Dunedin

Dunedin (prounounced "duh-NEE-din") is the main city of the Otago region and the second-largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. The city was predominantly settled by Scots, and its name is an anglicised version of Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. It had a population of 130,400 in June 2022.

Understand
Dunedin is a university town, a cultural hub, and a city with a strong historic streak. It is a small city with a compact walkable city centre surrounded by hilly suburbs. It has easy access to beaches, wildlife attractions and areas of native forest.

Known as the Edinburgh of the South, it has a proud Scots heritage. It has as its heart a statue of the poet Robbie Burns and many of its streets carry the same name as streets in Edinburgh (but visitors from Edinburgh may be confused as they are in a different order). Due to the gold rush in central Otago, Dunedin was the biggest and most prosperous city in New Zealand from 1865 to 1900, and many of its old buildings and character stem from that period. Because of history and geography, Dunedin is usually considered New Zealand's fourth major centre behind Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, despite being seventh in the population ranks.

Dunedin sits in a natural harbour, with the centre of the city on a relatively small area of flat land surrounded by suburbs on the steep hillsides. Some of its streets are very steep: Baldwin Street is claimed to be the steepest street in the world.

It does get cold: many of the streets are iced over in winter, and every two or three years the city gets a snowfall.

These days, Dunedin is best known for its University of Otago, the oldest and one of the best universities in New Zealand, and its 'scarfie' student culture. The university is the South Island's second largest employer and by far the biggest contributor to the Dunedin economy. Dunedin is a university town rather than just a town with a university since the student population of around 27,000 is nearly 23% of the 120,000 residents. A consequence of this is that the city is significantly quieter during the university summer holiday period (approx November to February), and that accommodation may be harder to find or more expensive during orientation week and university graduations, etc.

Dunedinites (the Dunedin people) are generally friendly, and pride themselves on being friendlier than those from the bigger cities of NZ.

Visitor information

 * Enterprise Dunedin

By plane

 * Air New Zealand,, , flies domestically from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
 * Jetstar flies domestically from Auckland.

Airport transport
There is no scheduled public transport service to the airport. Taxis and shuttle buses operate from just outside the terminal and are usually there when flights arrive. A taxi to the centre of Dunedin costs around $90 to $100 and will take approximately 20 minutes.

Airport shuttles usually cost $20-25 per passenger between the airport and anywhere within a 5-km radius of the Octagon (city centre). Airport shuttles include:

All the major rental car operators serve the airport.

By car
State Highway 1 passes through Dunedin. Allow 4.5 hours travel time from Christchurch and 2.5 hours from Invercargill. Be sure to get a good detailed map as soon as you can. Most hostels have very detailed maps for the central business district (CBD) with reasonable details for the outlying areas. Dunedin's urban roads can be very confusing with lots of one way streets, circles, and tight and winding hill routes.

By bus
There are several daily services from Christchurch, Invercargill, Wanaka and Queenstown. The major operators are Intercity, Atomic Shuttles and Ritchies. The trip from Christchurch takes about 6.5 hours.

By train
The is close to the centre of town (and is an architectural attraction as well as transport hub). There is no longer a regular long distance passenger train service, but some people arrive in the city by the local scenic trains. These are operated by the Dunedin Railways,, which run out as far as Hindon and Oamaru.

By ship
Cruise ships are an increasingly popular way to visit Dunedin. There are 80-90 visits each October to March shipping season. The Dunedin City Council provides free Wi-Fi at the port and runs a web page for cruise visitors. The two major cruise companies Carnival (Holland America, P&O, Princess) and Royal Caribbean both serve Dunedin. Most cruise ships dock at the deep water harbour, 14 km northeast of Dunedin, 20-30 minutes drive from the city centre. You can travel direct by cruise ship shuttle bus for $10 one-way/$15 return. Alternatively, you can board the public Bus 13 Port Chalmers to City at the Port Chalmers turnaround, five minutes walk from ship side, for $5.20 one-way (free for New Zealand Gold Card holders) and a 20-min ride to the Octagon. You may catch the return Bus 14 City to Port Chalmers at the Countdown stop on Cumberland near Lower Stuart. Taxis cost about $45 one-way.

Seasoned cruise ship travellers will be aware that tourism products marketed directly to cruise ship passengers are often more expensive, so arranging visits to Dunedin attractions and tours independently can save money.

By bike
Dunedin is surrounded by hills, so cycling from other places requires effort. Cyclists are banned from State Highway 1 as it approaches the city from both north and south. There are alternative routes for cyclists.
 * From the north: turn left at Waitati and take Mt Cargill Rd, or turn left or right at the following intersection and take Donalds Hill Rd/Mt Cargill Rd or Waitati Valley Rd/Leith Valley Rd (this includes crossing the no-bikes highway at the summit)
 * From the south: Exit State Highway 1 at the Mosgiel interchange and take Quarry, Gordon and Dukes Roads to the aptly-named Three Mile Hill Rd, or turn right and take Quarry, Morris, Main and Main South Roads.

