In the past, local councils had coats of arms that symbolised their town or city. Invercargill’s coat of arms, which is still used as its official seal, symbolises aspects of the region surrounding the city. The sheaves of wheat and ram’s head on the shield show the importance of farming to Invercargill’s economy, while the stylised ship shows its status as a port city. The crown at the crest represents government.

Invercargill’s new logo, which was unveiled in 2009 (replacing another logo created in 1998) is much simpler. The three strokes at the top reference the ‘blade of grass’ sculpture located in front of the council’s administration building (which is a nod to its farming economy) and are a stylised rendering of ICC – Invercargill City Council.