Highlights of Dunedin | New Zealand
Did you think I was going to travel all the way to New Zealand and not visit their version of Edinburgh? The Gaelic name for Edinburgh is Dùn Èideann, deriving from the earlier Din Eidyn. And every time I mentioned this on my walking tours, Kiwis would jump to tell me about Dunedin, the “Edinburgh of the South”. It’s perhaps not the most frequented city for tourists in New Zealand, but its strong Scottish links had me keen to discover the highlights of Dunedin.
After several weeks in the stunning Southern Lakes, staying in Wānaka, Queenstown and Te Anau, I caught a bus back across to the east coast, where I hadn’t been since Kaikōura. I spent about a week in Dunedin, and for a bit of extra excitement, this was where my parents met me! They’d come across a couple of weeks earlier and had been working their way south from Auckland. They were doing a much faster version of my South Island adventures to catch up to me for my last week! This had the added bonus of their rental car, allowing us to explore other parts of the Otago region as well.
Exploring Dunedin
In all honesty, Dunedin is not the prettiest of towns as I wandered about all week! A fairly standard concrete grid of two-story homes for the most part. The main shopping street, George Street, has all the usual high street brands you’d expect. It leads towards the Octagon, a central town square with the town hall, which was under a lot of scaffolding. There’s a statue of Robert Burns in the centre – no matter how far I travel from Scotland, I still seem to find him everywhere!
Some of the other key buildings are the Railway Station and the First Church of Otago. My mum actually really disliked the railway station! It’s a bold black and white building, certainly eye-catching. I didn’t mind it, and the flowers blooming out front were pretty. Inside, there’s a small art gallery and shop to explore. And the First Church of Otago is a tall Gothic-style church, built 200 years ago. I popped in for a look and it’s smaller inside than I’d expected, at least the main space! Dunedin also has lots of murals around the town, and I spotted a few throughout the week.
Dunedin is also a big student town, and I was actually staying in the University of Otago halls of residence, which they let out to visitors in the summer. Naturally, it was pretty quiet without the students, which suited me fine. The campus had some pretty nice buildings, to be fair, and mainly sits around a small river, the Water of Leith. Just like Edinburgh!
There are also quite a few breweries in Dunedin too, including Speight’s, the oldest in New Zealand. We went to Emerson’s one night for dinner in their taproom, sampling a few different beers as well, of course.
Tūhura Otago Museum
One of the highlights of Dunedin is certainly its museums. On my first afternoon in the city, after my bus journey across, I headed to the Tūhura Otago Museum, which covers the entire region of Otago, focused on natural and human history. It’s spread across a few floors, broken into different exhibits. The ground floor has the largest ones, dedicated to Otago’s history. Upstairs, there’s an exhibit specifically on the Māori and another on the cultures of the rest of the Pacific islands. The upper floor had a ‘People of the World’ exhibit too, but I’d tired myself out before I got to that one. Plus, I was focused on New Zealand and the Pacific, anyway. There’s also a planetarium, science centre and temporary exhibits, but these all cost extra and I opted to skip them.
I think the natural history part was my favourite of this one! I guess it’s been a recurring theme throughout my year in New Zealand, learning about the local wildlife, and because New Zealand broke away as its own landmass so long ago, it has a very unique ecosystem. The natural history exhibit included a plesiosaur skeleton, a fin whale skeleton and a large collection of moa bones, fragments and even complete eggs. The size of them is just staggering! I enjoyed the Māori exhibit too, which had so many artefacts from carved boats to pounamu tools. You’re not allowed to take photos in here, though, out of cultural respect.
Dunedin Botanic Garden
On a sunnier day, after work, I took a wander to the Dunedin Botanic Garden. It’s just north of the university campus, so not far for me. But it does sit on top of a hill! We were in the middle of summer by this point, so some of the flowers were getting past their best. But there was still plenty of colour in bloom! The paths wind through trees and shrubs and flower beds, like a veritable garden maze sprawled across the hilltop. It also straddles the Water of Leith and there’s a whole forest area of towering native trees.
I also made sure to stop by the aviary, home to plenty of native birds as well as some from further afield, Australia and Asia. Birds are very much a recurring theme for me this year, too! Some of the enclosures are partially or fully blocked from view, with solid walls too tall to see over. This is intentional, to protect certain birds from public view, because they’re either there for rehabilitation or breeding. The hope is then to eventually release them into sanctuaries or the wild. There are still plenty you can easily see, including colourful macaws and parakeets, and a large enclosure of native New Zealand kākā, a large species of parrot.
Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
Continuing with the museum theme, another highlight of Dunedin is the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. This was a much larger museum than I had expected, with a series of rooms that follow a natural route to explore. It focuses on the history of Dunedin and Otago from the point of human settlement to the present day. It starts with an area about the Māori, then quickly moves to the arrival of Europeans and the construction of Dunedin from the mid-1800s onwards. There are early ships, the gold rush, the early city, then on to the transport, technology and trends of the 20th century. As someone who prefers natural or older history, this one was a little less up my street. But it was still interesting to understand more context about this town specifically. And there was absolutely loads to see!
