Dunedin, South Island, NZ

Driving into Dunedin, Otago

As we drove down through the green rolling hills into Dunedin, New Zealand's oldest city, we were ready to explore! It was early afternoon and a beautiful crisp day.  

Dunedin, a heritage city, is surrounded by beautiful green valleys and farmland. Over the years, its had its fair share of excitement with the 1852 Gold Rush era and more recently it has rediscovered itself as New Zealand's thriving and popular student town called 'dunners'.

Cadbury World!

Driving down Great King Street North, we chugged past the Cadbury Chocolate factory! 

Was it our magical destiny to have passed this auspicious white building? Pulling over in a 30minute parking zone Kara ran off inside to check what time the tours are. Luck would have it there was two spaces available on a 45 minute Cadbury World experience tour that was leaving in just fifteen minutes. 

So after re-parking the van, we entered the purple themed visitors centre and idly sat down. Biding our time we munched on the free bag of chocolates they handed out just waiting for our senses to be ignited! 

Two chocolate lovers!

Our tour in the old (and surprisingly mammoth sized) factory began with a comprehensive explanation of the chocolate making process, from processing the cocoa that's collected in South America to the final outlay of its famous purple packaging. 

Would you like a sparkling chocolate?

Opened in 1868 as a biscuit bakehouse by Richard Hudson, it was one top biscuit shop! The little bakery grew so big that in 1884 it became the Southern Hemisphere's first chocolate and cocoa manufacturing plant, continuing to grow in order to meet New Zealand's demand for sugar! In 1930 Cadbury teamed up with Richie and they began to make the first Cadbury chocolate bars and introduce new sweets like the ever-so-popular NZ favourites, the Jaffa, the pink marshmallow pinky bars and the Carmel chocolate moro's. 

The strawberry for me, please.

It seemed that today they had finished making the chocolate so our guide was happy to take us into several of the rooms where the chocolate is moulded, rolled and packaged for delivery. The best part of this delicious nutty smelling wonderland was the gigantic five story chocolate waterfall. Like something out of Willy Wonker we were as giddy watching the deep brown liquid fall, as were the sugar induced children standing with us. 

After the tour ended and we had tried a range of tasty New Zealand products from the Cadbury experience centre, we were feeling a little sickly! The odd un-passable-as-chocolate lemonade probably did it. But before seeking a campground for the evening we decided to find Baldwin Street. A hike up there should do the trick, for our old sweaty thighs!

There it is! World's steepest! 

Let's get this party started!

Located in Dunedin's urban area, Baldwin street is famous for being the steepest residential road, not just in New Zealand but in the world! It was built under the direction of London street planners who, sitting in their English offices with no consideration for terrain, ordered the grid like pattern of roads to be built. About 350 meters along, it's a short straight street that climbs at an average angle of 19 degrees. We had some trouble finding a place to park with signs indicating hefty fines for illegal parking so we had to park several blocks back. But that didn't bother us much as we cheerily made our way to the bottom, thinking as we looked up 'oh it's not so steep' let's quickly walk up and knock it off the list.

John way down there, bringing up the rear

Struggle town

Yeh, that's pretty steep

Well we were very wrong. It was steep, it was very steep and the further we climbed the steeper it got! It was like crazy steep, dangerously steep! There were quite a few other people walking up with us, several rather opting to take the small staircase on the right hand side of the road. Our calves burnt and we got terribly warm, but we pushed on to the top! 

Kara, outside the Dunedin Railway Station

Returning back into the old city centre, we passed Dunedin's old eclectic, Renaissance-style train station. 

Built in 1889 it is constructed of dark basalt and lighter Oamaru stone, giving it a distinctive light and dark pattern. 

We had a walk around the Queen's gardens and inside the station which has now been transformed into a museum. On closer inspection the building was quite unusual. 

Part of the 500m long platform

Large pink granite pillars supported the terracotta roof. At the far end of the train station a massive 37-metre clocktower stands erect. But the coolest things is that the station has the longest platform in the country at approximately 500m in length. 

