COIN South, Southland Business Chamber and Great South are excited to partner together to showcase Southland businesses for Tech Week 2024, on from 20 to 26 May.
The week will celebrate te... read more
Caption: Great South Chief Executive Chami Abeysinghe with Dave McKissock, who is handing over organisation of CareerFest Southland.
After decades of running a popular youth career event, D... read more
An enormous amount of fun is in store for Southland families, with tickets on sale now for the 19th ILT Kidzone Festival, 10 to 15 July 2024. Preparations for the community event, proudly presented... read more
A planned 25m tall sculpture on Motupōhue (Bluff Hill) would be visible from the township and function as a beacon of the site’s cultural significance.
Te Rūnaka o Awarua is leading the developm... read more
A Central Government-funded initiative to get young rural Southlanders into jobs was launched in Riverton, Te Anau and Winton this week.
The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) Community Employment... read more
A new assessment of Murihiku Southland’s cycle trails and mountain bike parks shows it is well poised to grow as a distinctive cycle tourism destination.
Great South engaged independent co... read more
Great South’s support for the region to meet net zero emission goals by 2050 has been recognised with a win in the sustainability category at the Grand Business South Awards in Dunedin on Fri... read more
A popular viewpoint for Stewart Island/Rakiura’s world renowned dark skies has officially reopened following installation of a new platform and safety barrier.
Construction of the Observation Ro... read more
The plan for the future economy, environment, and people of Murihiku Southland has been recognised at the 2023 Economic Development New Zealand Best Practice Awards.
The Beyond 2025 Southland Pla... read more
A partnership between Great South and carbon emissions certification provider Ekos will help to reduce the cost barriers to achieving carbon certification for Murihiku Southland businesses.
... read more
Visitors to Murihiku Southland will be able to get a taste of the region more easily by way of a new food guide.
Murihiku Eats, a food guide to Southland, includes 24 food and beverage establish... read more
Tickets are now on sale for the Burt Munro Challenge, with the excitement of a new racing programme for 2024.
Great South supports the Southland Motorcycle Club with event management and d... read more
Tourism is a key diversification opportunity for Murihiku Southland, and is set to grow, with a new strategy sharing the plan for how it will be managed to better serve our communities.
The Muri... read more
A parade through Invercargill’s inner-city, to celebrate Southland Boys’ High School’s historic win in the New Zealand Barbarians 1st XV National championships, has been cancelled because of temper... read more
Successful applicants in the sixth and final round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund include new and returning events on the Te Anau events calendar.
The recipients were:
Te Anau Invita... read more
A second part-time Community Wellbeing Co-ordinator has been appointed to provide more support for the Te Anau community as it prepares to head into the busy summer season.
Alexa Smith, who’s lived... read more
A new ‘passport’ walking guide has been developed to showcase the wide variety of day walks available alongside Fiordland’s Great Walks.
The Hike Fiordland guide, developed by Great South, featu... read more
A New hops industry for Southland has received a boost with a $2.5 million government loan.
Garston Hops has been offered the commercial rates loan from the Government’s Regional Strategic... read more
More than 35 employers have signed up to meet with job seekers at the Southland Jobs Expo in Invercargill on Tuesday 5 September 2023, hosted by Great South and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD... read more
A new vision for the future of Murihiku Southland and the roadmap to get there was launched at a function in Invercargill on 28 June 2023.
The Beyond 2025 Southland Regional Long Term Plan is the c... read more
An event established to address the underrepresentation of women in trades in Murihiku Southland is proving popular amongst high school students.
Now in its third year, Girls in Trades is a key ini... read more
Southland is set to reveal a new regional plan, Beyond 2025 Southland aimed at creating a shared future vision and pathway for the region.
The Beyond 2025 Southland plan will be launched a... read more
The launch of the 'Southern Way' initiative and website scheduled for today (Tuesday 2 May), showcases the exceptional touring network ready for visitors wanting to explore the scenic souther... read more
An enormous amount of fun is in store for Southland families, with tickets now on sale for the 18th ILT Kidzone Festival, 5 to 10 July 2023.
