Chance to develop Southland’s food stories at new museum now open

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From the mountains to the sea, Southland is blessed with an abundance of world-renowned ingredients. Now, those within the hospitality industry are being called upon to share their vision for an on-site café at the region’s new museum.

‍ Physical construction of the new museum, on the edge of the award-winning Queens Park in Invercargill, is set to be completed later this year. Te Unua Museum of Southland remained on track to open to the public in 2027.

Te Unua Museum of Southland Director Eloise Wallace said an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to find the operator for the facility’s on-site café was now underway.

“Establishing a brand-new regional museum like Te Unua is an incredibly exciting opportunity for all of Murihiku Southland. Museums are places of real, meaningful connection and storytelling – not just for the people who call this place home, but for visitors to our region,” she said.

“One of the most meaningful ways people connect with the place around them is through experiencing the local cuisine, and our aspiration for Te Unua is to add to Invercargill’s growing reputation as being a destination worthy of visiting in its own right. Southland has such a rich food story and heritage, and Te Unua is set to be perfectly positioned as a key cultural and social facility within the region to showcase these. Establishing the café space within Te Unua offers potential operators a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make their mark on our region’s culinary scene.”

From the mountains to the sea, the region was blessed with an abundance of produce, Wallace said.

‍“Southland’s distinctive flavours and ingredients give our hospitality industry some pretty stellar tools to work with. Kaimoana straight from the crisp waters of Foveaux Strait, world-class proteins like lamb and venison, mahika kai and food gathering traditions such as the harvesting of tītī, growing conditions perfect for vegetables like the quintessential Southland swede, and legacies including the cheese roll not only keep us all nourished, but are a key driver of bringing visitors to our region,” Wallace said.

‍Te Unua would feature a 267m2 on-site café, with both indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a children’s play space, and expansive views overlooking the award-winning Queens Park, Wallace said.

Great South Destination Development Manager Amie Young said the region’s cuisine and food story had long been recognised as an essential part of the Murihiku Southland Destination Strategy, helping to attract visitors seeking authentic, place-based experiences.

“Food is a universal language, regardless of where our visitors come from, and a region’s food story is increasingly recognised as a powerful way to help people connect with a place and transform a destination from enjoyable to memorable,” she said.

‍She said Southland’s distinctive food experiences enabled the region to deliver a genuine “taste of place” for visitors.

“The stories behind our food offer visitors a powerful insight into what sets us apart from other destinations - whether that’s an icon like the Bluff oyster and Southland cheese roll, or the wider story of our land and sea. Every bite helps tell the story of our climate, our people, and our wider identity. Our food reflects who we are.”

Tourism New Zealand’s consumer research showed that trying local cuisine was the number one activity for over 85 percent of potential visitors across our key international markets, highlighting the important role food played in shaping the overall visitor experience, Young said.

Southland’s distinctive food experiences enabled the region to tell a compelling story, develop new tourism products, and deliver authentic visitor experiences, she said.

‍Wallace said the EOI process for overseeing the café operations at Te Unua would remain open until 5pm on Wednesday, 8 July.

‍“We are looking forward to getting a taste of the possibilities for Te Unua, and seeing what our local culinary and hospitality sector envisages for the future of our café,” she said.

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