Things to do in Dunedin & Otago
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Clutha River Cruise
To experience the scenery and history of the region by boat, join a 2½-hour Clutha River Cruise. Book at the Alexandra i-SITE.
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Otago Museum
The modern and interactive Otago Museum explores Otago’s cultural and physical past and present, from geology and dinosaurs to the modern day. The beautifully designed Tangata Whenua gallery houses an impressive waka taua (war canoe), wonderfully worn old carvings and some lovely pounamu (greenstone) works. This is one of the richest repositories of Maori knowledge on the South Island. If you’ve already been out on the peninsula admiring penguins and albatrosses, the museum’s collection of ancient and contemporary wildlife will fascinate. Join themed guided tours ($10, see website for times and themes). Children can explore at the hands-on Discovery World (adult/child/f…
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Visitors Centre
In an old limestone quarry near the waterfront, Oamaru’s blue-penguin colony sees little blue penguins surfing in and wading ashore at the visitors centre. The penguins arrive just before dark (around 5.30pm in midwinter and 9.30pm midsummer) and it takes them about an hour to all come ashore. You’ll see the most penguins (up to 150) in November and December; in the cold months from March to August there may be only 30 to 50 birds. Optimum viewing times for each night are posted at the Oamaru i-SITE. Use of camera flashes is prohibited. It can be cool, so dress warmly.
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Grainstore Gallery
In the world's most ornate grain storehouse , you'll find the lavishly decorated stage of the theatre company Living History , which does live theatre around historical themes. Their energetic Great Storm show, based in 1868, receives rave reviews. Much of the set and many of the props incorporate ‘found' objects, and dispalys the work of locals artists, including Oamaru's best-known artist, Donna Dementé, who is one of the artists that run the Grainstore Gallery upstairs.
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Living History
In the world's most ornate grain storehouse , you'll find the lavishly decorated stage of the theatre company Living History , which does live theatre around historical themes. Their energetic Great Storm show, based in 1868, receives rave reviews. Much of the set and many of the props incorporate ‘found' objects, and dispalys the work of locals artists, including Oamaru's best-known artist, Donna Dementé, who is one of the artists that run the Grainstore Gallery upstairs.
reviewed
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Nature’s Wonders
Situated just 1km past the albatross colony, and based on a large sheep farm that covers most of the peninsula’s tip, Nature’s Wonders runs one-hour tours that take you up close to Stewart Island shags, NZ fur seals, and finally along a private little beach to a yellow-eyed penguin colony, where you can get within metres of the birds without disturbing them. The tour is conducted in ‘go-anywhere’ Argos vehicles and is an exciting combo of improbable scenery and wildlife adventure. It’s worth it for the beautiful vistas alone.
reviewed
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Dunedin Farmers Market
The thriving Dunedin Farmers Market convenes at the Dunedin Railway Station. It’s all local, all eatable (or drinkable), and mostly organic, with everything from Speight’s-beer-flavoured ice cream, gourmet sausages, and Russian pancakes filled with blue cod. There’s usually live music on offer, and a passionate foodie vibe. Grab felafels or espresso to sustain you while you browse, and stock up on interesting fresh meats and seafood, vegies and cheeses for your journey. Also pick up some locally brewed Green Man organic beer.
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Omarama Hot Tubs
If your legs are weary after mountain biking or hiking, or you just want to cosy up with your significant other, pop into the Omarama Hot Tubs. The concept, combining private hot tubs (per person $30 to $40), and private ‘wellness pods’ ($125 for two people) including intimate, personal saunas, is Japanese, but with the surrounding mountain ranges and a pristine night sky, you could only be on the South Island of New Zealand. The chemical-free mountain water is changed daily, and used water is recycled for irrigation.
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Yellow-Eyed Penguin Conservation Reserve
The Yellow-Eyed Penguin Conservation Reserve has replanted the penguins’ breeding grounds, built nesting sites, cared for sick and injured birds and trapped predators. Ninety-minute tours include a talk on penguin conservation and close-up viewing from a system of hides. You can see the birds all year round, but summer is best. Between October and March, tours run regularly from 10.15am to 90 minutes before sunset; between April and September they’re just from 3.15pm to 4.45pm. The tours are popular, so book ahead.
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Craft Market
This fascinating area of ancient buildings and narrow streets is now home to bookshops, antique stores, galleries, herbalists and more. The Woolstore has a café, tat and souvenirs, and the Auto Museum for car buffs (the racing cars from the '30s through '80s are particularly cool). Upstairs, there's a craft market and giant novelty chess set. Around the corner at the Photo Shoppe , you can get an olde-style photo of yeeself in period dress-ups for $30.
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NZ Malt Whisky Company
At the end of Harbour St, the NZ Malt Whisky Company uses the upper story of a handsome 130-year-old warehouse to mature barrel-loads of single-malt and blended whisky. Sample whisky and port for $2 per snifter, or there’s a guided tour ($15 including four snifters) at 11am and 3pm. The cafe-bar serves snacks and meals from $6, and you can buy bottles of the good stuff at the shop. It’s definitely worth climbing the labyrinthine wooden stairs to the art gallery on the upper floors.
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Orokonui Ecosanctuary
The Orokonui Ecosanctuary occupies a 300-hectare nature reserve on Otago Harbour’s north shore. Its mission is to provide a predator-free refuge to repopulate species previously exiled to smaller offshore islands. It’s a good chance to see the tuatara, NZ’s iconic living dinosaur unchanged for 200 million years. At the time of writing, the ecosanctuary could only be visited on a 90-minute guided walk (tour $38; [hours] 10.30am & 1.30pm), but unguided visits were also planned. Check the Dunedin i-SITE for an update.
