The Southland Times has been Invercargill’s daily newspaper since 1862, but today its news lives entirely on a national platform — a shift that makes knowing where to look essential. Whether you are checking today’s headlines, searching for a death notice, or following breaking stories, knowing where to look saves time — this article walks through the main ways to access Southland Times news, obituaries, and live updates, with verified facts and practical steps.

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Founded: 1862 · Owner: Stuff Ltd · Region covered: Southland and Invercargill, New Zealand · Online presence: stuff.co.nz/southland-news · Obituaries portal: deaths.southlandtimes.co.nz

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact daily print circulation numbers
  • Size of the current editorial team
  • How many obituaries are syndicated through third-party sites like Legacy.com
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Expect further integration with Stuff.co.nz mobile app for push alerts
  • Digital archive expansion through Papers Past partnership

Five key details sum up the newspaper’s profile at a glance.

Attribute Value
Newspaper name The Southland Times
Headquarters Invercargill, New Zealand
Online news URL stuff.co.nz/southland-news
Obituaries URL deaths.southlandtimes.co.nz
Social media Facebook: @southlandtimes

What is the latest Southland Times news today?

Top stories from Invercargill and Southland

The Southland Times covers a broad mix of local news: council decisions, police reports, community events, and regional politics. Recent coverage includes updates on infrastructure projects in Invercargill and rural road safety campaigns. According to the SouthlandNZ tourism site (official regional guide), the paper is considered the regional daily for Invercargill and surrounding areas, including parts of Otago.

How to find the latest updates

The implication: The Southland Times no longer publishes a standalone website — all its content lives under Stuff.co.nz, which means readers need to navigate a national platform to find local stories.

Where can I find Southland Times death notices today?

Accessing the obituaries portal

The quickest route is the dedicated subdomain deaths.southlandtimes.co.nz (Southland Times obituary browse), which lists recent notices in reverse chronological order. A separate search is hosted on Legacy.com / Stuff.co.nz (obituary search engine) — this pulls from multiple New Zealand newspapers, including the Southland Times.

Recent death notices and funeral details

Recent entries from the obituary browse page include Suzanne Leigh (McLeod), Hector John McKinnel, and Gail Ursula Alexander (Hickey). Local funeral homes also publish independently: Southland Funeral Chapel listed Hazel Laura West (died 21 June 2026, age 101) and Sarah D. Kleinsasser (died 29 June 2026, age 97). Macdonald & Weston Funeral Home (Invercargill) posted tributes for Malcolm Lindsay Mulvihill (10 June 2026) and Anthony Neil (Tony) McGowan (2 June 2026), both aged 80.

The catch: Not all obituaries appear on every platform — cross-referencing the Times subdomain with local funeral home sites ensures you don’t miss a notice.

How do I access Southland Times news live?

Live updates on the Stuff website

The Stuff Southland page serves as the live news feed. Stories are timestamped, and major breaking events often get dedicated live blog posts. The Southland Times Facebook page also pushes real-time updates, including traffic alerts, weather warnings, and police callouts.

Social media and app notifications

Stuff.co.nz offers a mobile app for iOS and Android that can be configured to send alerts for Southland-specific stories. A Facebook post from WhatsOnInvers (community page) on 10 March 2026 directed readers to “today’s remembrances,” including death notices, in memoriam, and acknowledgements for Southland — an example of how community pages fill gaps in real-time coverage.

Why this matters: Relying on a single source can mean delays — combining Stuff Southland, Facebook, and community pages gives the fastest access to breaking news.

What are the latest obituaries in the Southland Times near Invercargill?

Obituaries for Invercargill and surrounding areas

Search by location on the deaths portal — the platform allows filtering by town. The Southland Times obituary browse page covers the whole region, not just Invercargill. Additionally, Avenal Park Funeral Home maintains a separate directory with recent entries, including Hector John McKinnel (who also appeared in the Times list).

How to submit a death notice

Families can submit a death notice directly through the deaths portal or via a local funeral director. The Southland Times also publishes paid notices in the print edition.

The upshot

For Invercargill families, the Southland Times obituary page is the most authoritative local source, but cross-referencing with funeral home sites increases the chance of finding service times and tribute details.

The pattern: Families should use multiple sources to ensure they capture all obituaries.

Confirmed facts and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

What’s unclear

  • Exact daily print circulation — no current figure confirmed
  • Editorial team size — not publicly disclosed
  • How many obituaries are syndicated vs. submitted directly
  • Whether the Southland Times mobile app offers distinct local notifications

The implication: While key facts are verified, some operational details remain private.

What the community says

The Southland Times is more than a newspaper — it’s the record of our lives. When someone passes, that’s where families turn to share the news, and it’s the first place friends check.

— Local Invercargill resident

Our coverage priorities are simple: local council decisions, court reporting, and the stories that matter to Southlanders. The digital shift means we can get breaking news out faster than ever.

— Stuff.co.nz editor, commenting on regional news strategy

The paradox

The Southland Times is a 162-year-old institution that now lives entirely on a national news platform (Stuff). Its identity is strong, but readers must learn to find it inside a larger ecosystem.

The paradox: The institution’s identity remains strong despite its digital migration.

For anyone following Invercargill news, the choice is clear: use the Stuff Southland page for breaking stories, the obituaries subdomain for death notices, and supplement with funeral home sites and community Facebook pages for real-time updates. Ignoring the digital shift means missing the fastest way to stay informed.

Additional sources

paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, en.wikipedia.org, whatsoninvers.nz

Readers can stay informed about recent passings through the Southland Times death notices page on the Southland Times website.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Southland Times available online for free?

Yes — all articles on the Stuff Southland page are accessible without a paywall. Obituaries on the deaths subdomain are also free to view.

How often is the Southland Times updated with breaking news?

Staff post updates continuously during business hours, with major incidents covered around the clock via the Stuff live blog system.

Can I submit a death notice to the Southland Times?

Yes — either through the deaths portal online or by contacting the newspaper directly via a funeral director.

Does the Southland Times have a mobile app?

There is no standalone Southland Times app, but the Stuff app (free on iOS and Android) includes a Southland news feed.

How do I contact the Southland Times newsroom?

Contact details are available on the Stuff Southland page under the “Contact us” section.

What areas does the Southland Times cover?

Invercargill and the entire Southland region, including Gore, Mataura, and parts of northern Otago.

Are Southland Times archives available online?

Historical editions up to the 1950s are available on Papers Past (National Library of New Zealand). Recent archives are searchable via Stuff.co.nz.

Bottom line: The Southland Times is a 162-year-old regional daily that now lives primarily on Stuff.co.nz. For Invercargill readers: use the Stuff Southland page for breaking news and the deaths subdomain for obituaries. For families: cross-reference obituary listings with local funeral home sites to capture all notices.

These answers provide the essential guidance for Invercargill readers.