You and the kids can operate heavy machinery without a license in New Zealand's latest attraction, Dig This Invercargill

If you’re looking for something to do after spending the day at The Shire, here’s something that could make your New Zealand trip even more unforgettable.

Ever wished to try your hand at operating heavy construction equipment such as bulldozers and excavators for fun without compromising on safety? Then you should totally head to New Zealand’s first ever construction playground which is opening next Monday, 2 October – you don’t even need to have a driver’s license!

Founded in the USA by expat Kiwi Ed Mumm, this crazy construction playground is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Dig This Invercargill fun facts

New Zealand’s first heavy equipment playground
Dig This Invercargill is the only one in the southern hemisphere
9 activities available
Activities for anyone from four to 100 years old
Drive diggers, bulldozers, skid steers and smash cars
The local car wrecker supplies cars in return for unlimited time at Dig This
Half the customers at Dig This Las Vegas are women and Dig This Invercargill expects to replicate that

What to expect at the site

Wanting to release a little inner rage? Then you’ll need the aggression session – an opportunity to let off steam by smashing a car to pieces.

If your insides are already Zen, or precision is more your thing, challenge yourself to master the complex machines by scooping up various objects and moving items.

If you’re an actual kid, never fear, there’s plenty on offer for you too. While mum and dad get stuck-in over at the main pit, you can have a go with the Mini Digs. These smaller but real life diggers are available to children over four years old (and any adult not quite ready to get behind the wheel of a larger machine).

Invercargill is New Zealand’s southernmost town, and no stranger to petrol heads and inventive motorists. National speedster icon Burt Munro, the inspiration behind the film The World’s Fastest Indian, lived and raced here, and is celebrated in February with the Burt Munro Challenge on Oreti Beach. It is also home to the Bill Richardson Transport World and Motorcycle Mecca. The latest addition of Dig This will ensure that Invercargill holds its place as the motoring capital of New Zealand.

The digger-mad among us will soon be able to get behind the wheels, levers, and buttons of these behemoth beauties when the park officially opens on Monday, 2 October. If you spent your childhood with your head in the clouds and your hands in the sand, dreaming of the fun that could be had with a bulldozer, then this is the perfect place to realise a few of those childhood dreams.

Take a look at more photos of the attraction: