The Southland Social Sciences Fair began in 2005 as the Southland History Fair. Within a few years it had become the Southland Social Studies Fair and now the Southland Social Sciences Fair. We have had a fair each year apart from 2020 when pretty much everything like this was cancelled. The original venue was the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, followed by the Scottish Hall and we have been happily at the IWC – the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club – for the last few years.
Social Science is a broad topic. It includes history, industry, hobbies, sport, disasters, current events, heritage buildings, biography, genealogy, farming, transport, pollution, conservation, health and so on. Over the years we have had exhibits from each of these fields.
We invite students from Years 5 to 13 to research and prepare a display. Most students are from Southland but we have a few from outside the province.
The fair costs about $7,000 each year, the biggest coat being prize money, and we rely on sponsors to help us reach this goal. Principal sponsors vary from year to year but our traditional ones are the ILT Foundation, The Lion Foundation, Aotearoa Gaming Trust, Community Trust South and Pub Charity.
Check the information about the 2025 Southland Social Sciences Fair
Results Social Sciences Fair 2024
We had 307 exhibits with some really excellent work. Here are the results courtesy of our judging team. In general 1st = $80 per contributing student, 2nd = $60, 3rd = $40 and Merit = $20. Where more than three students have contributed the amount is reduced. The National Council of Women prize is $60 and $30. In some cases the prize label on the exhibit may have been wrongly placed or shifted. Please check that the details match the exhibit.
Total prize pool is about $6,200 thanks to sponsorship and contributions from the Lion Foundation, Community Trust South and the ILT Foundation.
Please remove exhibits, preferably between 1pm and 4pm on Saturday afternoon. We cannot store unclaimed exhibits. Collect your envelope with the award certificates to which cash is pinned. If you wish you can collect blank participation certificates and badges for each student.
This year’s fair takes place from 17 to 21st of June. If you would like to help on the organising committee you would be most welcome.
Lloyd Esler 021 1766580
Y5/6
1 Charlee Hazlett St Thomas Hazlett Southdowns
2 Cooper Ward Waihopai The Rise and Fall of our Pyramid
3 Dexter Feaver, Jack Pile Waihopai Disabilities
M Baden Jewel, Elias Grace Aurora Major Disasters
M Corey Wessels Waihopai Surf Boards
M Ezra Smith Makarewa Warbirds over Wanaka
M Montesa Sheppard St Teresa’s Bluff Armed Tramping
M Matthew Truman Windsor North Truman Track
Y7/8
1 Jamie Oosterbroek JHC Junior Impact of Technology
2 Myah Knight JHC Junior How Vaping Affects Us
3 Taylor Lemm, Caitlin Checketts JHC Junior Where are you Ziggy?
M Libby Anderson Hauroko Valley White Island
M Lucas White Lochiel Thomas Fleming…..
M Nethuki Perera JHC Junior Alcohol
M Luiza Frew Limehills Farm Jam
M Bella MK HMB Rakiura Residences
M Stevie Brand Limehills Beads of Courage
M Ave Valoa Jack JHC Junior Aere Ra
M Louise Lubos Verdon Two Sides of the Story
M Teegyn Dillinger, Liam Templeton JHC Junior Hearing Colours….seeing…
M Benjamin Elder JHC Junior Phones Away
M Kiryn Henery SBHS Craig McColl
M Archer Botting SBHS B G Botting
M Paxton Gilmour Homeschool Homeschooling in NZ
Y9/10
1 Tamsin, Tamzyn JHC Senior Colours
2 Jorja Barker JHC Senior Epilepsy
3= Cheyenne James JHC Senior Pink Tax??
3= Thomas Bannister JHC Senior Social Media’s Impact on Society
M Miriam Moataz SGHS Glowworms in Te Anau
M Anahera and Lexi James Hargest Senior Rongoa
M Charlotte Robinson JHC Senior A Life Well Lived
M Cameron Hughes JHC Senior Flax Fibre
Y11-13
1 Sophie Ineson SGHS Cu Chi Tunnels
2 Carly Drysdale, Minnie Lenihan, Sophie Ineson SGHS International Sun Safety
Conservation and Environment
1 Emelia Rooney, Izzy Airey Waihopai Pest Eradication
2 Max Legg Limehills Pig Problem
M Fergus Boyce Halfmoon Bay Beach Cleanup
M Louie Egerton Hauroko Valley Pesky Pests
National Council of Women prize for the best project on women’s issues
1 Rachel Shindo SGHS Gender Equality Japan and NZ
2 Cheyanne James Hargest Senior Is the Pink Tax affecting the women of Invercargill
Hobbies
1 Ilyssa King Hauroko Valley The High Flings and Low Flings of Highland Dancing
2 Tori Egerton, Layla Pont Hauroko Valley Highland Dancing Tui Style
Merit Mehui Girhotra JHC Twist, Turn, Solve
M Max Kidd, Vivian Rout Waihopai Boys Brigade
M Quinn Blair Lochiel Why is fishing in NZ so popular?