Preparations for the community event, proudly p... read more
A celebration of Fiordland Wapiti, a new food event and a national darts competition have all received funding from the latest round of the Fiordland Regional Events Fund.
Winter Wapiti Weekend,... read more
Southland’s potentially unprecedented demand for renewable energy and ways to meet that demand are outlined in a new draft Strategy for the region, which is open for consultation until Wednes... read more
Pictured from left: Toitū Te Whenua Land Information NZ Kaihautū Customer Delivery Jan Pierce, Australian Deputy High Commissioner Amy Guihot, Lockheed Martin Regional Director for Australia and New Z... read more
A further round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund is now open, with $54,000 available for events that attract visitors from outside of the region.
The fund was established by the govern... read more
The Murihiku Sustainable Tourism Programme developed by Great South will be back in 2023, following the success of the inaugural 12-week programme.
The 11 businesses who participated in th... read more
The Government's Tourism Communities: Support, Recovery and Re-set Plan closed in August 2022.
The fund targeted five New Zealand communities that had a high dependence on international to... read more
Murihiku Southland residents are being asked for their views about tourism to ensure future development meets community needs.
Independent research company Angus & Associates is workin... read more
The countdown is on to the return of the Burt Munro Challenge 8 – 12 February 2023, with registrations and ticket sales for the largest rally in the southern hemisphere now on sale!
Challenge or... read more
Successful applicants in the fourth round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund include one brand new event, two events in their second year and two long standing events on the Te Anau events calendar.... read more
Space Operations New Zealand Ltd. was recognised at the DHL Export Southland 2022 Recognition Awards with a win in the NZAS Innovation in Export Award.
Space Ops NZ, which is 100% owned by Great So... read more
Great South is working on an application to the International Dark Sky Association for Fiordland National Park to become an International Dark Sky Park.
If successful, this could att... read more
The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) is holding its 2024 annual conference in Southland for the first time.
The conference, which will be held in Invercargill in August, brings togethe... read more
A further round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund is now open, with $90,000 available for events that attract visitors from outside of the region.
The fund was established by the govern... read more
Great South’s Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Chami Abeysinghe to the role of Chief Executive at Great South, Southland’s regional development agency.
Board... read more
After its inaugural success, Summer of Work is returning for 2022 and Great South are on the hunt for employers to join and connect with their summer workforce.
Summer of Work is an initiative ai... read more
A quarterly economic report for Southland to 31 March 2022 shows promising signs for the economy.
The report commissioned by Great South from economic consultants Infometrics shows our GDP has incr... read more
A strong Southland contingent is looking forward to making its mark at the 2022 MEETINGS held in Ōtautahi Christchurch this week.
The Invercargill Licensing Trust (ILT), TW Events & Incentives... read more
Flurries of excitement are in store for Southland families as tickets for the 17th ILT Kidzone Festival, 13 to 18 July 2022, are now on sale.
Themed ‘Winter Wonderland’ and returning to Southlan... read more
A new Community Wellbeing Co-ordinator will be instrumental in connecting the Fiordland community with mental health and wellbeing support as it continues to deal with the effects of COVID-19... read more
It is with great sadness that we share the news Great South Chief Executive Graham Budd has died from a suspected heart attack.
This news has come as a huge shock to the entire Great South... read more
A climbing invitational and a ukulele festival are two new events to be held in Te Anau that have benefitted from the third round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund.
The... read more
Bluff community stalwart Tammi Topi has been contracted by Great South to drive forward grand visions for the Southland town of Bluff.
Great South facilitated the Bluff Motupōhue 2020 Tour... read more
Great South has appointed Mark Frood as GM Tourism and Events for a fixed term through to June 2023.
The appointment is to cover for Bobbi Brown, who is on secondment as project lead for B... read more
For more information about border opening dates visit covid19.govt.nz
The Government’s announcement that vaccinated Australians can enter New Zealand significantly earlier than anticipated is ex... read more
A new $3.77 million government fund is being made available to help Invercargill businesses using fossil fuels for heating to make the change to low-emission energy sources.
