The Southland Region of New Zealand is sparsely populated but contains some of the most majestic natural wonders in a country which is full of spectacular nature. The region lies at the southern tip of the South Island of New Zealand and includes Stewart Island or Rakiura as it is more commonly known. The two largest cities are Invercargill with about 50,000 inhabitants and Gore with around 12,000 citizens in the area. A large swath of the region is covered by protected national parks with some of the most magnificent sights in the whole country.
Fiordland National Park is the largest national park in New Zealand, covering 7,860 square kilometers and in dramatic fashion. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the Southern Alps, with two of the most visited areas being Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound which are fjords formed by the powerful glacial activity here thousands of years ago. Milford Sound is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country with rocky peaks in the shape of an elephant head and crouching lion towering over the waters below. The area also contains Browne Falls which are (depending on the measurement 619 or 836 meters) the highest waterfall in New Zealand and the equally impressive Sutherland Falls at 580 meters. Boat tours are one of the best ways to see the fjords and temporary waterfalls are often seen in this, one of the rainiest areas on the planet with 6,813 mm of rain on average per year. The region also contains numerous lakes, among them the deepest lakes in New Zealand and the deepest of all is Lake Hauroko at 463 meters in depth.
Rakiura National Park covers over 80% of Stewart Island or Rakiura. The island lies just to the south and is administered by the Southland Region. Due to the absence of any large predators this is a great place to view kiwi in the wild as well as some other rare native birds. The island is well known for its gorgeous sunsets and sunrises along with the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights which is spectacular here. The endangered Yellow-eyed penguin has several breeding sites here and the Southern Brown Kiwi is found here as well along with a number of endangered flightless birds that were recently moved to smaller islands offshore for protection.
Invercargill is the region's largest city and one of the southernmost cities in the world. The rich farmland surrounding the area provides much of its economic activity centered on the dairy industry and the Southern Institute of Technology rejuvenated the city with its zero fees scheme. Oreti Beach is 10 km to the west and was featured in the film World's Fastest Indian which was the story of the local hero Burt Munro who set several speed records on this wide, flat swath of sand. The only indoor velodrome (cycling racetrack) in New Zealand is located here and there are several other sport stadiums as well.
Gore is the second most populated town in the region and is mostly a service town for the surrounding farming areas. The area is well known for its connection to country music and hosts the New Zealand country music awards ceremony every year. The most famous local building is the Creamoata Mill, with the porridge they produced once being considered the national breakfast. Local legends arose from the era of alcohol prohibition when the nearby Hokonui Hills produced Hokonui moonshine, which made Gore more well known to New Zealanders.
The Southland region is mostly mountainous and the similarities to the climate of the British Isles brought a large contingent of Scottish settlers here. Outside of the two largest towns, the area is sparsely populated with mountains and farmland covering the majority of the region. The Fiordland National Park is a must see destination for anyone visiting New Zealand with its fjords, lakes, and waterfalls giving it a unique beauty. As unique as some of the destinations in New Zealand are, the national parks here in Southland will rival and top that of any in the country based on their sheer grandeur. So be sure not to miss the opportunity to at least take a boat ride through either Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound when visiting here.
Lucky Rentals offers campervan rental in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand. Campervans are an excellent way to check out the country on the open road, and to sleep out in the beautiful natural surroundings that make New Zealand so great.
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