Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Southland Museum & Art Gallery
GALLERY
(
www.southlandmuseum.com
;
Queens Park, 108 Gala St; admission by donation; 9am-5pm Mon-
Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun)
Invercargill's cultural hub has permanent displays on Southland's
natural and human history, recounting plenty of fascinating tales around maritime ex-
ploits in particular. Be sure to view 'Beyond the Roaring Forties' if you're headed to Ste-
wart Island/Rakiura. The art-gallery area hosts exhibitions from contemporary local arts
spliced with occasional international shows.
The museum's rock stars are undoubtedly the tuatara, NZ's unique lizardlike reptiles,
unchanged for 220 million years. If the slow-moving, 100-years-old-and-counting patri-
arch Henry is any example, they're not planning to do much for the next 220 million
years either. Feeding time is 4pm on Fridays; outside opening hours they can be viewed
through windows at the rear of the pyramid.
If you're a fan of motorcyclist Burt Munro's speedy achievements as captured in
The
World's Fastest Indian
(2005), make a beeline for the museum's short but sweet display
(
www.ehayes.co.nz
;
168 Dee St)
hardware store where you can see his famous motorbike in
the flesh. Further evidence of Southland's petrolheadism will manifest in the next few
years in the world's finest truck museum. We kid you not - we've eyeballed the exhibits
already.
Anderson Park Art Gallery
GALLERY
(McIvor Rd; admission by donation; gallery 10am-5pm, gardens 8am-dusk)
In a 1925
Georgian-style manor, this excellent gallery contains works from many NZ artists. The
landscaped gardens are studded with trees and trails, and include a children's playground
and
wharepuni
(sleeping house). The gallery is 7km north of the city centre; follow
North Rd then turn right into McIvor Rd.
Invercargill Brewery
BREWERY
(
www.invercargillbrewery.co.nz
;
72 Leet St; 10am-6pm)
NZ's great southern brewery has 20
taps for flagon-fills plus a bottled section of its own brews and guests'. Pop in for a tast-
ing, or the 45-minute daily tour at 1pm ($15). Our favourites are the crisp Biman Pilsner
and the chocolatey Pitch Black stout.
Queens Park
PARK
OFFLINE MAP