Great South is... read more
Progress is already underway on at least half of the projects in a 20-year visionary plan for Bluff Motupōhue.
Great South has facilitated the Bluff Motupōhue 2020 Tourism Master Plan,&nbs... read more
Like pasta is to Italy, so is the Bluff Oyster to Southland, and a new strategy shows how Southland could become a food travellers’ paradise - just like the European nation.
The Southland... read more
Great South is excited to announce the launch of the You Won’t Want to Miss Southland Events calendar on its promotional website southlandnz.com.
The digital calendar features 34 of Southl... read more
A survey of visitors as they departed Rakiura Stewart Island last summer season shows 93% intend to return.
More than 3000 surveys were collected as visitors departed the island at Halfmoo... read more
More than $550,000 has been distributed to events in Fiordland and Southland since April this year from the government’s Regional Event funds administered by Great South .
A total of $180,000 ha... read more
Range anxiety, cost, and battery lifespan and environmental concerns around replacement are the main reasons Southlanders have been slow to make the move to electric vehicles, a study commissioned... read more
Great South’s highly successful space operations business has grown to an extent that on 1 October 2021 it will become a stand-alone company, Space Operations New Zealand Ltd.
It’s an... read more
More than 250 Summer jobs at more than 20 workplaces across Southland are up for grabs at the inaugural Southland Summer of Work.
The event is an online job fair to connect Southland stude... read more
Newly appointed Visit Fiordland Manager Stu Cordelle is excited to be returning to work in the “absolutely stunning” region.
With 30 years in the tourism industry, Cordelle has most recent... read more
International marketing for Fiordland and Southland is set to improve, with the formation of a new International Marketing Alliance (IMA) comprising only the two Southland regional tourism or... read more
Applications for round two of the Southland and Fiordland Regional Event Funds are now open.
A total of $472.500 remains available for events in the region after $287,500 was allocated in... read more
Great South Destination Development Manager Amie Young was awarded the Dark Sky Project Bright Star Award at the Royal Astronomical Society of NZ’s annual conference in Wellington this month.... read more
Southland has the potential to both meet the New Zealand Government’s ‘net zero’ emissions target by 2050 and retain a positive economic position, a new report shows.
The Net Zero Southlan... read more
Great South is pleased to announce Robin McNeill has been appointed general manager of its Space Operations programme.
Newly appointed Great South Space Operations GM Robin McNeill
... read more
A marketing alliance set up to ensure the success of the Auckland to Invercargill jet service has proved successful.
Great South partnered with Air New Zealand to deliver the ‘Speechless i... read more
An event to match job seekers with available job opportunities aims to help address the current shortage of workers in Southland.
Now in its fifth year, the Great South Job Search 2021 (pr... read more
‘Adventure’ is the apt theme for this year’s ILT Kidzone Festival, which after a year in hibernation is venturing to a new location.
Presented by Great South, the popular family festival a... read more
Fiordland’s brilliant night sky could soon be as much an attraction to domestic and international visitors as its stunning daytime scenery.
Great South has been working with the Fiordland... read more
The government’s regional events funding has assisted the organisers of 11 events across Fiordland and Southland with a total of $287,500 allocated in the inaugural funding round.
The fund... read more
Great South,
and its two Regional Tourism Organisations Visit Southland and Visit Fiordland, is proud to launch a new marketing campaign for the region, ‘You’re Due South’.
Created in... read more
Since its launch in December 2019, significant progress has been made on implementing the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy, a 12-month review released this week shows.
Of the... read more
On 1 April 2021 the Southland and Fiordland RTOs will both be operated by the Southland Regional Development Agency, Great South. Both RTOs will also be undertaking a name change to position... read more
A new report reveals a positive outlook for Southland post Covid, with a population increase predicted and a full economic recovery likely by 2025.
