Dunedin (South Island, New Zealand)

Dunedin Reviews

Dunedin Photos

Dunedin Information

Overview

Things to do

Country Info (New Zealand)

Slideshow of Photos

Dunedin was founded in 1848 by Scottish migrants and the city still contains many Scottish relics. A statue to the Scottish bard Robbie Burns has pride of place in the Octagon, the eight sided heart of the central city. Shops stocking Scottish goods can be found and the Haggis Ceremony has regular performances.

The orderly development of the town was rapidly accelerated in the early 1860's with the discovery of gold in the Otago hinterland which sparked an influx of fortune seekers from around the world. Dunedin quickly became the largest and most prosperous center in the country.

Suggest a change to the Dunedin Overview section (click to dropdown)

The heritage from the golden years has endured, resulting in an architectural wealth of grand and private buildings, and a reputation as one of the best preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere.

Olveston House, featuring superb examples of 19th century craftsmanship has regular guided tours. Glenfalloch Gardens and historic Larnach Castle complete with battlements and a fairytale ballroom are also both open to the public and are situated on the Otago Peninsula.

The Otago Museum specialises in the natural history of southern New Zealand and Maori heritage. The Otago Early Settlers Museum exhibits memorabilia of the colonial days, and the Otago Public Art Gallery are all open seven days.

Otago Peninsula is home to wildlife colonies of international significance. Taiaroa Head is the only place in the world where the magnificent Royal Albatross bird nests so close to civilisation. As well, there are Southern Fur Seals, shags, cormorants and the rare Yellow-Eyed Penguin which can be closely observed. Several nature tour companies offer tours to these fascinating colonies.

Other attractions in Dunedin include the Taieri Gorge Railway Excursion, New Zealand's oldest Botanic Gardens and tours of the Speights Brewery.

Fifty minutes north of Dunedin are the Moeraki Boulders. These unique, intriguing boulders are best seen at low tide by a short stroll down the beach. Weighing up to 4 tons and approximately 4 million years old, they were formed on an ancient seabed through a complicated chemical reaction.

Suggest a change to the Dunedin Things to do section (click to dropdown)

Population: 4.035.500
Languages: English, Maori (both official)
Currency: New Zealand dollar
Currency code: NZD
Local Times:
New Zealand - Auckland

New Zealand - Chatham Island

New Zealand - Wellington

Country Dialling Code: +64
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

It's been Middle Earth and Narnia in the movies but New Zealand's beautiful landscapes are no fantasy.

With a varied and dramatic landscape, a long and significant cultural heritage, and some of the world's rarest and most fascinating plant and animal species, New Zealand is an ideal adventure travel destination. Take a trip here and discover why New Zealand has it all - from flightless birds to breaching whales and breathtaking fjords to erupting geysers.

New Zealand comes with a reputation as a unique land packed with magnificent, raw scenery : craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped alpine mountains, bubbling volcanic pools, fast-flowing rivers and glacier-fed lakes, all beneath a brilliant blue sky. The far north is a subtropical haven of unspoilt beaches, citrus fruits and hibiscus flowers, while volcanic mud pools and geysers feature in the central part of North Island. The South Island boasts whale watching, ice glaciers and rugged snow-covered Alps. And yes, there are many wide-open spaces.

What's more, everything is easily accessible, packed into a land area little larger than Britain and with a population of just 3.8 million, over half of it tucked away in the three largest cities : Auckland, the capital Wellington, and the South Island's Christchurch. Elsewhere, you can travel miles through steep-hilled farmland and rarely see a soul, and there are even remote spots which, it's reliably contended, no human has ever visited.

Geologically, New Zealand split off from the super-continent of Gondwanaland early, developing a unique ecosystem in which birds adapted to fill the role normally held by mammals, many becoming flightless through lack of predators.

Only in the last couple of decades has New Zealand come of age and developed a true national self-confidence, something partly forced on it by Britain severing the colonial apron strings in the early 1970s, and partly by the resurgence of Maori identity. Maori demands have been nurtured by a willingness on the part of most pakeha to redress the wrongs perpetrated over the last century and a half, as long as it doesn't impinge on their high standard of living or overall feeling of control. More recently, integration has been replaced with a policy of promoting two cultures alongside each other, but with maximum interaction. In this way New Zealand is set to forge through the new century with considerable dignity and a good deal of uncertainty.

The British represent the second largest group of visitors to New Zealand - after neighbouring Australia. But at 12,000 miles away from the UK it's a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many and takes a bit of planning.

Most British travellers either tack New Zealand on to the end of an Australian holiday and regret not having enough time, or take two or three weeks and race around like mad to see the whole country. While New Zealand is small enough to 'do' in that time, a more enjoyable option is to spend longer at just a few places - and then you have an excuse to go back!