Invercargill: city of water and light
26 February 2025
Invercargill, or Waihōpai in Māori, is both the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, as well as one of the southernmost cities in the world.
Walk, ride or drive along Ōreti Beach
Ōreti Beach runs for 26 kilometres along the southern coast of the South Island.
Just 10 kilometres from Invercargill, the beach is a popular spot for all types of recreation – from sand karting to windsurfing; horse riding to dog walking. It is also one of a handful of beaches in New Zealand that vehicles are allowed to drive on, making it a coastal highway.
A famous Invercargill local did just that back in 1957.
It was here on Ōreti Beach that Southland motorcycling hero Burt Munro set a New Zealand Open Beach record of 131.38 mph; in 1975 he raised this to 136 mph.
The beach also played a starring role in the film The World’s Fastest Indian which tells Munro’s story.
At the southern end of Ōreti Beach, Sandy Point is a great spot for exploring on foot, mountain bike or horseback.
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