#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Creativity, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

The Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway Line

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Daily Photo – Ravensbourne Overbridge

The Dunedin and Port Chalmers railway line has the distinction of being New Zealand’s first public railway. The story begins in the early 1870s, Otago was booming from the gold rush and Dunedin was effectively the country’s commercial capital. As Dunedin grew, the nearby docks at Port Chalmers became the region’s lifeline with everything being shuttled by horse, cart, or boats around the harbour. Eventually, a fast, reliable railway link between the harbour and the city was considered essential and the new line promised speed, efficiency, and a bit of flair.

The work was undertaken by the Otago Provincial Council who controversially gave the contract to a British firm called John Brogden and Sons. The Brogdens were Victorian railway builders of the formidable, moustachioed variety. They arrived with boatloads of workers, crates of equipment and a confidence that suggested they knew what they were doing. 

It was then that things got messy. Many of the workers arrived expecting plenty of work and good wages, only to discover there wasn’t, conditions were poor, the workers were often drunk, there were wage disputes, demands for better housing while the Brogdens’ were accused of inflated claims, and demands for extra payments. Not only was progress slow, the whole project became an administrative, political and financial tug-of-war between local and central government. All of which made the project a pretty consistent mess for a simple 12 twelve kilometres of track. The line itself was not simple. The track had to thread its way along the steep harbour edge, where cliffs met water and space was tight, extensive cuttings and embankments were required and many large stone retaining walls were required to make the track safe. 

Fortunately, the line was finished in time and officially opened on 31 December 1873 and almost immediately transformed the movement of merchants, passengers, mail, and freight between the port and the city. Unfortunately, for John Brogden & Sons, by the 1880s their business empire had collapsed and faced financial ruin.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Otago Harbour, Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

The Many Adventures of Captain James Cook

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Daily Photo – Otago harbour

When Captain James Cook and his little tub, the HMS Endeavour, appeared off the Otago coast in February 1770, he was already on something of a hot streak. He had been sent to the Pacific to observe the Transit of Venus in Tahiti the year before and, having completed the task, was given free rein to bob about the South Pacific to see what else he could find. What he was really looking for was the assumed existence of Terra Australis Incognita, the great unknown southern continent that many Europeans were convinced lurked somewhere down under.

By the time he appeared off the Otago Coast, he had completed his scientific observations, his botanist Joseph Banks had collected and recorded thousands of previously unknown species of flora and fauna, he had named and claimed a number of islands for the British Crown, circumnavigated the entire North Island, identified and sailed through Cook Strait – proving that the North and South Islands were separate landmasses, created a remarkably accurate chart of the North Island coastline, and had begun charting the South Island.

By any standard it had been a successful trip. Once off the Otago coast, he noted several things in his journal. Firstly, the many coastal features suggested a potentially sheltered harbour. Secondly, he observed an abundance of whales and seals. The interesting point here is that he thought the entrance to Otago Harbour was nothing more than a bay and sailed on, while Europeans would return and slaughter the whale and seal populations to near extinction.

It had been only a few months since the Transit, but an astonishing amount had been achieved. So, apart from the small matter of almost wiping out an entire collection of marine species, the rest was pretty good work for someone who wasn’t really a captain at the time  – he just called himself one!

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

So This Is Christmas?

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Daily Photo – Christmas in Dunedin

I was running an errand in the centre of town the other day when I wandered into the Octagon. There, proudly displayed in the lower Octagon, was a large Christmas tree. Now, I hate to sound critical, but the Dunedin City Council seems to have gone for the sparse look with the Christmas decorations in recent years. Throwing a 45-foot tree up in the middle of town and draping a bit of tinsel from a few lamp posts hardly inspires the Christmas spirit.

It’s not as if we’re expecting a dense, glittering display of thousands of blue, white, and red lights with a massive, brightly lit tree dominating every shop window beneath a starry sky. Take this photo for example: if you were to whisk the tree away, it could be any other sunny Saturday afternoon in Dunedin. What’s more, it’s the exact same tree as last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. They’ve had twelve months to come up with a plan, and the best they managed was shifting it slightly to the left! What’s next – getting rid of the New Year’s fireworks and replacing them with a disappointing light show? Oh wait, that was last year.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Taieri Mouth, Wild Horses

Low Tide at Taieri Mouth

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Daily Photo – Low Tide at Taieri Mouth

I’ve always liked wandering around fishing boats. There’s something noble about them, as if they carried a calling from an age when everyone travelled by sea and the world felt much larger. In truth, I like all of this far more in theory than in reality. I’ve no sea legs and my enthusiasm for fresh fish sit somewhere between mild suspicion and polite refusal. The idea of spending time on a fishing boat feels more like a challenge than a pleasure, although I understand why others enjoyed it.

