Attractions

  • The Octagon, Dunedin

    Address:
    The Octagon, Dunedin Central, Dunedin, New Zealand .

    The Octagon is the city centre of Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is an eight-sided plaza with a circular one-way carriageway, bisected by the city's main street, and is also the central terminus of two other main thoroughfares. The Octagon is predominantly a pedestrian reserve, with grass and paved features, and is surmounted by a statue of the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Several of Dunedin's significant buildings and institutions adjoin the plaza, which is also a major hub for public transport in Dunedin.

    First laid out in 1846, the site was largely derelict for many years until the two major early parts of the city's settlement (to the north and south of the Octagon) were linked by the excavation of Bell Hill. From the 1890s on it rose to prominence as the city's central area. The Octagon was substantially renovated during the 1980s, and is now a centre of the city's cafe culture, with many al fresco dining areas.

    New Year's Eve celebrations are held annually in The Octagon.

  • Portobello Marine Laboratory

    Address:
    New Zealand Marine Studies Centre Hatchery Road, Portobello, Dunedin, New Zealand .

    The Portobello Marine Laboratory is located on the end of a short peninsula close to the township of Portobello, within the limits of the city of Dunedin in New Zealand's South Island. It is run as part of the University of Otago, the main campus of which is 23 kilometres to the southwest in Dunedin's main urban area.

  • Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

    Address:
    Toitū Otago Settlers Museum Queens Gardens, Dunedin Central, Dunedin, New Zealand .

    The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum is a regional history museum in DunedinNew Zealand. Its brief covers the territory of the old Otago Province, that is, New Zealand from the Waitaki River south, though its main focus is the city of Dunedin. It is New Zealand's oldest history museum.