What’s slow, sits as still as a stone, and is a famous New Zealand icon? The tuatara of course, and the Southland Museum in Invercargill runs a very successful captive breeding programme is their specially built ”tuatarium”. This was yet another “must see” on our list of holiday things to do. The tuatara has an ancient lineage which stretches back 225 million years, and are a threatened species, found only in New Zealand. We were introduced to Henry, a spritely 115 years old, who lives in his cosy tuatara household with girlfriends Mildred, Lucy and Juliette.
In the next area were 11 of Henry's offspring, five years old and still quite tiny. One of the youngsters sat as still as could be, and was very hard to see against the background. Tuatara do not reach maturity until they reach 70 years of age, and in the wild a clutch of eggs are laid every four years in an excavated hole in the ground, which is then safely covered over. The eggs take 12-14 months to hatch. These precious retiles will be released on to predator free islands when they are big enough to fend for themselves.
That “World’s Fastest Indian” is a South Island icon through and through, and refers to Bert Munro and his Indian Scout motorcycle on which he claimed a world record speed of 190mph. The Southland Museum has quite a large display about this southern man and his bikes. On his first trip to the Bonneville Flats in 1962 he achieved a speed of 179mph, an amazing feat especially given the ages of both the rider and his bike. After a partial stroke in 1977, Bert sold his bikes to Hayes Hardware, (descendents of Ernest Hayes of Hayes Engineering) so that they would remain in Southland.
After leaving the museum, we had to visit Hayes Hammer Hardware, which boasts the “100 metre Tool Wall” and a large selection of both Bert Munro and Ernest Hayes memorabilia. Billed as a place to “lose your man for a few hours”, husbands and handymen can check out the tools, check out the motorbikes, cars, engines, photos and all sorts of other blokey stuff, while the ladies can relax over a free cup of coffee and read a magazine.
Norman Hayes built this engine out of all sorts of bits and pieces. He used a pressure cooker for the fuel tank, and other bits are made from a preserving jar, brass garden tap, bed pan, brass toilet system and stirrup pump.
Back in the city streets we stepped over the historic stone kerbs and cobblestones which date back to 1863. Made by hand, they are one of the earliest features of “Old Invercargill”
The Civic Theatre, one of Invercargill’s most historical and significant buildings, was built in 1906, and has undergone a $15.8 million upgrade.
Back at camp it was oysters at last! We settled down to enjoy our evening meal of beer battered oysters, blue cod and chips, truly a meal fit for a couple of hungry caravanners. What could be tastier than that!
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