Invercargill

Invercargill is the southernmost and also the westernmost city (i.e. City Council) of New Zealand. With around 50,000 inhabitants, it is the administrative center of the South Island and forms a separate urban district.

Geography

Invercargill is situated on the south coast of New Zealand’s South Island in the South Island. It forms the southernmost city in the country. Invercargill, surrounded by the sprawling Southland Plains, is roughly 1,500 square miles and was founded on 170 kilometers along Oreti River. Invercargill Foveaux Strait is separated from the bodies remaining in the southern Stewart Island.

Only 18 kilometers south from Invercargill to Bluff is the southernmost settlement in the South Island. The city district is surrounded to the north and east by the Southland District, while on the south and west it is bordered by the South Pacific. In the vicinity of Invercargill are particularly large protected areas, such as the Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island. The biggest of all is undoubtedly the region, engaging the entire southwestern Fiordland National Park.

Climate

The maritime, temperate climate of Invercargill is very similar to that of the British Isles, especially Scotland. Average temperatures range from 5.2°C in July to 13.8°C in January. The average maximum amount in January is 18.4°C and in July 11.1°C. The annual rainfall is 1064mm and approximately 1580 hours.

History

In 1856, the then Governor General of New Zealand, Thomas Gore Browne decided to build in the area around Bluff, a port. He gave the settlement that was built north of it, placing the name of Cargill, the “inversion” from the Scottish term “estuary”, namely Inbhir and the “Cargill” by William Cargill, who at that time was the governor of Otago.

Inhabitants

A relatively large proportion of the population is of Scottish descent in Invercargill. There are many Celtic-sounding place names. For example, some neighborhoods are named after rivers of Scotland. Total Invercargill is considered the most Scottish influenced city in New Zealand. The journalist Peter Arnett, the actor Marton Csokas, the athletes Mils Muliaina, Anton Oliver and Burt Munro are or were residents of Invercargill.