The topic of Southland place-names came up at the office yesterday afternoon, in particular the Southland penchant for using the name “Bush” … as in Gummies Bush, Wreys Bush, Mabel Bush, Croydon Bush, Myross Bush and so on.
We came to the conclusion that Southland is bush-obsessed. Of course, this caused some joking, especially when we all remembered the appropriately (for our conversation, anyway) Gropers Bush.
A quick search on Te Ara (the encyclopaedia of NZ) shows the Bush obsession is really a reflection of the fact that Southland once covered with bush, of the forest-ish variety, but our theory is much more interesting.
Later, in a separate discussion about locations in Facebook profiles we decided it would be fun to enter exotic or exciting locations instead of Invercargill (not that I don’t like Invercargill because while it seems to be trendy to diss the place even while living here, I actually enjoy being here). I thought Paris might be a good options but one of our reporters suggested Brazilian correspondent would have a ring to it.
Now, I don’t know if he was still thinking about the Bush conversation from earlier in the day but I thought it was funny.
Then this morning I discovered this book. Coincidence? Or is the universe as bush-obsessed as Southland?