Kia Ora – welcome to Radio Southland’s Community News! Updated 29/9/23
The Southland Arts Trail Is open this October 6th ‘til the 23rd and invites you to embark on a self-guided tour through the region, exploring galleries, guilds, and open studios of all flavours. Pick your path based on your own creative curiosity from a map that includes musicians, weavers, painters, and more. Stay tuned to Arts Murihiku's social media channels for updates on the map, programme, and additional information.
Gore Baptist Church is hosting its annual open day for spinners, weavers, and dyers; with fibre-related demonstrations, speakers, traders, and a lovely social atmosphere on October 7th from 10am-3:30m at 23 Ardwick Street Gore.
Take a chance to end the school holidays on a fun note and check out Disney’s Newsies JR. at the Invercargill Civic Theatre on October 7th & 8th. The hit show is a 60-minute version of the 2012 Broadway musical, based on the 1992 film; inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City. Check out Ticketek or head down to the civic for ticketing info.
Hokonui Culture Feast is a great event to indulge your senses and celebrate international food, music, and performance! Open on October 13th at the Gore Town and Country Club, 4 Bury Street Gore - from 5:30-8:30pm, suitable for all ages with free entry.
The Pantry is hosting a Village Market on October 14th from 10am-1pm, new & second-hand goods are for sale at 133 Grace Street Invercargill.
The Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic is the long weekend you can only dream of and the perfect opportunity to soak up majestic views and enter a fishing competition for the whole family! Every adult who catches a fish goes into the draw to win a grand prize of a Stabicraft boat. It’s on from October 20th-23, 2pm Friday-2pm Sunday with entry costing between $20-$55 per person. For more info and to get some tickets, check out teanauevents.co.nz
Anyone who’s been involved with Invercargill Middle School, the school’s 150th Jubilee is being celebrated over labour weekend. Any pupils, ex-pupils, teachers, and supporters are welcome to attend and celebrate!
Another great Labour weekend event is Tulip Day on the 23rd, with crafts stalls, kids’ activities, coffee, food, and BBQ at the Edendale Presbyterian Church on the corner of Brydone and Melvn Street; open from 10am-4pm with free entry.
Also on over Labour Weekend is the Great Little Train Show with model & hobby displays, including trains, boats, RC buggies, and retailers! It’ll be held at the SSME Club Grounds & Badminton Halls; Surrey Park Invercargill - open from 10am-4pm both days!
The SBS Bank Tour of Southland is New Zealand's premier multistage cycle race which attracts a quality field of riders from throughout New Zealand and internationally. It is raced over six days with eight stages and covers a wide part of the Southern region beginning on October 29th and finishing on November 4th – keep track of the locations and stops tourofsouthland.com.
The Hideaway @ 201 Lochiel Branxholme Road is hosting its yearly Wedding & Events Expo on October 29th starting at 10am until 3pm with an array of florists, bridal gowns, photographers, invitations, makeup, and everything else to help out on the big day. There’s an entry cost of $10 per person, including a glass of bubbles or juice and a goody bag!
If you are aged between 12 and 24 years, are interested in engaging in the Council decision-making processes and wish to increase the Council’s understanding of young people’s perspectives and needs, this opportunity might be for you, the Invercargill Youth Council are currently taking applications to join for the following year – check out icc.govt.nz and apply before October 24th.
APM & South Alive are hosting a free CV Building Workshop on Thursday, October 26th from 4pm-5:30pm at 262 Ness Street Invercargill, BYO device or use one on site!
There are only a few months until Christmas, so good thing the Southern Artisan Christmas Fete is on November 25th, with a huge lineup of stalls including homewares, Christmas gifts, art & sculptures, garden plants and heaps more. It’s open from 10am-4pm with tickets on the day costing $20, or prebooking from their site, southernfete.co.nz, for $50 gets you a gourmet lunchbox and glass of bubbles.
Age Concern needs more volunteer visitors to visit older isolated people in our community. How about visiting an older person in their home and going for a walk together, perhaps having a cuppa or just catch-up? If you have just one spare hour a week, this is all that they ask to help someone in need of company. Contact Chris at Age Concern on 2186351
On weekdays in Bluff, there are Te Rourou sessions from 8.30 to 5 pm where everyone’s welcome to come along and relax with a cuppa and enjoy a safe, secure environment for your little ones. For more information, please call 212 8866.
The Art Attic Gallery hosts a Poetry Night on the second Thursday of every month starting at 7pm, there’s free entry with some food and drink provided. The Art Attic Gallery is located at 43 Tay Street Invercargill.
The Lower Mataura Valley host a music night, on the second Wednesday of every month starting at 7:30 pm – at the Mataura RSA. It’s $5 to enjoy the night, and bringing along a plate of food to share is encouraged.
Do you have some time to spare and a great reading voice? The telephone information service for the blind needs people for daily or weekly readings from the newspaper, done from home. Contact the Blind Foundation at 218-3927
Anyone interested in joining the Foveaux Pearls Leisure Marching group please contact Dianne Blair on 216 4962.
