What to See & Do
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Heritage

City Walks

Quality guided walks providing your essential introduction to Dunedin. The Old Town Heritage Walk showcases Dunedin's colourful history and glorious public buildings. The Beautiful Dunedin Scenic Walk follows the city's Green Belt past fine homes and gardens. Regular departures from the i-SITE, October through April. Other times by arrangement. Key points available in written Japanese.

Country Tours

Personalised tours throughout the South Island. Guide with extensive local knowledge will arrange day trips from Dunedin. Overnight and longer exploring further afield. Interests catered for include ornithology, botany, historic towns and buildings, garden visits, photography, farmstays and country life.

D Tours

D-Tours Otago specialise in guided tours in small groups. D-Tours Otago have had 30 years experience exploring the trails and goldmining areas of Otago. Let D-Tours Otago take you on a tour where you will see magnificent scenery and learn a little of the history of Otago. Discover the beauty and wildlife of the Otago Peninsula. Travel the back country where early goldminers struggled through rugged terrain. 4wd tours subject to weather and track conditions. Security clearanced for cruise ship pickup.

First City Heritage Tours

Citibus Ltd. are Dunedin's original tour operator, with a local fleet of 10 air-conditioned tour coaches from 12 to 45 seats and two genuine British double decker buses. Experienced driver/guides provide a full commentary on all tours and we connect with Dunedin's favourite visitor attractions for single, half-day and full-day tour options. Our tours are packaged and precisely timed to ensure you get the best possible experience during your visit to Dunedin.

Fletcher House

This typical Edwardian villa was built in 1909 by Sir James Fletcher, founder of Fletcher Construction Company Ltd. In December 1990 Fletcher Challenge decided to restore the Fletcher House and open it to the public, making it the first villa in New Zealand to be opened for all to enjoy.

Historic Fort Taiaroa Otago

Underneath the peace of the royal albatross nature reserve lie the tunnels of Fort Taiaroa, established over 100 years ago to counter the threat of invasion from Tsarist Russia. The observation post overlooks part of the albatross colony and the Fort is now a museum. Today, visitors to Taiaroa Head are very fortunate to be able to view the only Armstrong Disappearing Gun of its type in the world, still in working trim, in its original gun pit. Guided tours and displays tell the fascinating story of this 19th century heritage fort.

Larnach Castle

Visit Larnach Castle, New Zealand's only castle, and explore the beautiful castle and gardens. Larnach Castle is open daily from 9 am - 5 pm. Visitors receive an informative brochure which guides them through the rooms of the Castle and shares its exciting, tragic and sometimes scandalous history.

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame

The New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in Dunedin is where our sporting past comes to life. The Hall is housed in the historic Dunedin Railway Station and includes exhibits and displays on sporting champions who have been inducted from more than 30 sports. 

Oceana Gold Tours

Two-hour fully guided tour of the largest goldmine in New Zealand. See enormous excavators and trucks, heritage mining sites, gold-processing plant and the rainbow trout hatchery.

Olveston Historic House

An historic house centrally located in Dunedin, Olveston is a modern masterpiece of the Edwardian era. In 1966 Olveston was offered as an extraordinary gift to the City of Dunedin. The 35-room mansion houses original collections. In material terms, as Olveston gets older, it gets infinitely more valuable. In historic terms, it is already priceless.

Otago Museum and Discovery World

Welcome to one of the world's best museums! Just a few minutes from the city centre, you’ll discover the richness and vibrancy of the southern region through outstanding collections covering culture, nature and science. Whether you have an hour to spare or a day to enjoy, you'll find something to inspire, enlighten or excite you within the variety of exhibitions awaiting. Get hands-on in Discovery World, with exciting experiments and engaging exhibits for visitors of all ages. Then, encounter a rainforest teeming with tropical life… the Tropical Forest awaits you, with its lush gardens and live butterflies. A magical must-see! Don’t leave Dunedin without seeing the city’s most visited attraction. Entry to the Otago Museum is by donation. Admission charges apply for Discovery World Tropical Forest. Open 7 days, 10am-5pm. Closed Christmas Day.

Otago Railway and Locomotive Society Incorporating Ocean Beach Railway

Family locomotive fun at St Kilda's Ocean Beach Railway including vintage, steam and diesel locomotives. Today, there are nearly thirty rail museum sites in New Zealand, in places ranging from Auckland to Kingston, where steam engines are preserved in working order. At most of these sites, it is possible to enjoy a ride behind one of these ever-fascinating machines.

Otago Settlers Museum

Otago Settlers Museum stands to the south of the Dunedin Railway Station and forms an integral part of the historic Queens Gardens precinct. The museum's permanent and temporary exhibitions explore themes of cultural interaction, technological innovation and developments in everyday life. The museum also provides a variety of walking tours throughout the city which bring Dunedin's history to life through stories of the events and characters that helped form our unique and culturally diverse city.

Speight's Brewery Heritage Tours

One of the world's only gravity-fed breweries, Speight's Brewery is a Dunedin icon. The 90-minute tour of a working brewery and heritage centre is a "must see" for any visitor to the South. Share the many fascinating facts and stories behind this famous New Zealand beer, from both a technical and historical angle.

Taieri Gorge Railway

A visit to Dunedin is not complete without a trip on the Taieri Gorge Railway - one of the world's great train trips, taking passengers from the hustle and bustle of Dunedin's city centre to the rugged mountain interior of Central Otago and return. Travel in the comfort of an award-winning train service as you experience an amazing variety of landscapes, including city, farmland, forests and the wild Taieri River Gorge.

The Dunedin Chinese Garden

An initiative of the local Chinese community to create a permanent reminder of the Chinese link to Dunedin, this is an authentic traditional Chinese garden in the heart of the city and one of only three truly authentic gardens created outside China. Opened April 2008.

The Engine House

Visit the historic building and its collection of steam pumping engines.

The Seasider

The Seasider is run by the Taieri Gorge Railway and is an exciting new venture. It offers a scenic train ride between the historic city of Dunedin and the busy township of Palmerston, north of Dunedin on the main highway. Run on a seasonal basis on selected Wednesdays, the train departs Dunedin at 9.30am and arrives back at 1.30pm.

Walk Dunedin Guided Inner City Walking

This popular tour operates 7 days a week and will take you on a 2-hour gentle stroll where you can experience the character, history and beauty of Dunedin, New Zealand's first great city.  Enjoy a wonderful insight into Dunedin's architectural and social past.  Tours include an expert guide, an overview of Dunedin's Scottish origins, entry to some of Dunedin's premium heritage sites, a complimentary coffee and an informative colour booklet to guide you to other inner city sites of interest.