Invercargill Attractions

Invercargill, New Zealand's southernmost town, lies in an open plain on the banks of the New River estuary. It was laid out from 1856 onwards by the town planner John T Thomson on a geometric plan, with broad streets and open spaces. The town takes its name from William Cargill, one of the Scottish founding fathers of Dunedin; the prefix inver refers to its position at the mouth of a river. Many of the streets are named after Scottish rivers.

Originally the New River estuary served as a natural harbor, but its functions as a harbor were later taken over by Bluff, at the southern tip of the South Island. The lush Southland pastures were for many years the town's main source of income. Later a number of large slaughterhouses and meat-freezing plants were established, and a further boost was given to Invercargill's economy by the construction of an aluminum smelter at Bluff.

Lennel House, a mansion set in a beautiful garden, was built in 1880 by John T Thomson; it is still in private ownership.

The town's principal churches, all built in brick, are close together: St John's (1887; Anglican), the neo-Byzantine First Church (1915; Presbyterian) and St Mary's (1894-1905 by FW Petre; RC). St Mary's has a beautiful interior in white Oamaru limestone.