Attendees were first seated in the Civic Theatre’s gallery section, but were later invited to fill seats in lower section of the theatre.
The City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band formed a guard of honour for the funeral procession, which paused on Tay St outside the Civic Theatre while a haka was performed by rōpu Mana Tuakiri.
A small crowd lined the streets and waited patiently in chilly conditions to honour the city’s former mayor as he passed by on his final journey.
Norton, BSA and Harley-Davidson motorcycles led the Jaguar hearse which was then followed by a classic 1975 Ford Falcon 351 BGT towing an iconic bright yellow concrete mixer as a reminder of Sir Tim’s pragmatic can-do/will-do leadership style.
The funeral cortege travelled along Tay and Clyde Sts to Invercargill Airport — home to the Sir Tim Shadbolt Terminal — before a private interment at the city’s Eastern Cemetery.
Bystander Les Roughan said Sir Tim was a "character with a sense of humour" who put Invercargill on the map, while fellow mourner Barry Lightfoot said the funeral was "a fantastic send-off for him — he was a great man".
By Toni McDonald
