Ancient Southland Forest Remnant
Thomsons Bush is a 33-hectare reserve of native kahikatea and mataī forest beside the Waihōpai River in the Prestonville suburb in Invercargill, roughly 2.5 km north of Invercargill's city centre. It is one of the last remnants of the vast podocarp swamp forest that once stretched across the central Southland plains, a forest known to Ngāi Tahu as Taurakitewaru. Where that forest once covered tens of thousands of hectares, only small fragments remain, and Thomsons Bush is the most significant of those within the city limits. The forest retains some of the original character of the place that existed before European settlement began draining and clearing the plains in the 1850s.
The Forest Itself
The canopy is dominated by kahikatea and mataī, both reaching 18 to 22 metres, with straight trunks and broad spreading crowns. Smaller trees include pokaka, kōhuhu, broadleaf, and fuchsia, and the understorey holds dense Astelia, hen-and-chickens fern, prickly shield fern, and hounds-tongue. The forest grows on alluvial ground, fine material deposited over thousands of years by floods from the Waihōpai, and the damp, still character of a lowland swamp forest is palpable in the reserve, even in Summer.
Korimako (bellbirds), piwakawaka (fantails) and other native bush birds move through the trees, and the forest edge along the river provides further habitat.
Restoration and Community Care
Active restoration work at Thomsons Bush is led by the Friends of Thomsons Bush and supported by Invercargill City, local schools, and volunteers from groups including the Invercargill North Rotary Club. The primary targets are possums and invasive plants: ivy, sycamore, elderberry, and pine, which are cleared systematically, block by block. The pace of recovery in the cleared areas is visible: native seedlings establish readily once competition is removed. The reserve functions as a living classroom for schools and a resource for those studying urban ecology in Southland.
Walking in the Bush
There is a network of well-graded connected looped walking tracks, totalling around 3.5 km, that runs through the reserve. Entrances are off Queens Drive, Gimblett Street, and Preston Street. The paths are walking only, easy and suitable for almost everyone. Despite the association with the swamp forest, the paths are all-weather. Picnic areas, a playground, and toilets are available. Dogs must be kept on a lead.
The Waihōpai River runs along the south side of the park, and the Waihōpai Walkway, which runs along the river from central Invercargill, connects with the reserve. The walkway is shared with cyclists and provides a pleasant route linking the bush to the city.
How to Get There
Thomsons Bush is about 2.5 km north of central Invercargill and a 5-minute drive along Queens Drive. The main car park entry is off Queens Drive, and pedestrian entrances are available from Gimblett Street and Preston Street. The reserve is open at all times.
Nearby places to visit include Bill Richardson Transport World, Queens Park and the Stumpery in Queens Park, and Anderson Park. You can also do the greenbelt walk, starting from the park and walking to the central city to explore the outdoor murals and artworks.
