Invercargill

Invercargill is the southernmost and also the westernmost town (ie City Council ) in New Zealand. With approximately 50,000 inhabitants, it is the administrative center of the Southland region and forms a separate urban district.

Geography

Invercargill on the southern coast of New Zealand's South Island in the Southland region. It forms the southernmost city of the country. Invercargill is surrounded by the sprawling Southland Plains, of about 1,500 km ² level and was founded on the 170 km long Oreti River. To the east are the Catlins. By Foveauxstraße Invercargill is separated from the Stewart Island further south past. Only 18 kilometers south of Invercargill Bluff lies with the southernmost settlement of the South Island.

The urban district is surrounded by the Southland District, in the south it is bordered by the South Pacific.

In the near Invercargill are particularly large protected areas, such as the Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island. But the greatest of all is undoubtedly the whole southwest region captivating Fiordland National Park.

Climate

The maritime, temperate climate of Invercargill is that of the British Isles, especially the Scottish, very similar. Average temperatures range from 5.2 ° C in July to 14.0 ° C in January. The average maximum temperatures in July are 9.5 ° C in January and 18.6 ° C, the average low temperatures are 0.9 ° C in July and 9.4 ° C in January.

The mean annual rainfall is 1112 mm and with about 1580 hours cloudiness is in Invercargill new zealand wide comparison No. 1 on the cloud duration.

History

After the first meetings between the resident Māori and European immigrants, decided in 1856, Thomas Gore Browne, the then Governor-General of New Zealand, in the area around Bluff to build a harbor. He gave the settlement, which was north of it, the name of Inver - cargill. The " inversion " comes from the Scottish term for " river mouth " (namely Inbhir ) and the " Cargill " by William Cargill, who was at that time governor of Otago (to which Southland was then a part ).

Population

A relatively large proportion of the population Invercargills is of Scottish descent. This can still be seen at many Celtic -sounding place names today. For example, some neighborhoods are named after rivers in Scotland. Overall, Invercargill is considered the most Scottish influenced city of New Zealand.

The journalist Peter Arnett, Marton Csokas, the actor, the athletes Malili Muliaina, Jeff Wilson and Anton Oliver and motorcycle enthusiast Burt Munro are or were residents Invercargills.

Infrastructure

Invercargill has its own airport, the only place domestic flights in passenger transport. In addition, the city is connected to the Southern Scenic Route and in the city center meets the State Highway 6 to State Highway 1, which finally ends at Bluff.

The Main South Line, one of the oldest railway lines in New Zealand, runs from Christchurch via Dunedin to Invercargill. Until February 2002, when the last run with the Southerner passenger was set on the track because of inefficiency, presented the station of Invercargill also the southernmost passenger station of the earth dar. Nevertheless, the Main South Line again gaining importance, since it more and more for goods transport is utilized.

Sports

Invercargill is one of the centers of the New Zealand sport and has several stages. In addition to the Rugby Park Stadium, where the national team of Southland rugby and occasionally the Highlanders from Dunedin and Southland Spirit FC football team play their home games, is with the ILT Velodrome New Zealand's only indoor velodrome in the country.

In addition, a swimming center, venues for hockey and cricket, as well as the stage of Southland, in the run up especially the Netball team Southern Steel and Southland Sharks basketball club. After the roof of the stadium collapsed on September 18, 2010 due to a snowstorm, the matches of both teams were initially laid in the building complex of the nearby velodrome.

Personalities

• Herbert James " Burt " Munro (1899-1978), motorcycle racer, a member of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame
• Edward Dawkins (* 1989), racing cyclist
• Tim Cafe ( * 1987), skier

Sister City

• Kumagaya (Japan)