M Vinnie Stewart Otatara Foraging on Omaui Beach
M Selene Conning St Teresa’s Bluff Roblox
M Grace Ward Waihopai Waihopai Growing with Music
Buildings
1 Cooper Ward Waihopai The Rise and Fall of a Pyramid
2 Bella MK HMB Rakiura Residences
3 Penelope Truman The Christchurch Cathedral
Conflict
1 Lucus Thompson, Leon Toms JHHS Junior The Effects of War on Ukraine and Russia
2 Jake Gray Hauroko Valley Bloody Friday
3 Griffin Greer Hauroko Valley World War 2 Battles
M Leah and Charlotte Hedgehope WW1
M Jasmine Caudwell JHHS Long Range Desert Group
M Wenxin Li, Sean Clark JHC Junior The Great War
Disasters
1 Sam Oliver, Sid Evangelista Waihopai Christchurch Earthquake
2 Villiamu Valoa Jack Windsor North Hell on Earth for the Forgotten Bikinians
3 Sienna McGregor Hauroko Influenza
M Baden Jewel, Elias Grace Aurora Major Disasters
M Richie Limehills NZ’s Worst Air Disaster
M Libby Anderson Hauroko Valley White Island
M Fergal Legg Hauroko Valley Titanic Sinks
Food
1 Zoe and Estelle Waihopai Bees and their Honey
2 Pippa Longford Limehills What’s in yours?
3 Maia Young, Shail Joyce New River Titi Island
M Tatum Wessels Waihopai Bluff Oysters
Heritage
1 Thomas Clarke Hauroko Valley The Miss Akaroa
2 Georgia Wylie Limehills Crime Time
M Josh Chittenden HMB The Way to School
M Aliviah Giles, Willow Murray St Johns SBS Bank What’s in a Name?
M Eilidh Gordon, Briar Nicholl St Johns Invercargill vs Inverkelly
M Greer Pine, Briar McKenzie St Johns Andersons Park
M Holly McIntyre Waikaka Waikaka Gold
M Georgia Hammond Hauroko Valley Monkey See Monkey Do
M Carter McGregor Hauroko Valley A Voice for the Mouth
M Billy Allen, Blake Dawson, Jacob Atkins et al Halfmoon Bay 150 Years of School
Other Cultures
2 Enoch Han Waihopai Immigrating
3 Louise Lubos Verdon Two Sides of the Street
M Vince Hernandez Waihopai Only in the Philippines
M Sunny McIntyre Waihopai A Place to call Home
M Ave Valoa Jack JHC Junior Aere Ra
M Ngaio Frahm Verdon Why immigrate to NZ?
M Jac Bryce Basungit St Thomas Southland Filipino Society
Health
1 Myah Knight JHC Junior How Vaping Affects Us
2 Carly Drysdale, Binnie Lenihan, Sophie Ineson SGHS International Sun Safety
3 Ella Neylon Southern Health School Functional Neurological Disorder
M Paislee Godden, Arkeiya Deans, Chelsea Tremayne New River Stop Smoking
M Dexter Feaver, Jack Pine Waihopai Disabilities
M Dante Feaver JHC Junior Disabilities Acceptance of Society
M Jorja Barker JHC Senior Epilepsy
M Pippa Langford Limehills What’s in Yours?
Transport
1 William Simpson, Lachlan Arthur JHC Junior Behind the Scene at Invercargill Airport
2 Alex Morrison, Harry Clarke JHC Junior Impact of Oversize Loads
3 Hunter Riley Limehills Uncovering South Roads
M Oscar Van Dam Hauroko Valley Kings Rural Transport
M Kyra Bonthuys JHC Junior E Transport
M Laura Chittock, Natalie Eade Waikaka Transport in Waikaka
Genealogy
1 Ngaio Frahm Verdon Why Immigrate to NZ?
2 Jack McDowall Limehills McDowall Transport
3 Charlotte Robinson JHC Senior A Life Well Lived
M Charlotte Beer Limehills My Family History
M Finley Clarke Hauroko Valley Tracing my Tupuna
Sport
1 Sam Tengco JHC Junior Barriers for Children in Sports Participation
2 Holly Hall Windsor North Are you Warmed Up?
M Oliver Chamberlain Hauroko Valley Rugby World Cup History
M Tia Boutcher JHC Junior Fight for Kidz
M Nico Wandless JHC Junior Chasing Dreams
Industries
1 Eli Burgess, Krishna Anqui JHC Junior New Mall New Challenges
2 Cameron Hughes JHC Senior Native Flax Fibre – Harnessing its Potential
3 Lucas White Lochiel Thomas Fleming
M Hunter Riley Limehills Uncovering Southroads
M Parks Laverty JHC Senior Does NZAS Deserve to Stay?
M Archie Ware HMB The History of Logging on Rakiura
Farming
1 Annalise Elder Limehills Sheep and their Fleece
2 Lola Gow Hauroko Valley It’s wool all the way
3 Dusty Pont Hauroko Valley A recipe for Perfection
M Carter Wright, Jeremy Robinson Tokanui Impacts on Ag Work
M Jack MacPherson Hauroko Valley Wairaki Station
M Charlee Hazlett St Thomas Beyond the Gate
M Isla, Adalyn, Blaire, Clare Hedgehope Converting Farms
M George Fairbairn Lochiel Farmers Feeding the World
M Koby Cuthbertson Limehills History of Wilkins Farming
M Madison, Claudia, Monique Tokanui The Impact of Flax
Biography
M Charlotte Robinson JHC Senior A Life Well Lived
M Walter Ferrier-Kerr SBHS Jim Stevenson
M Nate Wallace SBHS Murray Brown
M Jed Harvey SBHS Lincoln Charles Moffat
M Lhyonn Morale SBHS Philp Collie
M Lewis Roubroeks SBHS Edwin Arnold Wiegersma
M Alfie Simons SBHS James Simons
