Gore (Māori: Maruawai) is a town and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.

The town is situated on the eastern edge of the Hokonui Hills, and many of its surrounding farmlands are located within foothills.

The Main South Line railway from Christchurch to Invercargill runs through the town, though passenger services ceased in 2002 with the cancellation of the Southerner.

Before the arrival of Europeans the current site of Gore was a part of or near the routes used by Māori travellers.

In 1836 southern Māori repelled a raid from the north, which provided sufficient security for Europeans to purchase land and settle in the area.

[4] After its construction began in the early 1870s, a railway line between Invercargill and Gore was opened on 30 August 1875.

The extension of the railways established Gore as an important hub and had a significant effect on its development.

[9] From the end of the Second World War until 1976, Gore enjoyed prosperity driven by record prices for agricultural produce which saw the town's population rise from 5,000 in 1945 to 9,000 in 1976.

Related businesses also closed, including the town's iconic cereal mill, which had processed oats and other grains since 1877.

[10][11] In October 2020, the government committed $424,567 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, creating eight jobs.

[21] The FM Hokonui radio station broadcasts from Gore to listeners in Southland and South Otago.

The smaller, locally owned radio station Cave FM broadcasts in Gore and online.

[38] It has a sister city relationship with Tamworth, New South Wales, the "Country Music Capital of Australia".

Recently Gore has also gained a reputation as a centre for the visual arts in the southern South Island.

This is partnered by an impressive collection of modern New Zealand work, including several notable pieces by Ralph Hotere.

[49] It announced in June 2021 that it was in danger of closing if it could not raise money for earthquake strengthening and other renovations.