GO NZ: What to see, do, eat and drink in Dunedin

What’s great about Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr is that it’s the only stadium in New Zealand with a roof, which means the weather can never stop playing. It seemed like a foolproof plan to schedule a post-closing visit to the big southern city around the long-awaited Highlanders v Hurricanes Super Rugby game, the final game of the season.

But unfortunately, 2020 and a global pandemic had other plans: When the country returned to alert level 2, the game had to go ahead behind closed doors, with no fans allowed. I was disappointed, yes, but with the accommodation booked and my car full I decided to take the opportunity to visit anyway, traveling from my home in Christchurch for a weekend. I decided to change my approach from rugby to doing all those Dunedin things that I have often said “must do someday”. Here are my highlights and recommendations.

Start at the Octy …

Every city has a center and Dunedin’s beating heart is the Octagon, so what better place to start? And where better to get a feel for the city than in one of the Octagon’s most popular pubs? I headed over to Stuart St Mac’s Bar to sample the local Emerson’s beer.

This was my kind of establishment: a bar with jokers to the left of you, currency bankers to the right, and me sitting comfortably in the middle talking about the Highlanders’ victory at Super Rugby 2015. Honestly, what could possibly come out wrong?

Speaking of rugby with the locals, I soon turned to local recommendations, which led me to my next stop.

Feed your senses in Jizo

One of the best things about travel is discovering amazing new places, and Jizo, a Japanese restaurant by the Octagon, was just that. It is the original Japanese restaurant in town, opened in 1997. Here you will find traditional Japanese cuisine made with fresh local ingredients and for me the deliciously fresh salmon and tuna sushimi plate and the kushiage tofu were the highlight. Diners can also see the food being prepared in front of them, which really adds another level to the experience. It was like watching a painter create a masterpiece.

Go back in time at Larnach Castle

Dunedin is described as the Edinburgh of the South and what could be more Scottish than a trip to a castle? Larnach is the only castle in New Zealand, privately owned and open to the public all year round. The impressive family home was built between 1871 and 1874, commissioned by Australian William Larnach, who moved to New Zealand in 1867 to fill a position with the Bank of Otago.

It took more than 200 men three years to build the castle’s shell, then another 12 years to beautify the interior, using materials from around the world such as Italian marble, Welsh slate, Venetian glass, and native wood like kauri. and rimu.

Parts of the castle are opulent and boastful, demonstrating Larnach’s success and wealth, but there is also a colder and darker feeling at times, which could be attributed to the fate that befell him later in life: bankruptcy, loss of seat parliamentarian and eventual suicide. in 1898.

The castle was purchased in 1967 by the Barker family, who have since painstakingly restored it to a point where, walking, one goes back to an earlier era – it’s easy to feel transported, imagining the 3,000-square-foot ballroom. full of Otago. society, music and dance (maybe a drink or two).

The spectacular home is combined with a 14 acre garden offering panoramic views of Dunedin Harbor and the wider peninsula. It is a very special place.

Spread your wings at the Royal Albatross Center

The delights of Dunedin extend beyond the city limits – head to Taiaroa Head to visit New Zealand’s only mainland albatross breeding colony.

Here you will have the opportunity to see these impressive birds in their natural habitat. Their three-meter wingspan means they can glide effortlessly on thermal currents from their nesting ground across the ocean to South America. However, it is the girls that are truly fascinating, as many New Zealanders will agree: during New Zealand’s first lockdown, thousands of Kiwis tuned in to the webcam at Taiaroa Head to watch the live stream. Seeing them for myself, I can now understand why. I was spellbound just watching these chicks walk around, flap their wings, and gaze longingly at their parents in the sky.

For a different perspective on these majestic birds, head to the ocean with Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours. We were treated to flyovers of giant petrels and Buller’s albatrosses, and we were able to see the nesting grounds of the Otago Shag. These endangered birds have built nests at the head of the peninsula, often stealing material from the albatross nests above. Visitors to the tour will often also see sea lions, dolphins, and penguins.

Bird lovers should also take time to visit the Ōrokonui Eco Sanctuary, 307 hectares of native forest free from predators. Here, it’s about the sound of New Zealand. Walking with the songs of the native New Zealand birds is truly magical. On my visit I saw takahē, kākā, tūī, and kererū, but there are also kiwi, kākāriki, South Island robin, South Island saddleback, native bats, tuatara, and jeweled gecko.

Cool off in a brewery

Richard Emerson is another local legend: he started brewing in his mother’s kitchen before “climbing” into an apartment in 1992. In my student days we tried this too, but to no success with Richard.

Things have come a long way since then; Emerson is now Dunedin’s favorite son and his beer is exported all over the world. These days, the Emerson Brewery produces up to 20,000 gallons of beer a day and (subject to alert level restrictions) brewery tours showing the process is available, something that might have been helpful in my student days.

If you’re still thirsty, ARC Brewing Co is a little gem located just outside Dunedin in a former hotel on the Blueskin Bay shoreline. This boutique brewery is the perfect way to unwind on a Sunday, or any day for that matter. Enjoy one of their small batch craft beers, while sitting at one of the mosaic tables created by owner / brewer Jono Walker. The careful craftsmanship on each table gives a sense of skill, passion, and patience that you bring to your beer.

Relive history at the Toitū Otago Settler Museum

Housed in the impressive Art Deco New Zealand Rail building, this museum documents the growth of the city since the days of European settlers, as well as the more recent history of the sound and look of Dunedin. There is even a room where you can search the records of early European settlers to find any roots you may have in the area.

The building is just one of the most varied architectural aspects of the city; Others include Olveston, a 35-room private historic home that is now preserved as it would look in the early 1900s and is open to visitors as a museum; the Dunedin Gas Works Museum, the Speights Brewery, the well-photographed train station, and many other old and Edwardian buildings.

It’s also exciting to see how the city is reinventing itself – many heritage buildings are being restored and repurposed into cafes, hotels, apartments, and boutiques.
As you walk the streets of the city, be sure to keep an eye out for the extensive collection of street art murals that bring color and life to the alleys and corners of the city center.

Reset your perspective

Rather than quench my thirst for Dunedin, my journey has given me reason to return and discover more. Because, just like the gold rush that brought so many people to the city in the 19th century, gold nuggets can still be found in Dunedin – natural beauty, architecture, food, drink, and people. So if you haven’t explored Dunedin yet, you must, and if you think you’ve seen or done Dunedin I suggest you look again, because around every corner there really is a new adventure.

To find more highlights and recommendations, go to dunedinnz.com
For more New Zealand travel ideas and inspiration, visit newzealand.com