St Clair Beach and Hot Saltwater Pool
Making the most of sunny, summertime weather, I also decided to venture to Dunedin’s coast. At the weekend, I caught a bus to its southern shore and the neighbourhoods of St Clair and St Kilda. Starting in the latter, I headed down to St Kilda Beach and strolled along it heading west, where it merges into St Clair Beach. It’s a wide expanse of clean, soft sand, with the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing onto shore. This water was a bit too cold for a dip for my tastes!
As I continued on, the land rises up much higher behind the sand so you have to use the stairs to get back to street level. The Esplanade has various hotels and cafes, then at the far end, lies the St Clair Hot Saltwater Pool. The name is fairly self-explanatory! The pool is a man-made construction and artificially heated, not a naturally formed pool or hot spring (like in Tauranga). But it sits atop a rocky promontory that disguises it with the landscape. And it means the pool has lovely views looking back along the beach. I paid my entry and hopped in to swim a few lengths. It’s warm water, good for swimming (or splashing for the kids), rather than hot water for soaking. It was a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon, before my parents arrived that day!
Otago Peninsula
I only had one full weekend day in Dunedin with my parents to make the most of their rental car. I requested a day trip to the Otago Peninsula, just east of the city. This hadn’t initially been high on my radar, but I’d learned a bit more about what’s out there during the week so far. There are only a couple of roads that snake up the peninsula, the main one lying low by the Otago harbour on the west side of the peninsula. We returned on a higher road that allowed us to see east to the Pacific as well! But our first stop was all the way at the end of the peninsula, on Taiaroa Head.
Royal Albatross Centre
Yes, I know, more birds. The albatross is the largest bird in the world by wingspan but they’re very elusive to spot in the wild. Mainly because they spend almost their entire lives at sea, gliding thousands of kilometres every year, and only coming to land to breed. And most species nest on remote islands in the sub-Antarctic. But the Otago Peninsula is the only ‘mainland’ albatross nesting site in the world! Specifically, the Northern Royal Albatross. They spend every second year here, which is the time it takes to breed – they mate for life! -, incubate their single egg and raise their chick together until it fledges. Then they depart for the open ocean for another full year before returning. They also have an incredibly long lifespan, upwards of fifty years!
The Royal Albatross Centre has a free exhibit alongside its shop and cafe. But if you’re going, book a tour, which starts with a short presentation inside. Then comes the best bit! You hike up the headland, watching out for the albatrosses soaring past at times, as they do lazy loops overhead. At the top, you enter the viewing hutch, whose windows overlook the nesting grounds. And there they are!
We spotted a handful sitting on the ground, incubating their eggs – we were just a few weeks too early before they hatch. There were more gliding overhead, looking so effortless as they soared on the breeze, never flapping their wings. I knew they were big, but seeing them up close like these is another story – they’re huge! We watched them for as long as we were allowed before the next group entered. Getting to see such an elusive bird, up close but still in the wild like this, was definitely a highlight of Dunedin!
Larnach Castle
Unlike Scotland, New Zealand doesn’t have many castles. In fact, it has just one. So it’s rather appropriate that it’s near Dunedin! Larnach Castle sits high up in the middle of the Otago Peninsula and was our second destination of the day. I’d argue it’s more of a stately home than a castle, but I’ll let them have it since it’s their only one. Built by the Larnach family in the late 1800s, it fell into disrepair for a time before being renovated and opened up to visitors in the late 1900s. The visit includes the castle and its surrounding gardens, with lovely hand-drawn maps of each! The maps provide information and context as well.
We started inside the castle, specifically in the basement, which has an exhibit explaining the history of the castle and the Larnach family. Continuing to the upper floors, you get to explore its various rooms, climbing higher and higher. It’s not huge, in the grand scheme of castles, but you can tell it’s been carefully and lovingly restored. At the very top, we took the narrow spiral staircase up the tower to stand on the roof. Some trees block parts of the view, but it’s still a pretty impressive vista of the peninsula with glimpses of Dunedin across the water.
We then took a stroll through the gardens, which are split into different themed areas. Thankfully, it was a sunny day for it! Then we finished up in the Ballroom, a long building next to the castle, which is now the cafe but still retains the splendour of a Victorian ballroom. A glass of wine on their terrace, with the sun shining, was the perfect way to cap off the day.
Otago Region
The Otago region is pretty vast – technically, it encompasses Wānaka and Queenstown as well – and we had time to explore a little more of it around Dunedin. Now, actually, my parents had more time than I did, but I wanted to mention their other day trip without me too! I used some of Mum’s photos for that as well. Then we made a couple more stops after leaving Dunedin, on our journey north.
