New Zealand

Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and includes New Zealand's third island, Stewart Island.

The lush, green pastoral lands of Southland are a strong contrast to the dryness of Central Otago further north. Throughout this region are a number of accessible, tranquil waterways that attract fly-fishing enthusiasts in search of brown trout. Southland also has large areas of near-pristine rainforest, ideal for day walks and hiking. Curio Bay on the Catlins Coast is one of the geological wonders of the world. This petrified forest of subtropical kauri and other trees dates back to the Jurassic age, 135 to 190 million years ago.

Southland's largest urban centre is Invercargill, a city of 49,000 people. Visitors come to admire the elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, gardens and landscaped parks. As in Dunedin to the north, Invercargill was originally settled by people from Scotland.

A half hour drive south from Invercargill is the fishing port of Bluff - home to the famous Bluff oyster and the annual Bluff Oyster and Southland Seafood Festival. Once you've tasted a Bluff oyster, no other oyster will do!

From Bluff, visitors can catch a ferry to Stewart Island, a haven for native bird life and the only place in New Zealand where you can readily see kiwi in their natural habitat. The island is large - 64km long and 40km across, so don't expect to walk around it in a day - or even a week! It has a 700km coastline, but there are only 20km of roads! As well as kiwi, the island is home to many other native bird varieties - including kaka, tui and bellbird. Sea birds abound off-shore. albatross, petrels, cormorants, gulls and blue penguins are common. Rarer species like yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) are also seen often.

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