill with about 1800 students. Southland is a region in the South Island of New Zealand It contains numerous rural primary schools several small town primary and secondary schools and some big city schools in The tuatara is a reptile endemic to New Zealand which though it resembles most lizards is actually part of a distinct lineage order Sphenodontia. The Southland Museum and Art Gallery is located in Gala Street Invercargill. James Hargest College is a large school of about 1800 students in Invercargill, New Zealand, most of them Pākehā with some Māori and Asians
• Aurora College was established in 2005, after Mount Anglem College was closed in 2004.
• Southland Girls' High School In 2005 became the first state Year 7-13 single-sex female school in New Zealand. Southland Girls' High School is a girls' secondary school in Invercargill, New Zealand
• Southland Boys' High School In 2005 became the first state Year 7-13 single-sex male school in New Zealand. Southland Boys' High School (SBHS is an all-boys school in Invercargill, New Zealand, and has been the only one in the city since Marist Brothers was merged
• Verdon College is a co-educational Catholic school with about 620 students. Verdon College is a co-educational Roman Catholic High school in Invercargill, New Zealand, teaching students from year 7 to 13 (ages 11-18

Primary Schools

Most primary schools are Year 1-6.

• New River Primary School. Formerly Kew, South, Clarendon, and Clifton Schools
• St Joseph's, a small Catholic school near St Mary's Basilica
• St Theresa's, a Catholic Year 1-6 school in Windsor
• St Patrick's, a Catholic Year 1-6 school in Newfield
• Ascot Community School, the only public Year 1-8 school
• Fernworth Primary
• Windsor North School, previously Invercargill North School
• Waverly Park School
• Waihopai School, co-ed school for years 1-6
• Salford School, co-ed school for years 1-6 in Rosedale
• St John's Girls' School, small school for years 1-8.
• Sacred Heart Primary School, North Road, Waikiwi. Years 1-6 Special Character Catholic family school serving the northern suburbs of Waikiwi, Grasmere and Makarewa.
• Donovan Primary School
• Otatara Primary School, Otatara

Famous Invercargillites

Invercargill Water Tower

• Peter Arnett - NBC war correspondent
• Johnnie Checketts - Silver Star, Wingco and Spitfire Ace
• Bill Crawford-Crompton - Silver Star, Air Vice Marshal and WW2 Commander and Ace
• Marton Csokas - actor
• Dan Davin - author, editor
• Ernest Godward - inventor of the spiral hairpin and the petrol economiser
• Joseph Hatch - businessman, oil factor
• Rowena Jackson - Royal Ballet prima ballerina
• Chris Knox - infamous (in NZ) alternative rock musician
• Bill Manhire - inaugural N. Peter Gregg Arnett, ONZM (born November 13, 1934 in Riverton, New Zealand) is a New Zealand-American journalist Wing Commander John "Johnny" Milne Checketts DSO DFC ( 20 February 1912 - 23 April 2006) was a Air Vice Marshal William Vernon Crawford-Crompton CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, sometimes known as Bill Crawford-Crompton Marton Csokas (pronounced Cho-Kash tʃoːkaːʃ born June 30 1966) is a New Zealand actor Daniel Marcus (Dan Davin ( 1 September 1913 – 28 September 1990) was an author who wrote about New Zealand, although for most of his Ernest Godward was born in Marylebone, London on April 7, 1869. Joseph Hatch (1837 – 2 September 1928) was a New Zealand politician but is now remembered for harvesting penguins and Elephant seals for their oil on Rowena Othlie Jackson MBE (born 1926 is a New Zealand Prima ballerina. The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England Chris Knox (born September 2, 1952) is a New Zealand Rock and roll musician and cartoonist who emerged during the Punk rock era with Bill Manhire CNZM, (born in Invercargill in 1946 is an award-winning New Zealand poet short story writer and professor Z. poet laureate
• Herbert James "Burt" Munro - inventor, motorcycle enthusiast, racer and under-1000 cc land speed record holder. Herbert (Burt James Munro ( 25 March 1899 &ndash 6 January 1978) was a New Zealand motorcycle racer famous for setting an under-1000cc
• Mils Muliaina - All Black
• Harry Norris (conductor) - A music director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
• Herbert Pither - aviation legend of Southland,
• Lesley Rumball - Former Silver Ferns Captain
• Victor Spencer - last soldier to be executed in World War I, pardoned in 2005
• Garfield Todd - Prime Minister of Rhodesia
• Jeremy Waldron - prominent legal and political philosopher
• Joseph Ward - Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Jeff Wilson - All Black and Black Cap ("Double All Black")

Sister City

• Kumagaya, Japan ^[3]

References

• Reed, A. Junior Malili Muliaina (born 31 July 1980) better known as Mils Muliana, is an international Rugby union player for the New Zealand All Harry Norris ( 23 Nov 1887 - 22 June 1979) was a conductor best remembered as musical director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company between D'Oyly Carte Opera Company staged performances of Gilbert and Sullivan 's Savoy Operas in the UK Europe North America South Africa Australia and elsewhere from the Herbert John Pither was an aviator and a cycle enthusiastHe grew up in Canterbury New Zealand, where he one of twelve children was a budding athlete and had a knack for Lesley Rumball (nee Nicol) is a former New Zealand Netball player The Silver Ferns are the national Netball team of New Zealand. Victor Manson Spencer (1894-1918 was a volunteer from Invercargill, New Zealand who fought in the Otago Regiment of the New Zealand Division in World World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd ( July 13, 1908 - October 13, 2002) was a reformist Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia Jeremy Waldron (born October 13 1953 New Zealand) is a professor of law and philosophy at the New York University School of Law. Sir Joseph George Ward 1st Baronet, GCMG (1856 - 1930 was Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century Jeffrey "Goldie" William Wilson MNZM (born October 24, 1973 in Invercargill) is a New Zealand sportsman who has represented is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan and a part of the Greater Tokyo Area. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.  

External links

• City of Invercargill
• Invercargill City Council
• ICC Map page
• Invercargill Information Center
• Invercargill Street Map