About Dunedin
Weather
It may officially be summer in New Zealand, but Dunedin weather is very changeable and might surprise you. Make sure you check the links below before you start packing!
University of Otago Physics Weather Station
Metservice Weather Report - Dunedin
Today:
If you have the time and resources, we recommend taking a few days to explore the city and surrounding area in a rental car (for rental car company suggestions, see Travel).
City:
Planned as a replica of Edinburgh by Scottish settlers (the name Dunedin is modelled on the Gaelic name for that city, Dùn Èideann), Dunedin rocketed to ‘city’ status during Otago’s ‘Gold Rush’ in the second half of the nineteenth century, when it became a centre for banking and finance. As a result, the city is liberally peppered with majestic Victorian architecture, including beautiful Gothic-Revival examples such as the University of Otago’s registry building. Click on the links to explore some of our favourites, or visit Dunedin's iSite for more options.
Sights:
Olveston: http://www.olveston.co.nz/
Otago Museum: http://www.otagomuseum.govt.nz
Dunedin Public Art Gallery: http://dunedin.art.museum/
Speight's: http://www.speights.co.nz/
Shopping:
Dunedin offers mall-style and generic shopping in the centre city, plus a few gems of its own:
Dunedin Designers:
Carlson: http://www.tanyacarlson.com/
Plume: 310 George St Dunedin - 03-477 9358
Belle Bird: http://www.bellebird.co.nz/
Fern NZ Designers & Jewellers, 03-477 7292, Capital Building 67 Princes St Dunedin 9016
Modern Miss Vintage Clothing: 21 Moray Place, Dunedin, Mobile 021 118 6740 Email violetfaigan@yahoo.co.nz
Treasures:
Broad Bay China: http://www.broadbaychina.co.nz/
Henderson Jewellery: http://www.hendersonjewellery.com/about.html
Ha'penny's, 401 B Princes Street, Dunedin, New Zealand, Mobile: 0211 444 260
Shop on Carroll: http://www.ps.org.nz/Site/Otago/News/Shop_on_Carroll.aspx
For a charming, laid-back and quirky shopping experience, check out Port Chalmers, about 10 minutes drive round the harbour:
Port Chalmers Design Store: http://www.portchalmersdesignstore.co.nz/
Koputai Jewellers, 21 George Street, Port Chalmers - (03) 472 8800
Seriously Twisted: http://www.seriouslytwisted.co.nz/?/modules/db/home/
Silverfish Jewellery: 7 George Street, Port Chalmers - (03) 4727288
Portsifika: 34 George Street, Port Chalmers.
POSH Designs Ltd: 9-13 George Street, Port Chalmers, Mobile: 0274 212 847
Barking Fish: 17 George Street, Port Chalmers, (03) 4728484
Books:
A guide to secondhand book shopping in Dunedin can be found here: http://www.renaissancebooks.co.nz/?page=shop/disp&pid=page_Dunedin
Food:
Plato: 2 Birch Street, Dunedin - (03) 477 4235; http://www.platocafe.co.nz/
Zucchini Bros: 292 Highgate, Roslyn - (03) 477 9373
A Cow Called Berta: 199 Stuart Street Dunedin - (03) 477 2993
Bell Pepper Blues: 474 Princes Street Dunedin - (03) 474 0973; http://www.bellpepperblues.co.nz/
Vino Vena: 484 George Street, North Dunedin - (03) 479 0110
Esplanade Restaurant: 5/250 Forbury Rd, St Clair, Dunedin - (03) 456 2544
Jizo Japanese Cafe & Bar: 56 Princes Street, Dunedin Central - (03) 479 2692
Etrusco At The Savoy: 8 Moray Place, Dunedin - (03) 477 3737
Bennu Cafe & BarAddress: 12 Moray Place Dunedin - (03) 474 5055; http://www.bennu.co.nz/
Bacchus Wine Bar & Restaurant: Level 1/12, The Octagon, Dunedin Central - (03) 474 0824; http://bacchuswinebarrestaurant.co.nz/
Otago Farmers' Market: http://www.otagofarmersmarket.org.nz (Saturday mornings from 7am)
For an extra special treat, head out of town to Fleur's Place in Moeraki: http://www.fleursplace.com/
Area:
New Zealand wildlife can be found in abundance on the Otago Peninsula, which protects Dunedin Harbour from the Pacific Ocean. On the Peninsula’s many beaches, you will come across seals and penguins in the wild. We recommend Allan’s Beach, which can be reached from Portobello, the Peninsula’s central village.
About 15 minutes drive beyond Portobello, on the Taiaroa Head, is the southern hemisphere’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross, open for guided tours (http://www.albatross.org.nz). The area surrounding the colony is also rich in other bird colonies and wildlife, including Little Blue and Yellow Eyed penguins, Fur Seals, Sea Lions, and the rare Stewart Island Shag. Just up the hill from the albatross colony, Nature’s Wonders can take you on a tour exploring the habitats of the local wildlife (http://www.visit-dunedin.co.nz/natures_wonders.html). If you would prefer a view from the sea and a chance to spot seals, dolphins, penguins, and seabirds in action, Monarch Wildlife Cruises will show you the area from the water (http://www.wildlife.co.nz/index.html)