About Invercargill

Welcome to Invercargill - the city of water and light. Known as Waihōpai in te reo Māori, Invercargill is the heart and commercial hub of Southland, and holds the title of New Zealand's southernmost city.

With its strong sense of community, Invercargill offers the charm of a small town - as the adage notes, the further south you go, the friendlier the people - with the services and opportunities of a key regional centre that is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire world.

Whether it's to work, live, or play, Invercargill offers something for everyone, and with a population a smidge over 57,000 our community punches well above its weight. Invercargill has a proud history of academic, cultural, and sporting excellence on the world stage, and our community is home to myriad facilities that will continue to contribute to this rich heritage.

Invercargill is a hub for education, business, and innovation - did you know our city is the birthplace of instant coffee, among others? - and our city continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.

Steeped in history and shaped by both Māori and European settlement (our regional accent, with a strong rolling R, is derived from Scotland), our community is a proud and innovative one. Major recent developments within our community include the revitalisation of our city centre, and significant investment in key infrastructure including the once-in-a-lifetime Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade and the complete rebuild of our city's museum, Te Unua Museum of Southland. Private investment, too, has continued to grow confidence within our community.

Invercargill City Council is proud to play a pivotal role in shaping and guiding our city into the future. This is our city, with heart.

We look forward to welcoming you to our corner of the world.