And now a run-down of regular events and services in our province:
Activities:
Invercargill Parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5km event held every Saturday from 9am at Queens Park. Meet at the cricket pavilion carpark and walk, jog, run or volunteer - everyone is welcome. Head to their Facebook page for all of the details!
On Sundays from 9.30-1.30 the Southern Farmers Market is open at the old Railway Station - look for the market sign. Enjoy food, arts, crafts and produce in this popular market setting – it’s great to sit down and have lunch with the family!
Agencies:
The Loss & Grief Centre’s Invercargill drop-in centre is open Mondays to Friday 10am-4pm. You can also call or text 027 443 87 88, email lossandgriefcentre@gmail.com, or send them a message. The Centre also provides services in Winton, Gore, Mataura & Te Anau. Visit their website – www.lossandgriefcentre.com for more information.
Do you binge eat? Purge, starve, or compulsively exercise? Wherever you are, whatever your problem with food, Addictive Eaters Anonymous can help. Visit www.aeainfo.org to find out more about Addictive Eaters Anonymous.
Learning Differences Aotearoa are available to help if you or your child has a learning difference and needs some support – call or text Chris on 027 201 69 51, or email support@learningdifferences.org.nz.
Hearing Southland & their associated clinics in Leet St are open and taking bookings by phone - 214 91 54.
If you are elderly and need social support, access to help with meals or care services, support is available from Age Concern. Meals are available to pick up, and exercise classes are on. You are welcome to make an appointment to talk to someone, please wear a mask when you come in. They can also come to visit you. You can call them on 218 63 51, or visit ageconcern.org.nz.
If you have concerns about a senior’s safety, call the Elder Abuse Helpline for advice on 0800 326 68 65.
Jubilee Budgeting Services are available online or by phone – call 0800 Jubilee, or text 027 Jubilee. Go to their Facebook page for more information on what help they can provide. Appointments are able to be made to get advice over the phone, or to come to the office and meet in person.
The Southland Community Law Centre in the Cue on Don building in Don St are available to help - phone ahead to make an appointment – 0800 55 0800. Their hours are from 9-4 Mon-Thurs and 9-12.30 on Fridays. They also offer outreach services to Gore and Fiordland.
Council services, museums & galleries:
The Invercargill Public Library is open from 9-6 weekdays, and 10-4 on weekends. The Bluff Library is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm, and Saturdays from 10-1. The Archives in Invercargill are open – but please call ahead to book in on 03 211 15 73. Please return all books through the slots. MyBookBag is still available for free contactless book delivery – go to www.ilibrary.co.nz/mybookbag
Southland District Council area offices and libraries are open. Travelling library options are also available with the mobile bookbus, and have you checked their digital library options? To find out more go to southlanddc.govt.nz and click on ‘Libraries’ – or call them on 0800 732 542!
Te Hikoi Museum in Riverton is open every day from 10-4 – call them for more information on 03-234 8260 or visit their Facebook page!
The Thornbury Vintage Tractor Club focuses on Southland’s rural heritage and local history. With an extensive collection of vintage farm machinery, this is a great Sunday drive visit. It’s at 61 Foster Rd Thornbury, and its open Sundays from 1.30-4.30pm. Entry is $5. You can also call Fraser on 021 03 85 196 to arrange a time to visit!
The Otautau Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10-5. They’re at 110 Main St, Otautau, have a stunning collection of arts and crafts and they’re part of the Western Southland Arts Trail. Check out their Facebook page or phone 225-86-38 for more information. Entry is free!
The Southland Fire Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays from 11-4, and can also open for group bookings – call Les on 027 254 6464. It’s on the corner of Jed and Spey Streets, and entry is a gold coin donation!
He Waka Tuia on the corner of Don & Kelvin Streets is open from 10-5 Monday-Friday and 11-2.30 on weekends. This combined art and museum space is proud to celebrate everything Murihiku. Have a visit and explore their immersive exhibitions with the kids – entry is free!
The Awarua Communications Museum is open on Sundays from 1-4pm. Take a step into a unique part of our history, view their collection of local & national communications memorabilia and enjoy their interactive exhibitions. Entry is cash only – it’s $6 for adults and $3 for children.
The Bluff Maritime Museum is open from Monday-Friday from 10-4.30, and 12.30-4.30 on weekends. They have lots of fascinating history to view, including fishing & sealing memorabilia, tours of an oyster boat, and info about this earliest European settled community, including shipwrecks in the challenging southern waters. Admission for adults is $5, and its $1 for children.
The Eastern Southland Gallery is open from 10-4.30 on weekdays, and 1-4pm on weekends! For more information on the gallery and current exhibitions, visit www.esgallery.co.nz.
If you’re a community organisation or are hosting an event – do get in touch - give us a call on 03 2189891, email admin@radiosouthland.org.nz, or go to the contact us form on our website!