By foot
The city layout is focused on the Octagon, an eight-sided 'plaza' with a central carriageway. It hosts a few significant buildings, and a couple of bars and cafes, but for all intents and purposes it is a large bus stop and a roundabout.

The main retail area lies further north up George Street toward Dunedin North, and this could arguably be considered the city centre. Here you will find a larger range of shopping, some malls, cafes, etc. To a lesser there is some retail south along Princes Street and east along Lower Stuart Street from the Octagon. At the end of Lower Stuart Street, 400 metres from the Octagon, lies Anzac Square (actually a triangular area of public gardens) and Dunedin Railway Station and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. Beyond that is an industrial area and the Otago harbour.

The street blocks in Dunedin are quite long, and walking from the Octagon past the university to the Botanic Gardens can take the best part of an hour. Always remember that Dunedin has a flatter area by the water, and then climbs steeply. So, the shorter route may not be the easiest one if you are going over the hills. Check the contours before setting out.

By bus
Getting around Dunedin is super easy thanks to the extensive Orbus bus network organized by the Otago Regional Council connecting the city centre and the outlying suburbs and towns (such as Mosgiel and Palmerston). Various bus companies as GoBus and Ritchies are contracted by the Otago Regional Council to provide the Orbus service. Most drivers will tell you where to find the right bus if you ask nicely, or you can call the bus helpline on 0800 672 8736 (also free from cell phones), between M-F 8AM to 5:30PM, Sa Su 9AM to 5PM. All buses are wheelchair friendly.

All city buses operate from the Central City Bus Hub which is located on Great King Street between Moray Place and St Andrew St. Buses run regularly during the week, but services are greatly reduced (or non-existent) on weekends and holidays.

Fares
Bus drivers will accept cash, although it costs less to ride with an electronic GoCard bus service debit card. By using a GoCard you pay less than a cash fare and get a discounted transfer within the same zone if you get on another bus within 30 minutes of getting off the first (i.e. your second trip will be discounted by 1 zone).

GoCards cost $5 to set up, with a minimum top up of $10, and can be used elsewhere in Otago including Queenstown. They can be obtained from: To add money to the card you can ask your bus driver to load money onto your card or top-up at any of the places listed above below: To top up on a bus you will need to pay in cash. If you want to top up with EFTPOS you will need to go to one of the locations listed above.
 * The bus driver.
 * Otago Regional Council, 70 Stafford St.
 * Dunedin City Council, Customer Service Centre in the Octagon.
 * University Bookshop, 378 Great King St.
 * Otago Regional Council, 70 Stafford St.
 * Dunedin City Council Customer Service Centre in the Octagon.
 * University Bookshop, 378 Great King St.

Bus fares are (as of 2019): One zone Adult $1.92 (GoCard) $2.60 (cash); Two zones Adult $2.53 (GoCard) $3.40 (cash); Three zones Adult $4.44 (GoCard) $6.00 (cash); Four zones 4 Adult $7.58 (GoCard) $10.20 (cash); Five zones Adult $11.41 (GoCard) $15.30 (cash).

Routes

 * The main line service, Normanby-City-St Clair, (GoBus No 9) runs every 15 minutes and is handy to about a dozen of the city's attractions: St Clair beach, the University, Dunedin Botanic Garden and Baldwin St
 * Most other routes are every 30-40 min.
 * The Peninsula bus route from the Museum is a good way to see the Peninsula, unless you're terrified by oncoming traffic: in places the full sized buses are wider than the lanes they travel in. The traffic is generally used to this and travels very cautiously. The service however does not go to Lanach Castle nor as far as Taiaroa Head.
 * The Brockville (55) and Halfway Bush (44) bus routes take you to the city's near-alpine outskirts, especially fun when snow has fallen.
 * Bus services are reduced on Sundays and New Zealand public holidays; on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday there are no services but the local bus museum operates classic vehicles (not wheelchair friendly) on two main routes.

By bicycle
Although some of those hills are extremely steep but the town centre is reasonably flat. The following companies rent bicycles: There is a recycling centre down by the north-east end of the docks (in Wickliffe Street) which generally has one or two reasonable-condition bicycles lying about for $10 apiece. Carefully add air (there's a service station due west back over the bridge) and oil and you're set to go. You will also need a skid-lid/stack-hat/helmet, which are generally unavailable second-hand for liability reasons, but can be had new for $20 from the KMart in Meridian, between George Street and Filleul Street. There is another recycling shop called "The Recover Store" at the Dunedin Landfill on Brighton Road, Green Island.