I was in Taieri Mouth, wandering through the village, when I found myself drawn to the look of the boats themselves. They aged in a way that suggested they had lived proper lives. The faded paint, the battered timbers and the sense that they had weathered more sunrises than I could ever hope to see all added to the atmosphere. If they had been able to talk, I imagined they would have needed a long sit down and a pot of tea to get through their stories.

Not far from there I found my way to a line of cribs surrounded by surfboards, flagpoles, boats, flower pots in cheerful disarray, ornamental fish and a few lifebuoys hung with equal parts practicality and pride. It all felt like a perfect slice of backyard Aotearoa. Slightly weathered, gently chaotic and full of stories for anyone willing to notice them.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Otago Harbour, Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Wandering on Otago Peninsula

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Daily Photo – Gun Emplacements at Harrington Point

For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, I recently wandered out to the gun emplacements at Harrington Point. Some people go to the beach, others enjoy a café. I apparently head straight for nineteenth century military architecture and hope the tide behaves itself.

The road out is classic Otago Peninsula travel. You lope past Macandrew Bay, Broad Bay and Portobello, each looking as though it had been arranged just slightly better than the last, until you reach Harrington Point where you try very hard to park your car “considerately”. This is New Zealand, so the definition of considerate is flexible – on this occasion I aimed for mildly annoying.

The fortifications were built in the 1880s when Dunedin became convinced the Russian Empire was about to stage a dramatic entrance. Quite how the Russians were expected to find us remains a mystery, given we sit in the Pacific like a crumb that fell off the edge of somebody’s biscuit. Still, enthusiasm trumped logic and a maze of tunnels, magazines and engine rooms was carved into the hillside.

Exploring the place today is great fun. You duck into passageways where the air echoes, climb staircases that lead to nowhere in particular and start to wonder how any invading navy would get past the seals who survey the area like slightly disinterested security staff. One seal gave me a look that seemed to say “good luck mate, you will twist your ankle before any Russians get you”.

The whole area feels like a half-forgotten relic from a time when New Zealand thought it was more strategically important than it probably was. Yet that is exactly why it is so charming. It is history wrapped in optimism, resting above a coastline that insists on being explored when the tide is right.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Aotearoa, Moeraki, Moeraki Village, New Zealand, South Island, Wild Horses

Classic Coastal New Zealand

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Daily Photo – Boats at Moeraki Fishing Village

I was ambling around the Moeraki Fishing Village, enjoying that quiet feeling you get when a place is perfectly happy without you. The sky was doing its best impression of a damp woolen blanket and the sea had settled into a gentle green that looked far more inviting than it felt. Two upturned boats rested on the concrete like old friends who had decided to lie down for a spell. The blue one was peeling like a sunburnt tourist, while the white one still looked hopeful that someone might flip it over and take it for a spin. Neither seemed in a hurry.

Out on the water a handful of boats bobbed about, each one appearing to be minding its own business. The ruins of an ancient jetty leaned into the shallows, holding itself together out of sheer habit. You could almost hear it sigh every time a wave nudged it. At the same time, nearby a local fish and chip shop was sending out hot parcels at a pace that suggested they were keeping the entire village fed. It felt like classic coastal New Zealand, simple and quietly wonderful.

#dailyat6am, New Zealand, Oamaru, Wild Horses

Oamaru (3 of 3)

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Daily Photo – Oamaru – Grand Scenes

By the time I left, the town had done what it always does. It reminded me that travel is not always about going far. Sometimes it is simply about slowing down, letting the buildings talk to you, and noticing how a place can feel both familiar and brand new at the same time. Oamaru does this. It gives you grand scenes one moment and gentle ones the next, and all you need to do is wander with a camera and pay attention to the timeless charm.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Aotearoa, Oamaru, South Island, Wild Horses

Oamaru (2 of 3)

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Daily Photo – Oamaru – The Opera House

Just up the road, the gallery-like quality of the streets started to show. The buildings are so confidently built, so unapologetically ornate, that you can almost hear the masons who shaped the stone congratulating themselves from the afterlife. The Opera House loomed into view next, and honestly, it is one of those structures that makes you pause. The tower, the details, the improbable brightness of the limestone in the late light all work together to create a scene that never feels tired no matter how many times you photograph it.

Every corner had something unexpected. A quiet side street where sunlight hit peeling paint in a way that felt cinematic. A row of heritage shopfronts that looked like they belonged in a much larger city. A crossroads framed by Oamaru’s heritage backdrop.