The just released Southland Region post-... read more
A new initiative to support and boost Southland’s hospitality and accommodation sector and elevate Southland’s reputation as a food and beverage destination will run from 1 April to 16 May 20... read more
Applications for the first round of the Southland and Fiordland Regional Event Funds are now open.
The funding is part of the Government’s post COVID-19 Tourism Recovery package, with a to... read more
Oat milk processing is set to join dairy as one of Southland’s key industries.
Great South’s work over the past 10 years has led to the development of what will be New Zealand’s first carb... read more
The Invercargill i-SITE visitor information and booking centre will close indefinitely as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The i-SITE, part of Tourism New Zealand’s official visitor info... read more
With datasets provided by Marketview and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Great South continues to track visitor spend across the region.
The information rece... read more
A new kind of gig guide is being wheeled out by Great South this summer.
Featuring as many events involving wheels as possible in January and February, the Summer Wheels guide is a... read more
A plan with a range of concepts to support the revitalisation of Bluff over the next 20 years is now open for public consultation.
Facilitated by Great South, the draft Bluff Motupohue 202... read more
Great South is holding two free one-day information sessions in Te Anau this month for those wanting work in hospitality and tourism over the summer.
The sessions, where local hospitality and touri... read more
Great South is playing an essential role in the next launch by Peter Beck’s Rocket Lab company.
The North Island launch, scheduled for Monday 16 November at 3.00pm, will send 30 s... read more
An expo designed to help migrants find work in Southland is being held on Wednesday 18 November.
The Expo, organised by Great South and hosted by the Southern Institute of Technology (SI... read more
With datasets provided by Marketview and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Great South continues to track visitor spend across the region.
The information rece... read more
The countdown is officially on to the 15th Burt Munro Challenge, with registrations for the largest rally in the southern hemisphere opening today!
Set to be held from the 10 – 14 Februa... read more
Plans to name a proposed merger between the Otago Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers Association ‘Business South’ is a real concern for Great South, Southland’s Regional Develo... read more
Media Statement from the Southland Regional Leadership Forum
The Labour Party’s policy to negotiate an extension to the life of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter and support a Just Trans... read more
Great South is continuing to gain momentum as New Zealand’s only ground station operator with a new antenna opened today highlighting the organisation’s commitment to New Zealand’s future spa... read more
Four new directors are set to join Great South, Southland’s Regional Development Agency, and help lead the region’s recovery and future growth.
Jason Franklin, Jeff Grant, Peter Heenan a... read more
In recognition of the significant impact of COVID-19 upon Fiordland’s tourism industry and the area’s employment, Great South has appointed a Fiordland Employment and Resource Planner.
Glyn Saund... read more
With Rakiura now an official International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Great South is helping those with an interest in developing a night sky tourism product to learn more about the skies above.
Great S... read more
For the last few months, the Great South team has been utilising Marketview data to assess Southland's tourism industry. Marketview uses in-person card transaction data to identify key trends in visit... read more
Great South is excited to be increasing collaboration with Invercargill city centre retailers with Shru Shrivastava, the Invercargill City Council City Centre Coordinator, now at Great South on a seco... read more
With a nation-wide lockdown, school closures and the evolving impacts of COVID-19, Southland students have had their fair share of unexpected change for the year.
To help students cope with this... read more
Showcasing the opportunities that are available to Southland youth, Great South’s career explorations programme Southland Youth Futures has partnered with Invercargill Central to host fortnightly tour... read more
Helping to share and capitalise on opportunities associated with Southland's unique food stories
In 2019 the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy for 2019-2029 was developed as a blueprint for... read more
The Great South Job Search for 2020 highlighted the extensive range of employment opportunities and support available for job seekers across the Southland region.
The free employment expo was hel... read more
Southland’s leaders remain united in their approach to prioritise an extended transition period for the Tiwai Aluminum Smelter.
On behalf of the Mayoral Forum, Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks is... read more
A Regional Skills Leadership group for Southland has been established to provide advice and prepare for the region’s changing labour market, particularly in light of the challenges facing the region a... read more
Making it easier to connect and learn, Techweek 2020 is going digital with Southland presenters helping to contribute to a jam-packed line-up.
