Dunedin travel guide

There is perhaps nowhere else in the world – and certainly nowhere so far from its roots – that boasts a Scottish heritage like Dunedin, the South Island’s second largest city. For those who have walked the centuries-old streets of Edinburgh in Scotland, let alone lived there, a trip to Dunedin (which actually means ‘Edin on the hill’) is somewhat disconcerting. Immediately, you will notice the echo of Scottish architecture – grand buildings of stone, built to last, that go far beyond the merely functional and, in true Scottish tradition, defy inclement weather. The streets are blatant in their similarity, even sharing the names of Edinburgh’s most famous – Princes Street, George Street and Moray Place – and presiding over the scene, in its very heart, a statue of one of Scotland’s greatest sons, the poet Robert Burns. As you ponder his gentle expression of intellect, with the seemingly omnipresent seagull perched on his head, you cannot help but wonder what he would say about this pseudo-Scottish city, so very far from home.

Although a lively and attractive city, Dunedin has seen better days. In the 1860s, thanks to the great Otago gold boom, it enjoyed prosperity and considerable standing. But as ever, the gold ran out, decline set in and very quickly Dunedin, like so many other places in the South Island, had to learn how to survive. Having said that, modern-day Dunedin has many assets, of which its university and rare wildlife are perhaps the best known. In term-time the city boasts a population of 18,000 students who study at Otago University, New Zealand’s oldest seat of learning. While the Otago Peninsula – Dunedin’s beautiful backyard – is home to another form of wildlife: the only mainland breeding colony of albatross, the rare yellow-eyed penguins and Hooker’s sea lions. There is also one other undeniable asset to Dunedin, and one that can perhaps be attributed to its Scottish heritage: without doubt it has the friendliest people and offers the warmest welcome in New Zealand.