Dunedin is a very picturesque city, nestled amongst the hills and valleys surrounding the head of the Otago Harbour. The harbour and hills are the remnants of an extinct volcano. A city rich in culture and heritage with a wide variety of attractions to suit all interests. The city itself is quite compact and easy to walk around the various sights. It has become famous for ecotourism – the magnificent Northern Royal Albatross can be seen at the only Mainland breeding colony in the southern hemisphere at Taiaroa Head on the tip of the Otago Peninsula. You can also view the rare Yellow-Eyed penguins in their natural habitats and the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a 307 hectare Nature Reserve enclosed by 9 kilometres of a special pest-exclusion fence, which is becoming home to more and more native wildlife.

Weather in Dunedin
Late autumn, April-June, is unpredictable. Come prepared for temperatures in single figures and the low teens. Buildings are adequately heated. For those travelling from north of New South Wales be prepared for a drop in temperature of around 20 degrees. Suitable woollen clothing is essential to cope with the wind chill factor. It is likely that Dunedin will experience bitterly cold southerly winds, heavy frosts and snow over the course period.

Dunedin is home to New Zealand’s oldest university – the University of Otago. With one-fifth of the population comprising of students, Dunedin is a lively place and has over 400 cafes, restaurants and bars. Dunedin is also home to Baldwin Street, which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the steepest street in the world. Its gradient is 1 in 2.9.

The Otago Farmers Market is every Saturday morning 8am-12.30pm where you can purchase a range of fresh produce. It is situated in the north car park ajoining the magnificent Railway Station buildings, Dunedin’s world famous architectural icon. The Portobello Farmers Market is every Sunday 10am – 1pm

For more information about the various attractions and activities click on the links on the right.

History of Dunedin
The Maori explorers began arriving in the area from about 1100AD. They fished the rich coastal waters and travelled inland to pursue the giant, flightless Moa as well as duck and freshwater fish.

The Scottish settlers first arrived in 1848 and Dunedin’s name derives from the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh – Dùn Èideann. Charles Kettle, the city’s surveyor, instructed to emulate the characteristics of Edinburgh, produced a striking, ‘Romantic’ design.

In 1852, Dunedin became the capital of the Otago Province, which was then the whole of New Zealand from the Waitaki south. In 1861 the discovery of gold at Gabriel’s Gully, approximately 90km southwest of Dunedin, led to a rapid influx of population and saw Dunedin become New Zealand’s first city by growth of population in 1865. The new arrivals included many Irish, but also Italians, French, Germans and Chinese.

Dunedin, ÅŒtepoti in Maori, is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand with a population around 120,000, and the principal city of the province of Otago. Due to its location, historical and cultural reasons, Dunedin is considered one of the country’s four main centres, even though two other cities have a larger population.