Techweek is an annual event which celebrate... read more
A free expo later this month will provide much-needed support to Southland’s labour force.
Southlanders looking for employment advice and opportunities are being encouraged to attend... read more
The Southland Regional Development Agency’s efforts to encourage resilience across the Southland business community have received a boost with additional funding via the Regional Business Par... read more
International travel may be off the cards but ‘overseas’ adventures can still be had right here in Southland!
‘Overseas’ trips to Stewart Island/Rakiura, the region’s unique landscape and awe-ins... read more
From the Southern Scenic Route to the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail and some of the best of Southland’s spots in between, the region has been relishing its increased exposure on the national stage.... read more
Air New Zealand’s direct A320 jet service between Auckland and Invercargill resumes today.
The airline’s first flight from Auckland to Invercargill lands at 12:40 pm, with the return departing In... read more
The region’s commitment to establishing a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomers been formally recognised by Immigration New Zealand.
Earlier this week, Invercargill City Council, Gor... read more
Following the Government’s announcement of the national Tourism Recovery Package and support for Regional Tourism Organisations, Air New Zealand has confirmed that an A320 jet service will operate bet... read more
A significant allocation of funding for Southland’s Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) is set to play a pivotal role in the sector’s rebuild.
Today the Government announced up to $20.2 million... read more
After close to twenty years in the role, Great South’s Creative Projects Manager is lowering the final curtain.
This Friday will mark the last day for Great South’s Creative Projects Man... read more
Great South partnered with Infometrics Senior Economists, Brad Olsen and Nick Brunsdon, to host a webinar on the impact of COVID-19 and the different recovery scenarios specific to the Southl... read more
With Alert Level 2 promising more freedom to reconnect with friends, family and travel, there is no better time to rediscover the secrets of the south!
Southland’s Regional Devel... read more
With tracing and testing capacity essential to the eradication of COVID-19, one Southland company is leading the way with their innovative traceability application.
Inspired by an obvious need to... read more
Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great South, is supporting calls for the Government to allow interregional travel from Alert Level 2.
Great South Chief Executive Graham Budd said,... read more
Local businesses – they are the heart of our region’s economy and after weeks in lockdown, it is time to show them some love.
That is the call from Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great So... read more
As Southland prepares to move to Alert level 3, the initial regional economic impact of COVID-19 upon Southland businesses is being assessed.
Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great South, i... read more
In response to the COVID-19 situation and to take the necessary steps to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of visitors to the region, the Invercargill i-SITE is to become a virtual service fro... read more
Aligning with the Government’s approach to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 by cancelling mass gatherings, Great South has made the difficult decision to cancel two of its major events for 2020.
The... read more
Great South is committed to identifying what support your business needs to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
To understand the impact on your business and identify how we can provide support, we... read more
The outbreak of coronavirus is a fast-evolving and unprecedented situation.
As Southland's regional development agency, we are committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing... read more
Encouraging winds of change and innovation for Insol Ltd
A desire to challenge the status quo and deliver solutions not available anywhere else has encouraged one Southland business to embark on a... read more
The future for Southland youth is looking bright with the extension of one of the region’s leading career exploration programmes.
Southland Youth Futures, an initiative led by Great South to increa... read more
Great South’s career exploration programme, Southland Youth Futures, regularly promotes local entry-level vacancies to highlight the range of employment opportunities available for Southland youth.
... read more
As part of the approach to proactively support Southland in its transition to a low emission future, Great South hosted a panel discussion on the tools and initiatives available across the region to m... read more
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is congratulating 10 local councils and their communities for their success in implementing the Welcoming Communities programme.
This includes Gore District Council, I... read more
Great South has today released a profile of Southland’s emission sources for the 2018 calendar year.
The information highlights the annual rates of greenhouse gas emissions for the Southland region... read more
As the world's fifth International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and only the second island sanctuary in the world, dark sky status is seeming to provide even further motivation to travel to Stewart Island/Raki... read more
Southland’s future labour market has received a boost thanks to a cash injection from the Provincial Growth Fund.
