An inner city treasure hunt, a unique restoration project and traditional tasty treats are just three of the fantastic Southland Heritage Month offerings being served up during March.

Heritage South Chair Stephanie Herring said they were thrilled to share a diverse and exciting programme for Heritage Month 2023.

“We encourage everyone to get out and discover the breadth and depth of the south's heritage on offer. There are the conventional, the unexpected, and even some tasty options,” she said.

A huge range of events from workshops to open days, tours and loads more are scheduled all around the region during March, meaning everyone in Southland can find something happening near them, Herring said.

“So find something that interests you, and perhaps something that is new for you, and have some fun exploring our southern heritage. We look forward to seeing you.”

Heritage Month’s opening event is the launch of the Invercargill Inner City Heritage Treasure Hunt Trail on March 3, which will be fun for people of all ages.

“We will also take this opportunity to acknowledge the commitment of the late Mick Hesselin to the built heritage of Invercargill and Southland,” Herring said.

The treasure hunt takes people on a trip around some of Invercargill’s most significant historical spots, with clues at each stop, leading you to the next spot.

Another highlight is two events focusing on the history and restoration of John Turnbull Thomson's impressive Invercargill home and garden, known as Lennel. Lennel - the people and the plants is an exhibition at He Waka Tuia showcasing the garden's past, present, and future plans.

In a separate event, Lennel owner Laura Thompson will share how her passion for the property has grown, as well as their plans for restoring the property. Landscape architect Nigel Cowburn will talk about his work to support them, and Sarah Gallagher from Heritage NZ will share advice for anyone looking to restore heritage homes.

Southland’s Hidden Voices is a Southland Oral History Project exhibition, presenting a series of iconic oral histories from the beginnings of oral history recording in our region, that are fascinating listening.

On March 16, a Winton Heritage Tour exploring the historic buildings, sites, trees, and notable places of Winton is being led by Heritage New Zealand.

In Gore, Mondays @ the Moonshine Museum will be happening throughout the month, with experiences ranging from museum tours to discovering tools to help you in your family history searches, to tasting what the rohe has to offer, to an evening for educators.

Herring said Heritage South was grateful to all the participating groups and individuals for their effort and enthusiasm, and to the many sponsors for their support.

For more event details check out Heritage South’s Facebook page and keep an eye out for a copy of the Heritage Month brochure.

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