There is an excellent flat ride out along the western shore of the Otago Peninsula to Harington Point, although it's a narrow road shared by lots of tour buses. A cycle track runs along of the industrial eastern shore of the harbour, about half-way to Port Chalmers (busy highway the rest of the way).

If you like a bit of a hill-climb, ride out along North Road to the Organ Pipes, a collection of rapidly-cooled volcanic lava formed into vertical columnar basalt. The walk along a bush track up to the Pipes themselves is very scenic and well attended by small, harmless wildlife. The ride up along the ridge of the Peninsula to Lanarch Castle is also good high-energy exercise.

If you like pushing a bike up a hill because it's too steep, dive off North Road onto Norwood Street, or cross to the east side of the Peninsula, or head straight up the hill behind the Octagon past the Beverly-Begg Observatory to suburbs with a view like Roslyn.

See
The following attractions are free: Baldwin Street, Dunedin Railway Station, Otago Museum, Public Art Gallery, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, and the churches.

Out of town

 * Otago Peninsula - much scenic coastline including rugged points and headlands, wildfowl-laden mud flats and beautiful Allans Beach (plus several smaller beaches) on the south/east coast, and picturesque hamlets on the north/west coast (including a pretty and peaceful cemetery on a little spit of land called Dunoon, many boat-houses and a minuscule beach). Seals, sea-lions and other interesting fauna turn up at all of the southern/eastern beaches. Ask nicely, and the locals may even tell you where the good spots are for gathering shellfish, catching blue cod, and viewing the wildlife without having to pay for the privilege.



Active pursuits

 * Baldwin Street Gutbuster. Take part in a run up and back on the world's steepest street during the city's summer festival.
 * Tramping. Dunedin has some of the most easily-accessible tracks of any city in NZ. In less than half an hour you can be in pristine bush far from the worries of the world. Ask about Green Hut Track, Carey's Creek, Possum Hut, Rosella Ridge, Yellow Ridge, Rocky Ridge, Rongamai, Honeycomb, Powder Creek, Long Ridge, Swampy Ridge, Leith Saddle, Burns, Rustlers, Nichols Creek, Nichols Falls, to name just some of the fabulous tramping tracks around this city. Ask at the Visitor Centre or get "The Ultimate Tramping Guide for around Dunedin" at DoC ($10) and cut loose.



Beaches


Saint Clair beach is the most popular, closest to the city and (along with the adjoining St Kilda) is regularly visited by a wide array of wildlife, such as seals, blue penguins and sea lions and the very occasional shark. St Clair beach also features an esplanade with cafes/bars/restaurants, together with a salt water swimming pool at its western end, and a surf school with wetsuit and board rental which operates in the summer. There are also a number of other less populated local beaches a short drive away from the city, including Aramoana, Long Beach, Warrington Beach, Tunnel Beach, Brighton, and Sandfly Bay. St Clair, St Kilda, Warrington and Brighton beaches are patrolled by life guards on summer weekends and daily at the height of summer.

Swimming in the ocean is much more fun if you wear a wetsuit to combat the ocean's chill. For further information see the Dunedin City website

Cinema
The city has a number of cinemas.



Spectator sports

 * Rugby Union is a huge part of Otago culture. From February until August the Highlanders and then the Otago NPC team play games at the roofed Forsyth Barr Stadium (below). Otherwise there are local club games that you can watch for free at parks around town on Saturday mornings.
 * Watch a cricket game. Cricket replaces rugby as the national sporting pastime when summer arrives (although the national cricket team, the Black Caps, enjoys considerably less success than the All Blacks). National level cricket games are played at the throughout the summer, along with the occasional international match, and on a sunny day its a great way to spend your time. Otherwise, as with rugby, local club games can be watched around the town at weekends.

Learn
The University of Otago (Māori: 'Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo') is internationally recognised and New Zealand's oldest university. It had over 21,000 students enrolled during 2018.

The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it employs. Probably the most internationally famous research to come out of Otago is the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (or "Dunedin Study" for short), which has followed 1037 people born in Dunedin during 1972-73 since age three and is arguably one of the richest sources of human health and development data in the world.

The Otago Polytechnic focuses on skills based, technical education and occupational training, offering a range of New Zealand accredited degrees, diplomas and certificates in many areas of interest

The students in Dunedin are referred to as scarfies and are well known throughout New Zealand for their antics. Much of the student accommodation in Dunedin is located in close proximity to the University in old houses known as 'flats'. The majority of the houses in North Dunedin around the university are student flats, creating a student 'ghetto'. Dunedin is known for having a tightly woven active student culture with many well known traditions, ranging from the toga party for first years to the infamous Hyde Street keg race.

Work
The main industry sectors contributing to Dunedin's economy are property services, education, business services, health services and food manufacturing. Communication, Government administration and tourism are all big industries.

Dunedin's main employers (employing more than 2000 people) are the University of Otago and the Otago District Health Board. Another large employer is the Dunedin City Council.

