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Well, This Is Awkward: NZ’s Iconic Global Signpost Is Actually Wrong

Well, This Is Awkward: NZ’s Iconic Global Signpost Is Actually Wrong

Stirling Point, New Zealand

Every year, more than 87,000 people make the trek to Stirling Point in Bluff, New Zealand, to see its iconic global signpost. But, uh, it turns out the distances – and even a couple of the directions – are wrong.

According to the Daily Mail, the inconsistencies were pointed out by a Scottish tourist, who’d travelled to the area specifically to see the signpost. There, he noticed the markers for Cape Reinga and Wellington, both north of Bluff, were pointed in opposite directions and distances to New York, Hobart and Sydney were incorrect.

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Fortunately, the errors have been brought to the attention of local authorities, who are working on restoring everything to its rightful place. Or, at least, they’re getting around to it.

“I’ve had a few comments from tourist who’ve worked it out and I’ve passed their comments on to the relevant authorities, but nothing seems to get done,” Mayor of nearby Invercargill, Tim Shadbolt, told Newstalk ZB Radio.

“It’s our biggest tourist attraction, so don’t think they like messing with it.”

He added that, while some of the directions are a bit out-of-whack, the risk of anyone being led astray by them is pretty low – the signpost is located on one of New Zealand’s most southerly points, at a dead end. So, unless they’re planning on swimming it, visitors will have to take the long way around, anyway.

“I think I might’ve had a complaint or two if people had actually followed the sign all the way to Cape Reinga,” Shadbolt joked.

How To Get There

  • Fly into Invercargill Airport
  • Drive 30km south on SH 1
  • 39 Ward Parade, Bluff 9814, New Zealand
[qantas_widget code=IVC]Check out Qantas flights to Invercargill.[/qantas_widget]

(Lead image: studio tdes / Flickr)

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