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Backstage
Hidden down an appropriately seedy backstreet, magnificently grungy Backstage is the live-music venue in Dunedin. This is where NZ's bigger acts usually play when they're in town, whether they're pop, metal, rock, jazz or dub. Check local media or the website to see who's playing when you're in town. Acts here can be pretty loud, but it's a big bar, so you can generally escape far enough to be able to think, if not talk. It even does bar food, but you'd have to be pretty hungry…
reviewed
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Penguin Club
Tucked down a seedy industrial alley off a 19th-century street, the Penguin’s bizarre location matches its acts: everything from Flying Nun stalwarts the Clean to punky/grungy/rocky/country locals. Big national acts and up-and-coming international acts sometimes drop by, too. Fridays are open-stage jam night with free admission. If there’s something on at Penguin – anything – go and see it. It’s nominally Members Only, so ask at the Oamaru i-SITE about scoring a guest pass.
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Larnach Castle
Standing proudly on the peninsula’s highest point, Larnach Castle was an extravagance of the Dunedin merchant, banker and politician William Larnach. Built in 1871 to impress his French-nobility-descended wife (she apparently didn’t like it much), the ostentatious, Gothic mansion is filled with exquisite antique furnishings. Larnach committed suicide in Parliament House in 1898, financially ruined, and with his latest wife and favourite son romantically linked.
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Arc Cafe
Wonderful Arc Cafe would be an asset in any city: out front there's a laid-back, grungy bar-café with mismatched tables and a gentle, welcoming vibe from the be-dreaded staff and drinkers; in back there's a dark live-music venue where fine bands play to packed crowds, or lousy bands play for their own entertainment. Good for a midday coffee or a late night beer. The vegetarian fare here is some of the best (and certainly the healthiest) options for late-night snacking.
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Royal Albatross Centre
Taiaroa Head, at the peninsula’s eastern tip, has the world’s only mainland royal albatross colony. The best time to visit is from December to February, when one parent is constantly guarding the young while the other delivers food throughout the day. Sightings are most common in the afternoon when the winds pick up; calm days don’t see much bird action. The only public access is through the Royal Albatross Centre. One-hour tours (adult/child $45/22.50) include viewing from a glassed-in hut overlooking the nesting sites. There’s no viewing from mid-September to late November, and from late November to December the birds are nestbound so it’s difficult to see that magnific…
reviewed
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Riverstone Kitchen
This spacious haven 12km north of Oamaru on SH1 blends leather couches and polished concrete for a sophisticated ambience. The menu showcases simply prepared produce and local flavours, with standout options including lamb with smoked eggplant and free-range scrambled eggs with pesto on ciabatta. Beers include the best of the South Island and the North Island, and you can also pick up organic jams and preserves in the cool on-site deli.
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Vanished World Centre
Back on SH83 at Duntroon is the Vanished World Centre, with small but interesting displays of 25-million-year-old fossils, including NZ’s shark-toothed dolphins and giant penguins. There’s also a selection of books on geology, history and talking lions. If you’re really into fossils and geology, pick up a copy of the Vanished World Fossil Trail map outlining 20 different locations around North Otago.
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Empire
The stately old dame of Dunedin's pubs, this is a ‘must visit' if you're one of the army of Flying Nun pilgrims that visit Dunedin each year. It's not in the hot list of greatest live-music venues these days, but is still a damn fine venue, with bars on each of three floors, each providing a different vibe, and often hosting local bands (perhaps blues or acoustic) or jam sessions on the bottom floor.
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Bisztro
Bisztro Warmed by open fires and with service smooth but relaxed, this restaurant is hidden away in an old wooden house on an almost-suburban street. Ingredients are largely locally sourced and carefully selected. The restaurant also sells its own preserves and relishes, so if your meal inspires, grab some chilli paste or pickle to cater your slow-food, roadside meals later in your travels.
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Chick’s Hotel
Across in Port Chalmers, Chicks is the archetypal rock-and-roll pub, and the venue’s 19th-century stone walls now play host to everything from touring alt-country bands from the States to local metal bands. If any of Dunedin’s esteemed Flying Nun alumni are performing, chances are it will be here or at Sammy’s. Catch bus 13 or 14 from stand 4 outside the Countdown supermarket on Cumberland St.
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Circadian Rhythm Café
Specialising in organic Indian curries, this all-vegan cafe is also known for its cookies and cakes. The superfriendly staff will also try to tweak things to oblige gluten-free requests. Circadian Rhythm is a music venue, with a variety of interesting acts on Friday nights from 5.30pm. Dunedin’s Emerson’s and Green Man beers are both available, so you don’t have to be too healthy.
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Public Art Gallery
Explore NZ’s art scene at Dunedin’s expansive and airy Public Art Gallery. Climb the iron staircase for great city views. Works on permanent show are mainly contemporary, including a big NZ collection featuring local kids Ralph Hotere and Frances Hodgkins, Cantabrian Colin McCahon, and some old CF Goldie oils. Rotating exhibits include some European works and Kiwi masters.
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Etrusco at the Savoy
A wonderful, large and noisy space, with magnificent marble pillars, high ceiling, fireplace and central bar, Etrusco is great for large groups of family or friends; less wonderful for a quiet romantic dinner. Pastas and thin-crust pizzas are the mainstay, and wine is encouraged. A fun night is guaranteed, though reports of the pasta itself range from magnifica to non.
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