People & Places
Living in Dunedin
Dunedin local Bill Brown, of Dive Otago, outlines the many attractions of the Otago Peninsula and some of the benefits of living in the Dunedin area.
If you are looking for a naturalist's holiday haven, recommendations don't come much higher than "the Otago Peninsula is the finest example of eco-tourism in the world". As this opinion comes from world-renowned conservationist and TV celebrity David Bellamy, it may be enough to prompt nature lovers to take notice and plan a trip to the city of Dunedin in New Zealand's south island.
For anybody considering emigrating to New Zealand and seeking to live and work in the middle of nature's playground, Dunedin is perfectly placed. Nowhere else in New Zealand will you find a city where it is possible to catch salmon less than 1,000 metres from the Central Business District. The city itself is framed by the picturesque Otago Harbour – a natural phenomenon stretching from the centre of the city out through the Otago Peninsula Heads with spectacular hills, waterways, bays and abundant wildlife, and exiting to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean at Taiaroa Head – the site of the only mainland breeding colony of the northern Royal Albatross. This headland is arguably the most precious wildlife habitat in New Zealand protecting, amidst spectacular scenery, the world's rarest penguins – the Yellow Eyed Hoiho – the Little Blue Penguins, New Zealand fur seals, sea lions, dolphins and more than 30 species of marine animals and birds.
From time to time, and with increasing regularity, the great Southern Right whales and their calves can also be seen from the Peninsula migrating south. Yet there are more aquatic wonders for immigrants to enjoy in Dunedin – the sandy beaches at St Clair are famous for regularly good surf, with board riders enjoying the privilege of challenging surf all year round. Given the proximity of the harbour and the opportunities offered off the Otago Peninsula there are many productive dive sites available with minimal travel or effort yielding bountiful catches of crayfish, blue cod, paua, a wide variety of sea foods or simply the pleasure of enjoying some excellent of the best diving in the world. Dunedin itself is a postcard of historic Victorian and Edwardian architecture set against a backdrop of the city's lush green belt of native bush. Hosting a lively youth culture of 20,000 students at Otago University the city also has a lively feel.
Job opportunities abound and property prices compared to the northern centres are substantially less than one would expect to pay in Christchurch, or Auckland. For more information, Seen in Dunedin is a useful website. Originally settled in the 1800s, largely by emigrating Scots, Dunedin has a familiar feel, strong ties to the UK and is already a popular target for expatriates.
The city is enthusiastically recommended by recent arrivals Adam and Lynne Binns, who emigrated to Dunedin from Yorkshire in December 2004. "Our lifestyle here is completely different to what we had in the UK," says Adam, a Registered Property Valuer and Chartered Surveyor. "We spend most of our spare time outdoors, either taking our two-year-old son to the beach at St Clair or enjoying the environment we live in. I reckon we get double the amount of sunshine in Dunedin that we used to get in England, and that has changed our whole perspective on life." Lynne, a part time legal secretary, adds: "We have so much more family time in Dunedin and our commute to work is only ten minutes. The house prices are so much more affordable as well – like for like we paid about half what we paid in Yorkshire for our house, with about twice as much space and a huge garden. This has been the best move we ever made."
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