After this we went and checked in at Sunny's Holiday Park just as the recently arrived grey clouds opened up. It was nearing sunset and after a quick bite to eat, we changed and ventured off for our second tour that day. 

Hi Ho Hi Ho, it was off to the Speights brewery, we go! 

The iconic Speights brewery (and now also the Speights Heritage Centre) was founded by businessman James Speight, the brewer William Dawson and the maltster Charles Greenslade in 1876 during Otago's second biggest gold rush. Since then the Speights brand has been firmly planted in the deep south of New Zealand. Dubbed as an award winning interactive and informative guided tour, we excitedly entered the old wooden reception, jumping out of the rain. 

Let's get out of the rain!

Ancient beer history education in progress

Inside was warm and dry and the smell of hops seeped through the walls. Our guide rounded us all up like cattle on a farm for the ninety minute tour. After we had traversed to the eighth floor, he began to explain the interesting history and beginnings of not just the brewery but beer right back in the Babylonian times.

The old copper vats used at the Speights Brewery

As we moved down through each floor, we were given an in-depth explanation of the beer making process where they use a gravity-feeding system. 

As the tour continued we were able to touch and smell the ingredients used in the beer making process and to check out some of the old copper equipment. 

The tour moved at a quick pace and then after a solid educational sixty minutes it was eventually tasting time! 

Self-pouring the house beer!

By far the highlight of the entire experience was when we were ushered into the brewery bar. As a TV crackled Speights ads from the 1980's in the background, the guide quickly showed us the range of their tap beers. For as our guide said: "The best way to experience the South is to taste it!". Next we were all given one glass and were able to pour for ourselves unlimited portions of the tap ale, larger, pilsner, old dark and cider. We left that evening bloated, a little drunk but most of all very happy! What a fantastic tour! 

After a restless sleep that night in the still uncomfortable van we sought out breakfast in the city, walking through the quiet morning streets.

We were surprised at the number of Churches dotted around the city. Many of them very elegant and architecturally stunning. The Presbyterian First Church in the city's heart was built in 1848 and not far away, in Dunedin's Octagon, was St Paul's Anglican Cathedral another beautifully engineered gothic style church. 

First Church

St Paul's Anglican Cathedral

Driving down the Otago Peninsula

After our mosey around we ventured off down the rugged Otago Peninsula towards Taiaroa Head on the northeastern point. Located on the wild coastline is the National Royal Albatross centre where John, who hadn't yet seen an Albatross, was keen to visit.

Shaped like a the long finger of an arthritis ridden woman the peninsula is hilly, volcanic and rural free hold farming land. 

Taiaroa Head vista

We took the less popular High Cliff road along what appeared to be akin to the peninsula's spine, hoping to get a glimpse on our way of the Larnachs Castle, but unfortunately we just got stuck behind farmer after farmer moving their animals across the mud-strewn road. 

It was a long slow drive to Taiaroa Head and we were so disappointed to find that between 17 September and 23 November the Northern Royal Albatrosses head out to sea in preparation for the upcoming breeding season. 

This meant it wasn't possible to see any Albatross but we did get to watch some comical seagulls! And the view was stunning! 

Passing Hoopers inlet, Otago Peninsula 

Arriving at Allen's beach

Heading back to Otago, we decided to take a small detour and visit Allen's Beach on the South East Coast. Home to a considerable number of rare species, such as yellow-eyed and little penguins, seals, and shags. 

The drive out there was rocky as we bounced over potholes and washboard gravel road. 

At one point the road almost seem to sink into the harbour, if there had been rain last night surely we wouldn't have made the pass!

Little Frankie the fur seal

The beach itself was beautiful and hardly a soul was around- except for a lone adolescent seal, who we named Little Frankie. 

He wasn't too happy to share the beach with us, and since he was there first and visibly annoyed we soon moved on, hitting the road again.

Tot siens,

John and Kara