Dunedin - Part 1

We’re splitting our time in Dunedin into 2 parts, but more on that later. We had a great drive from Invercargill along the scenic route. Our first stop was in Fortrose for a coffee and a walk on the beach to the entrance the shallow harbour. Lots of shells and driftwood (I so want to take some driftwood home to Canada but…). Very quiet place in February, and walking back along the road, it’s obviously a holiday home sort of destination.

Our next stop was at McLean Falls in Catlin Conservation Park. A nice spirited hike up to the falls that are in 3 tiers. At the top tier, I scrambled onto the rocks to get a good view. I’ve been getting a bit of vertigo in the past few years but for some reason climbing up slippery rocks with a fall into an ice cold waterfall pool didn’t seem to bother me at all!

Next stop was Dunedin at Tony and Helen’s new house. Their son Jono along with partner Kate and their daughter Matilda are currently staying there while they look for a new house. This beautifully designed home faces north over the harbour and the view is stunning. Cathy and I had a wonderful few days with Kate, Matilda, and Jono and did a bit of exploring and sightseeing around Dunedin.

The first day we went into the city to visit the Settlers Museum and wander around the recently refurbished train station. It was a rainy day, the tail end of a weather system that had hammered the North Island and then slowly moved south. We’ve been very fortunate with the weather during our travels. We’ve moved south ahead of some pretty extreme weather events hitting the North Island, heavy rain, flooding, lots of road blockages, etc. We’ve had some cooler than normal weather but very few really wet days.

Day 2 started with a walk on St. Claire beach with an added bonus of seeing a sea lion. Dog walkers were being careful to keep their dogs in control, the sea lions are big and surprisingly fast!

Next stop was Tunnel Beach, a short drive from the city. The area is a Department of Conservation reserve, and the trail down to the water has been upgraded from a steep gravel path to a much longer, more gentle slope that switch’s back across the slope. The highlight is the tunnel to the beach that was commissioned by John Cargill so his daughter could have access to the beach. We planned our visit for low tide so we could get to the beach. As you wander down the trail, you’re presented with an increasingly beautiful view of the carved limestone cliffs. At the bottom, if you look around the corner, you see the entrance to the tunnel that brings you down to a small beach. Originally a slope, DOC installed concrete stairs in the tunnel and hand rails. The tunnel was hand carved from the cliff and is otherwise unchanged from the late 1800’s when it was built.

Our last stop for the day was Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle. The castle is slowly being restored after falling into disrepair after it changed hands several times after William Larnach died. It was purchased by the Barker family in 1967 and has been steadily restored since. There is an entrance fee and that money goes towards the restoration. The gardens are stunning and are recognized as Gardens of Significance in New Zealand. We spent a couple of hours touring the castle and gardens and relaxing in the cafe where you can enjoy high tea (we didn’t!).

Jono and Kate have a holiday place in Twizel where we had stopped a few weeks ago for lunch. They kindly offered it to us to help us explore the Central Otago region and as Tony and Helen aren’t coming to Dunedin until next week, we took them up on it for a few sunny warm days. We’ll be back to Dunedin next week, but for now, we’re on the move again!