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones today announced $1.55 million fr... read more
Southland’s involvement in the international space sector is set to be boosted by a local student’s innovative idea.
Along with juggling study, NCEA exams and part-time work, 16-year-old Gore... read more
The future is looking great with a clear plan announced to drive economic and social growth for the Southland region.
Great South – Southland’s regional development agency – has today revealed its... read more
Plans to encourage Southland’s continued tourism growth have received a significant boost with the launch of the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy.
The Strategy, which was unveiled today by G... read more
Great South’s Board of Directors have appointed Graham Budd as the organisation’s Chief Executive.
Currently Chief Executive for Destination Queenstown, Mr Budd has previously held a number of exec... read more
Following ‘Cruise Ready’ seminars that were held in Bluff and Stewart Island last week, Southland is looking ahead to the 2019/2020 cruise season.
Two seminars were hosted by Great South in partner... read more
To gain insight into the Southland business environment, Great South is undertaking the annual Southland Business Survey for 2019.
The survey, which opens today, provides a channel for local busine... read more
2 Day High Intensity, High Impact Lean Business Course
Led by internationally renowned Lean consultant Clinton Yeats
Up to 25% increase in team productivity
Perfect as an introduction to Lea... read more
A new kiosk at the Invercargill i-SITE is enticing visitors to relocate to Southland.
The new migration kiosk, which was set up last week, provides access to employment opportunities across the reg... read more
A pōwhiri, high tea and entertainment provided by local cultural groups have marked the launch of the Southland Welcoming Communities Programme.
Following involvement in Immigration New Zealand’s W... read more
28 cruise ships are currently scheduled to dock at Stewart Island or Bluff ports during the 2019/20 cruise season, equating to potentially 11,000 cruise passengers between November and March and an es... read more
Southland is rolling out the welcome mat.
Following involvement in Immigration New Zealand’s Welcoming Communities pilot, the Southland Murihiku Welcoming Plan will be launched on Wednesday 18 Sept... read more
Celebrating twenty years of park performances, Shakespeare’s popular tragedy, Macbeth, has been selected for the 2020 production of Shakespeare in the Park.
The annual Bard fest is scheduled to be... read more
To highlight the extent of career opportunities available in Southland our Southland Youth Futures Programme has been busy coordinating workplace visits for students across Southland.
Ever wondered... read more
Planning for Southland’s continued tourism growth is a main priority in the development of the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy.
The strategy will provide a blueprint for Southland’s d... read more
The new flights present significant opportunities for Southland businesses! Here's what you need to know to make the most of the opportunities they bring:
The flight schedule
... read more
On August 26, Invercargill Airport became the first regional airport in New Zealand to host a regular jet service with the establishment of direct flights between Auckland and Invercargill.
E... read more
On Sunday 25th of August, Invercargill Airport will become the first regional airport in New Zealand to host a regular jet service with the arrival of the inaugural Air New Zealand flight between Auck... read more
Some of Southland’s international students now know the true meaning of manaakitanga.
On Saturday 17 August, 26 international students were hosted on Murihiku Marae for the opportunity to learn mor... read more
That's the call from Great South and to make it happen they are holding a product development workshop, aimed at established Southland businesses and startups entrepreneurs, on the 17th October.
Th... read more
A significant drop in the number of Southland youth not in employment, education or training is being celebrated across the region.
Statistics New Zealand has estimated that the number of NEETs (yo... read more
The final leg of an electric vehicle journey around the world took place in our very own region.
On Friday 19 July the iconic Bluff signpost was the finish line for Wiebe Wakker’s 100,000km low emi... read more
The future is looking great with an exciting new identity revealed to drive Southland’s regional success.
Today marks the first official day of trading for the Southland Regional Developme... read more
Southland Regional Development Agency (SRDA) Chairman Ian Collier has announced the appointment of an interim chief executive to lead the newly established Southland regional organisation. ... read more