Buy
Most Dunedin shopping is on George Street north of the Octagon, centred around the Meridian/Golden Centre/Wall Street mall complex. There are also a number of souvenir shops near the Octagon.

Markets
For the freshest local organic produce, including fruit, vegetables, eggs, bread, cheese, check out the. Held at the railway station Sa 8AM–12:30PM, it is a Dunedin institution and one of the best places to try local food. It has delicious delicacies such as crepes (including gluten free), the deservedly famous "bacon buttie" (far corner from the Railway Station, look for the crowd), whitebait fritters, and baking as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. It's rated as one of the best farmers markets in New Zealand.

Eat
Dunedin is home to numerous reasonably priced ethnic restaurants and being a university town, the city is home to many establishments that cater to students. Lower Stuart Street, around the Octagon and the northern part of central George Street (including the side streets) have the majority of Dunedin's restaurants. There are also a few interesting places on Albany Street, which runs across the south of the University of Otago. There is a full range of ethnic cuisine available, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Turkish, Malaysian, Thai, Filipino and Indian.

One Dunedin favourite is the cheese roll: a mixture of grated cheese, onion and soup mix in a toasted rolled slice of bread, a speciality of the southern part of the South Island, available in cafes.

Budget
Fish and chips are the classic cheap eats: the minimum serve of chips usually costs around $1.50 and will fill you up. Best Cafe on Lower Stuart Street is often rated as one of the best in town. Being a student town, you can expect to find some very cheap take-away food near the university campus: you will pay $3.50-4.00 for a teriyaki chicken riceball from many sushi stores, the Flying Squid (Squiddies) on Albany Street sells hearty burgers for $3.50 at lunch time, and you can get a decent sub sandwich from Frankly Sandwiches in the University's 'link' (corner of Albany and Cumberland Street) for around $5.

Hot kumara chips are made from a sweet-potato variant and are typically priced at about double the cost of potato chips.

Cones of ice cream sell for reasonable prices at many places, including little delis and general stores at places like MacAndrew Bay. Rob Roy on the corner of George and Albany St is a popular favourite and typically sell an average of 500 ice creams a day, with the record total being 1,219 on a September day in 2015.

McDonald's is at 232 George Street. A second McDonald's, and a variety of fast food outlets, can be found in North Dunedin near the end of the one-way going north (Great King Street - "Fatty Alley"), and even more fast food places are on the way to South Dunedin on Anderson's Bay Road.



Drink


Dunedin is known for its vibrant nightlife, mainly stemming from its large student population. It is also home to some well known beer breweries, Speights, Emersons and to a lesser extent Green Man. There is also a strong coffee culture with a number of good cafes.

Local beer
Speights was founded in Dunedin in 1876 and is now a national brand associated with Dunedin and the southern region of New Zealand. It is still brewed at the Dunedin location and brewery tours are available. The Speights brewery also makes Speight's Old Dark, and the Speights Craft Range of beer.

Emerson's Brewery Limited is a microbrewery in Dunedin, New Zealand established in 1993. It has shifted into a new and much bigger brewery facility and offers brewery tours. It has won numerous Australian and New Zealand awards and it is well appreciated by locals. Good places to find it on tap include Albar on Lower Stuart street and Tonic on Princess street, or the Emersons Taproom and Brewery on Anzac Avenue (near the stadium), where you can fill your own riggers if you like (plastic 1.25 L bottles).

Bars
The majority of the bars are located in and around the Octagon and Lower Stuart Street, with a few popular student bars in North Dunedin. There is a strip of bars along the east side of the Octagon with tables outside, which all fill up when the weather allows. A jug of ale costs about $10.







Sleep
Dunedin has a wide range of places to stay in, from hostels to upmarket hotels. Most accommodation is close to the city centre, though some spots offer a challenging uphill stroll back from town. Most motels are located at the northern end of George Street, close to the university.

Splurge




Stay safe
The city is quite safe, but try to walk in a group on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. People can get excessively inebriated and occasionally look to cause trouble. Exercise the same caution and common sense that you would in any other western city. The police station is in Great King Street, next to Countdown, the supermarket.

Connect
Dunedin Public Library has free Internet terminals and Wi-Fi. The Octagon has free Wi-Fi, as well as telephone booths (next to the Town Hall). The booths serve as a tourism attraction as well, due to their rarity, and distinct style characteristic for New Zealand.

Otherwise, Internet access is available at various cafes for a fee.

Cope




Consulates

 * 🇫🇯 Fiji
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇮🇹 Italy

Go next

 * Christchurch, 5 hours north
 * Wanaka and Queenstown, 4 hours inland via Alexandra and Cromwell
 * Invercargill, for Bluff oysters, 2.5 hours south via Gore and Mataura
 * Oamaru, 1 hour 45 min north
 * Blueskin Bay, 30 min north