During a recent conversation with a new-ish resident of my lovely province, the topic of Southland placenames came up, 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.
Then this morning I discovered this book. Coincidence? Or is the universe as bush-obsessed as Southland?