INVERCARGILL, New Zealand — I initially worried about visiting Invercargill. No one we spoke with seemed overly enthusiastic about the city, founded in the 1850s and New Zealand’s southernmost and westernmost city.
“There’s not a lot going on there,” one Kiwi told me before we left for New Zealand.
He wasn’t wrong. There may not be much going on in the City of Water and Light, but that’s precisely its charm. It’s not as fast-paced as Auckland or Wellington, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of exploration.
Driving to Invercargill from Dunedin, we stopped at Stirling Point before heading to the city center. The lookout at Stirling Point, marking the end of State Highway 1, feels like the end of the world.
From there, we ventured to the bluff overlook for a quick stop.
The drive into Invercargill gave us additional time to recite lines from the 2017 remake of Pork Pie. This enjoyable New Zealand film ends in Invercargill.
“I’m taking this bloody car to Invercargill,” I said one or more times.
As soon as we arrived in town and settled our accommodations, we headed to see the Troopers Memorial, a Boer War monument. Unveiled in 1908, the monument sits in the middle of a busy roundabout.
The next morning, the start of our full day in Invercargill, we headed to Black Shag Espresso Bar & Eatery for coffee and a pastry. If I go with a pastry, I’m partial to an almond croissant as an accompaniment to my flat white.
Next, we walked a few doors down to the E. Hayes & Sons Motorworks Collection, a stunning assortment of vintage motorbikes and historic equipment displayed in a local hardware store. The collection’s centerpiece is undoubtedly the 1920 Indian Scout that Burt Munro used to set a world record in 1967, known as “The World’s Fastest Indian.”
Not yet fully geeked out gear heads, we made a beeline for Bill Richardson World of Transport. I’m not going to lie; the realization that the museum featured an exhibit about the movie Pork Pie, which culminates in Invercargill, helped convince me to go.
Still, it was well worth the price of admission. Even travelers who aren’t car enthusiasts will find the collection fascinating and its stories compelling.
For the afternoon, we ventured to Queens Park, which is part public park, part botanic garden, and part zoo. It’s a remarkable destination that any city would appreciate having.
Back in town for the evening, we opted to dine at EUNA, which opened last year.
Before departing town the following morning, we made one final stop at Fat Bastard Pies, a local institution known for its take on classic Kiwi pies. We had pies on site for breakfast and grabbed some extra sustenance for our journey.
There was more I would have loved to explore in Invercargill, but the schedule dictated we continue on our adventure. Knowing that a return trip to Invercargill wouldn’t be out of the question, I felt better.
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