Roxburgh & Teviot Valley
So, the region of Scotland I’m from is the Teviot Valley, in the Roxburghshire part of the Scottish Borders, where my dad grew up as well. Years ago, my brother found a town called Roxburgh in New Zealand and every street is named after a town in the Scottish Borders. Which makes sense given the colonial history of Scottish settlers here. But ours is such a small region of Scotland, and one often overlooked, that it was kind of crazy to learn there’s a whole region named the same all the way over here! It’s not just the town of Roxburgh either. The surrounding area is the Teviot Valley, and there are even more towns and places with names from home.
Originally, I was going to join my parents for this day trip at the weekend. However, I passed through Roxburgh on the bus on my way over from Te Anau and spotted a few street names from the window. The town itself isn’t all that exciting besides the names, to be honest! The bus also made a coffee stop in Ettrick, another place name from home. And these are all several hours from Dunedin. In the end, I decided I’d rather go to the Otago Peninsula (mainly for the albatrosses) instead of spending a whole day in the car.
So my parents went themselves on one of my work days. They had a great day out, with heaps of photos of signs. And they said the landscape was really interesting; they drove a massive loop and it changed a lot along the way. Some parts looked like the moon or Mars! Had I had more days off, I probably would’ve gone with them, but I’ve learned from years of travel that you simply can’t see everything!
Moeraki Boulders Beach
After our time in Dunedin was up, we were driving north next. We actually had a couple of days in Tekapo since my parents hadn’t been yet, but I was working and didn’t see anything I hadn’t seen the first time there. It was then on to Christchurch after that. Anyway, we made a couple of stops on our journey.
The first was my dad’s request, having spotted the Moeraki Boulders pictured in a guidebook, I think. They’re an easy stop just off the highway, with designated parking. You walk down onto the beach where these massive boulders await, stuck in the sand. They’re perfectly spherical, dozens of them all the same, which is such an unusual natural phenomenon to behold. Some are half stuck in the sand, only half visible, while others are almost fully above ground, so you can really understand their size. They’re taller than I am!
They are formed in a similar manner to pearls, with layers of minerals building up around a natural core of plant and shell sediments. Once on the sea floor, they’ve emerged due to the uplift of New Zealand’s land mass, and coastal erosion has exposed them further. Weathering and erosion have also meant some are now cracked open, exposing their patterns inside. Boulders might not sound the most exciting at first, but these ones are pretty special!
Ōamaru Penguins
This one was my request. Yes, more birds. New Zealand is home to the world’s smallest penguin species, the little blue penguin, known as kororā in Māori. They spend most of the day at sea, so can be tricky to spot in the wild. But when I found out there’s a colony you can visit in Ōamaru, north of Dunedin, I realised this was my chance! Maybe Antarctica got me hooked on seeing penguins.
The visit starts with an introduction by a staff member, who escorts you into the viewing cabin. Then you’re free to roam the site at leisure, making sure to walk only along the raised boardwalks. The staff also do conservation and research work. They provide dozens of wooden nesting boxes, more secure than the underground burrows they make themselves. The site has direct access to the ocean and is away from traffic, while traps protect the ground-dwelling penguins from predators. The staff provide care if required, but generally leave them to their own devices, so they’re still wild birds.
The penguins go out fishing for the day, then return to land at night, so there were fewer on site during our visit. The evening viewing of their return was too late for us to then drive to Tekapo the same day. The viewing cabin has boxes around the sides, with lenses that allow you to look inside from above. Meanwhile, you can only see the other boxes from the boardwalk, which requires bending and squatting to peer inside. Carefully checking boxes, we spotted around ten penguins! They’re so small and dainty, with that distinctive blue plumage. I was delighted to finally see them in person! And as a bonus, we also spotted fur seals and Otago shags around the coast.
Highlights of Dunedin & Otago
I think I’d sum up Dunedin as a place of surprises overall! I was surprised at the general appearance of the city, as it wasn’t as pretty or picturesque as I’d been hoping for. Of course, it was never going to look like Edinburgh or older European cities, but I think I was expecting it to be more historic than it was. But I was pleasantly surprised by the wildlife and outdoor sightseeing, especially on the Otago Peninsula. This probably wasn’t on my radar for a city-based week, compared to the smaller towns I’ve been in for the last few weeks. The albatrosses and penguins were definitely my highlights of Dunedin. But the museums were also top-notch, so I shouldn’t leave those out!
I can understand why people with only a few weeks to explore New Zealand will usually skip Dunedin and the southeast in general. It doesn’t have quite as much to offer as the ‘usual’ tourist route and hotspots. But when travelling slowly for as long as I am, with the time to include more destinations, it’s good to get off the beaten path a bit and see something different. Then we were off to explore another city next, one that’s quite different to Dunedin – it was finally time for Christchurch!
