Te Hikoi Southern Journey

Top choice in Fiordland & Southland


Oh, that all small-town museums could be this good! The riveting Riverton museum starts with a 16-minute film about Pākehā sealer Jack Price and his Māori wife Hinewhitia who were stranded on the Solander Islands, far south of Fiordland. Legends behind the landscape are entertainingly told, as are anecdotes about characters including cabbage-tree rum distillers, heroic castaways and the first recorded Pākehā (white European) Māori, James Caddell.

Inside you will also find the Riverton Visitor Information Centre, which can assist with maps, accommodation and heritage-trail brochures, as well as the Discovery Depot, where kids can examine local geology through a microscope.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Fiordland & Southland attractions

1. Oreti Beach

11.83 MILES

Ten kilometres southwest of city centre Invercargill, this 26km sandy beach invites brisk walks and bike rides. Southland racing legend Burt Munro once…

2. Monkey Island

14.24 MILES

A former Māori whaling lookout, this grassy islet lies just metres off shore and is accessible at low tide. It's 4km southeast of Orepuki.

3. Orepuki Beach

14.53 MILES

Dubbed 'Gemstone Beach' for the slivers of quartz and garnet that supposedly churn ashore, Orepuki Beach is more likely to reveal smooth pebbles and…

4. E Hayes & Sons

16.41 MILES

Hardware shops aren't usually a must-see, but this one holds a piece of motoring history. In among the aisles of bolts, barbecues and brooms in this…

5. Anderson Park

16.57 MILES

Stretching over 24 hectares, this beautiful park includes landscaped gardens fringed by an expanse of native bush, plus a children's playground and duck…

6. Classic Motorcycle Mecca

16.6 MILES

More than 300 motorcycles spanning over a century are displayed in this shiny-floored showroom, including three-wheelers and sidecar bikes. It's utterly…

7. St Mary's Basilica

16.73 MILES

This broad-domed Roman Catholic basilica, open since 1905, is one of Invercargill's most elegant landmarks, and a standout against the low-rise skyline…

8. Queens Park

16.85 MILES

Half-wild, half-tamed Queens Park encompasses a whopping 80 hectares, with various gardens themed from Japanese to native NZ plant life. There are also…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "new-zealand/riverton/attractions/te-hikoi-southern-journey/a/poi-sig/1200025/1295704",
      "destination": "Fiordland-&-Southland",
      "continent": "Australia-&-Pacific",
      "country": "New-Zealand",
      "region": "Fiordland-&-Southland",
      "position": "superzone"
    }