Tay Street – Invercargill
I rolled through the city of Invercargill. I’m never too sure what to make of Invercargill. Whenever I’m there, the place always seems to have a quiet, sleepy feel. This occasion was no different. I had a look around by walking up one side of the main shopping district and back down the other. It was quiet, very very quiet. I walked a total of four city blocks and only saw a handful of people the entire time. This seemed strange, even for Invercargill. The city itself was surveyed by British civil engineer John Turnbull Thomson who emigrated to New Zealand in early 1856 before working as Chief Surveyor of the Otago Province until 1873. I began thinking about him, as I crossed a depressingly empty street. By the time I reached the other side, I decided he must have been an optimist. Someone with a utopian vision for New Zealand’s southernmost city. Why else would he design the streets so humongously wide? Honestly, they seem massively wide. You could sail the RMS Titanic along the main street and still have room for the RMS Carpathia to come to its rescue.
Stirling Point in Bluff
I was in Bluff. The last time I was standing at the southern tip of the country, it was a bracing 5 degrees. That day, the weather had been miserable. The rain was heavy, a southerly roared across Foveaux Strait and inland somewhere it was snowing. On this occasion, the weather was a more agreeable 18 degrees. A few wispy clouds hung in the sky while a gentle, cool ocean breeze drifted in from somewhere beyond. This was Bluff-Stirling Point at its absolute best. The small car park was full to overflowing and while some had gotten creative with their parking, others were applying the wait and hover method, while I, striking a moment of good fortune, simply guided gracefully into a spot that appeared in front of me like the parting of the Red Sea. Pleased with my luck, I set off along a walking track. There was a skip in my step and a whistle on my lips.
Street art in Bluff
On my way through Bluff I stopped at a food truck to grab some lunch. After ordering and while I was waiting, I went for a walk and looked at some nearby street art not too far away. The thing was, despite the weather being pretty bloody miserable, there was something quite appealing about the town, in a confusing sort of way.
Stirling Point in Bluff
I was greatly taken by Bluff. Despite the fact that when I was there, it was a bracing 5 degrees, the afternoon swell that was hitting the nearby rocks was only getting larger and I was struggling to stay upright in the wind surges. However, there was something about the town that seemed quite appealing in a confusing sort of way. There’s the Motupōhue Scenic Reserve to explore that includes the Tōpuni track to the top of Bluff Hill which provides spectacular views over Foveaux Strait and the Southland Plains. Close by there’s also the Glory track through dense bush and the Foveaux Walkway looking out at Foveaux Strait to Ruapuku and Rakiura Islands. Along these tracks you can also see the World War II gun emplacements while the shoreline was home to a whaling station at one point in history. Of course, you can always do what I did and park at the famous Stirling Point signpost which marks the end of State Highway 1 to see how far away you are from places like London, New York or Sydney.
The famous Bluff signpost
It wasn’t the worst weather I’d ever been out photographing in, however it was pretty bloody miserable. At that moment, as another intensely heavy rain shower thundered past, I realised I was the only one stupid enough to not stay in their car. So there I was, all alone in the driving rain as a furious southerly roared across Foveaux Strait, standing at the southern tip of the country. It was a bracing 5 degrees, inland somewhere it was snowing heavily, the afternoon swell that was hitting the nearby rocks was only getting larger and I was struggling to stay upright in the wind surges that buffeted the coastline. Yet, I couldn’t be happier.
Riverton Art Sculpture – Buy
My short walk through Riverton took me past the main shops, over the town bridge and to the wharf. After spending some time wondering if a strong wind would blow part of the wooden structure over, I retraced my steps over the bridge. It was then that I past a number of interesting art projects made from all sorts of recycled material.
Riverton – Buy
Leaving Gore I drove through Mataura before continuing on to Edendale, Darce and Rakahouka. From there, I continued on State Highway 99 and travelled through Wallacetown and Wrights Bush, which eventually led me to my destination of Riverton. I parked my car near the town bridge, went for a short walk and realised two things. The first being that Riverton is a charming town, and the second being that it occurred to me, that I didn’t have any particular reason to be there.
Gore Railway Station – Buy
I made my way to Gore, New Zealand’s Country Music capital, the world capital for Brown Trout Fishing, home to Sergeant Dan the Creamoata Man, Hokonui Moonshine and the Eastern Southland Gallery. Earlier, having left Tautuku, I had double headed back to Owaka and taken the Owaka Valley Road to Clinton. From there I passed through the towns of Wairuna, Waipahi, Arthurton, Pukerau and McNab before crossing the Mataura River and arriving in Gore, ready for a bite to eat and wander around the town where there seemed to be lots of hanging baskets and no traffic lights.
Gore Railway Station – Buy
Let’s take a moment to summarise the current situation at the Gore District Council shall we. In October 2022, Ben Bell became mayor of Gore when he defeated incumbent Tracy Hicks by 8 votes. When that happened, he became the youngest mayor in New Zealand at 23 years of age and ended Hick’s six terms as mayor of the town.
Following his election win, the relationship between Bell and chief executive Stephen Parry broke down to the point where they no longer talk. Then, the city council brought forward a motion of no confidence in the mayor. However, at the time of the council meeting, no one would move the motion against the mayor and thus the motion of no confidence was not passed. A clear case of the wheels of local body politics working smoothly as always.
Riverton Wharf – Buy
There really is something intriguing about old fishing boats at a wharf. Maybe it’s because of the stories both the boats and wharf could tell, if they could. When I was in Riverton, after crossing the bridge and talking to some of the locals who were fishing, I went exploring a bit further. I found these boats tied up to a not altogether stable wharf!
Riverton, Southland’s Riviera – Buy
I wasn’t entirely sure if I’d been to Riverton. I couldn’t remember ever going there, however that’s not to say that I hadn’t visited the Southland town some time in my childhood. Riverton is spread out on either side of the Aparima River and lies 38 km west of Invercargill. So, with some spare time on my hands I set off for Southland’s Riviera.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
