Southland Anniversary Day commemorates the 1861 creation of Southland Province, which split from Otago but lasted only until 1870. Even after the abolition of provinces in 1876, Southland retained its anniversary day as a regional holiday.

When is Southland Anniversary Day?

Southland Anniversary Day is observed on Easter Tuesday.

The following is the list of Southland Anniversary Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Southland Anniversary Day?

The origins of Southland Anniversary Day go back to the provincial government system created under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852. In 1861, Southland Province was officially established after separating from Otago Province.

The split was driven by dissatisfaction among settlers in the deep south, who felt that revenue from local land sales was being diverted to Dunedin rather than being used for Southland's development. Invercargill became the capital of the new province.

Southland Province only lasted for nine years. The province struggled financially, taking on debt to fund ambitious infrastructure projects such as roads and railways.

By 1870, Southland was reabsorbed into Otago Province, making it one of the shortest-lived provinces in New Zealand history.

In 1876, all provincial governments in New Zealand were abolished and replaced by a centralized system of government with local councils. Despite this, provincial anniversary days were retained as regional public holidays.

Southland, even though it had only existed as a province for nine years, kept its anniversary day as a marker of its distinct regional identity.

Unlike most anniversary days, which are tied to specific historical dates, Southland Anniversary Day is observed on Easter Tuesday (the Tuesday after Easter Monday). This unusual timing was chosen to give Southland residents an extended Easter break, making it more practical and popular.