Major city · New Zealand
Gore
Stop 2–3 hours on the SH1 run between Dunedin and Invercargill for the trout statue and gallery; sleep only if you fish the Mataura.
Gore is a small Southland service town on State Highway 1, about an hour from Invercargill and 2.5 hours from Dunedin. It calls itself the world capital of brown trout fishing and New Zealand's country music capital. The sights are a short walk apart, so most travellers break the drive here rather than base here.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- NZD
- Best months
- Nov–Apr; early June for the Gold Guitar Awards
- avoid Jun–Aug (cold, wet, few events)
- Airports
- IVC · DUD
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- New Zealand ↗Visa-waiver visitors need an NZeTA (with the tourism levy) before travel, including many transit passengers; others need a visa. Apply only through Immigration New Zealand or its official app, and check the rules for your passport.
- New Zealand ↗Declare all food, plant and animal products, and used outdoor gear such as hiking boots and tents, on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration; undeclared risk items bring instant fines.
- New Zealand ↗Drive on the left; give way as signed at one-lane bridges; an English-language licence or one with an approved translation or International Driving Permit is required.
- New Zealand ↗Freedom camping is restricted: sleep in a vehicle only where signed as allowed, and in many places only in certified self-contained vehicles.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Gore111 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Gore, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the New Zealand dollar (NZD, NZ$).New Zealand-wide
- SIM or eSIMOne NZ, Spark and 2degrees sell tourist SIMs at Auckland and Christchurch arrivals and in supermarkets; passport not required.New Zealand-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe almost everywhere; follow boil-water notices in small rural schemes.New Zealand-wide
- TippingCafé or restaurant: Nothing expected; 10% for very good service at dinner is a bonus.New Zealand-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets I. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.New Zealand-wide
- SafetyA quiet, low-crime country town; the real risks are winter ice on SH1, long gaps between buses and driving after dark on rural roads.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets in every town and at most lookouts; DOC long-drops on tracks.New Zealand-wide
- Emergency numbers111 police, fire, ambulance · 105 Non-urgent police · *555 Traffic incidents (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysShops closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday, ANZAC Day morning and Christmas Day by law; small-town shops close by 17:00 and on Sunday afternoons…Shops closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday, ANZAC Day morning and Christmas Day by law; small-town shops close by 5:00 PM and on Sunday afternoons…New Zealand-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckIVC Invercargill Airport (About 1 h by road south on SH1; check schedules and whether your route has direct flights).
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable in 10–15 minutes end to end.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeNZ$5–7 (≈ US$3–5)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekNZ$20–40 (≈ US$12–25)
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Moonshine Museum)NZ$5–15 (≈ US$3–9)
- Budget bedBackpacker or cabin bed, a night, per personNZ$45 (≈ US$30)
- Mid-range bedMotel unit (up to 2), a night, per roomNZ$170 (≈ US$100)
- High-end bedMotel unit (up to 2), a night, per roomNZ$260 (≈ US$160)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget NZ$90 (≈ US$55) · Mid NZ$160 (≈ US$95) · High NZ$280 (≈ US$170)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- IVC Invercargill Airport (About 1 h by road south on SH1; check schedules and whether your route has direct flights) · DUD Dunedin Airport (About 2.5 h by road north; check schedules and whether your route has direct flights)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Feb
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Mar
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Apr
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
May
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Jun
Care*
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Jul
Avoid
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Aug
Avoid
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
Sep
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Oct
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Nov
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Dec
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Best: Nov–Apr. Mixed: Jun. Avoid: Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jan (21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)), coolest Jul (0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C) low), wettest May (12 rain days), driest Feb (9). Averages, not a forecast.
* only part of the month (early, mid or late).
Weather and climate
Gore: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
11 rd
Feb
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
9 rd
Mar
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
10 rd
Apr
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
10 rd
May
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
12 rd
Jun
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
12 rd
Jul
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
12 rd
Aug
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
11 rd
Sep
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
11 rd
Oct
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
12 rd
Nov
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
11 rd
Dec
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
11 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable in 10–15 minutes end to end. Without a car, call a taxi (MT Taxi Gore, +64 3 208 1243) or ask at the visitor centre to call one. InterCity buses stop outside the visitor centre on Hokonui Drive.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Mataura
goDoor to door: About 15 min
SH1 south, about 10 min by car
Small riverside town; pair it with the drive to Invercargill.
Door to door: About 1 h
SH1 south, about 1 h by car; InterCity bus also runs
Best used as the next overnight stop, not a return day.
Bluff
goDoor to door: About 1 h 30 min
SH1 south through Invercargill, then SH1 to Bluff; about 1 h 30 min by car
Oysters and the southern coast; a long half-day from Gore.
Door to door: About 2.5 h
SH1 north, about 2.5 h by car
Too far for a comfortable return day.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre (Main St / Hokonui Dr)
Walk to the gallery, heritage centre and cafés; motels and the hotel are a short drive out.
Waimea St / north edge
Hotel set in grounds; quiet, needs a car or taxi for the centre.
Gore Motor Camp, Broughton St
Cabins and powered pitches for campervans; check current rates.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- NZ$80–130 (≈ US$50–80) excl. bed (2026 estimate)
- Mid
- NZ$130–220 (≈ US$80–130) excl. bed (2026 estimate)
- High
- NZ$220 (≈ US$130)+ excl. bed (2026 estimate)
Trip budget
| Motel unit (up to 2)1 × 1 night × NZ$170 | NZ$170 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × NZ$160 | NZ$320 |
| Taxi across town1 × NZ$15 · 2026 estimate | NZ$15 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × NZ$30 · 2026 estimate | NZ$60 |
| Café lunch2 × NZ$22 · 2026 estimate | NZ$44 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | NZ$61 |
| Trip total≈ NZ$335 per person per day, bed included | NZ$670≈ US$400 |
2026 estimate
2026 estimate in NZ dollars; fuel and intercity bus fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | NZ$5–7 (≈ US$3–5) |
| Café lunch | NZ$18–28 (≈ US$11–17) |
| Museum entry (Moonshine Museum) | NZ$5–15 (≈ US$3–9) |
| Bicycle hire, half day | NZ$30–50 (≈ US$18–30) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | NZ$20–40 (≈ US$12–25) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Buses are few: check InterCity times before you plan a same-day connection.
- Winter days are short and roads can be icy; drive SH1 in daylight.
- Many cafés and shops close by late afternoon; the visitor centre is weekdays only.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 111
- Non-urgent police
- 105
- Traffic incidents
- *555
Pocket card
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GoreGore
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance111
- Non-urgent police105
- Traffic incidents*555
Embassy
No embassies in Gore; consulates and embassies are in Wellington or Auckland.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- InterCity Dunedin → Gore: about 2.5 h; check current fare and times
- InterCity Gore → Invercargill: about 1 h; check current fare and times
- Taxi across town: about NZ$15 (≈ US$9)
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Where is the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
Visitor centre: 16 Hokonui Dr, weekdays 9am–5pm.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gore. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Apr; early June for the Gold Guitar Awards · avoid Jun–Aug (cold, wet, few events) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for IVC and DUD: bus and shuttle times checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Two walking clusters with rescue anchors: Hokonui Drive (gallery, heritage centre, trout statue) and Main Street (cafés, bike hire).
- Place pages with verified hours (Eastern Southland Gallery, Hokonui Heritage Centre) and eat pages with last orders.
- Winter and hostile-weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
Ask about Gore
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