#dailyat6am, Aotearoa, Oamaru, South Island, Wild Horses

Oamaru (1 of 3)

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Daily Photo – Oamaru – Victorian Precinct

There are towns you pass through and towns you wander into by accident, only to realise you have somehow stepped sideways in time. Oamaru is firmly in the second category. I arrived with the morning sun spilling across the harbour, casting long shadows from the old rail lines and turning the limestone buildings a creamy gold.

Walking through the Victorian Precinct felt oddly theatrical, like the locals might suddenly break into a dress rehearsal for something involving steam engines, goggles and elaborate hats. The old railway station and its simple wooden sign seemed frozen in a moment that refused to modernise. I stood there for a while, taking photos, noticing the way the gravel track curved gently toward the past.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Roaming the Streets of Port Chalmers

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Daily Photo – Roaming the Streets of Port Chalmers

I spent a while roaming the streets of Port Chalmers, doing that aimless but satisfying kind of wandering where you look at buildings you’ve seen a hundred times and suddenly realise you’ve never really looked at them at all. One kept pulling me back like a magnet: the old Bank of New Zealand, sitting proudly on its corner as if still keeping a watchful eye over the wharf. The place has the sort of architecture that quietly announces the port was once a much bigger deal in the Dunedin story, even if the building, like a few of its neighbours, is now well past its glory days.

In more recent times it was owned by Ralph Hotere, who used it as his art studio, which feels wonderfully fitting. If a building with that sort of pedigree isn’t destined to become an art gallery, then honestly, serious questions need to be asked!

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

The Great Taniwha of Ōtepoti

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Daily Photo – Te Aka Ōtākou

I recently read (not that it’s new news!)that the shared pathway that snakes its way around the Otago Harbour from Portobello to Port Chalmers is called: “Te Aka Ōtākou” (The Otago Vine). It is a fitting title for a route that unwinds gracefully along the water’s edge and is well worth exploring. From certain angles the pathway looks like the spine of a taniwha, twisting its way from the place where the city of Dunedin now stands to the harbour mouth at Taiaroa Head.

In fact, a Māori legend tells of a great taniwha that once lived in the long harbour. As the story goes, this mighty creature carved the deep channel while thrashing its tail, creating the bends and curves we see today. The taniwha guarded the waters and the people who travelled across them, watching over the harbour until it finally came to rest at the entrance near Taiaroa Head. Some say the distinctive shape of the harbour still follows the line of its body, a reminder that the landscape carries the memory of the taniwha within it.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Juvenile Fin Whale at Otago Musuem

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Daily Photo – Juvenile Fin Whale at Otago Musuem

I headed for the Otago Museum because it had started to rain and wandering around a Museum seemed just the thing for a lazy Saturday afternoon. In the main foyer of the Museum is a cafe called Precinct. It was busy and doing a brisk trade of coffee, hot chocolates and all manner of food orders that hungry customers were happily tucking into. I passed them by and headed up the staircase to the top floor of the museum which is labeled the Animal Attic – a room that contains some 3,000 historical specimens, with a mix of taxidermied animals, pinned insects, and preserved specimens. Tucked away in this room, in a small jar, is the single greatest thing on display in the entire museum – that being ‘The Rat King’. 

A Rat King is formed when the tails of a group of rats become tied together in a way so they can’t escape. Usually the tails are knotted and entangled with straw, hay, hair or other material found close to their nests. The largest Rat King ever discovered was in May 1828 when a miller in Buchheim, Germany, pulled apart the walls of his chimney and uncovered a mummified tangle of thirty-two rats. The animals were hairless, black with soot, and their tails had become tightly knotted together. The miller passed the strange find to the local natural history society and it eventually made its way to the Mauritianum Museum in Altenburg, where it is still kept on display to this day. The Rat King on display at Otago Museum isn’t quite as large as that, it is made up of only eight rats, but it’s very impressive none the less. It was donated to the museum in the 1930’s when the rats were found to have fallen from a nest that was located in a local shipping company shed and became tangled together with horse hair. 

The room one floor below the Animal Attic is called The Maritime Gallery which celebrates the seafaring stories of Otago. Pride of place is the skeleton of a 17 metre long juvenile fin whale which has been hanging peacefully from iron girders since 1883. Unusually for whale skeletons, this one has been kept in exceptional condition having been on display for more than 100 years and has an extremely colourful past. Originally it was found on the beach at the entrance to the Waimea River, Nelson, in 1882 by Captain William Jackson Barry. An ex-whaler who made a living from lecturing throughout New Zealand – he exhibited the skeleton at a store in Nelson, before touring the country with it.

In 1883 he sold it to the Otago Museum but before he did so, he did a rather strange and curious thing. While exhibiting the skeleton in a warehouse he hosted a number of invited groups to dine on a three course meal inside its ribcage. At the time of its acquisition by the museum, having a full whale skeleton was a big deal and suspending such an item in a historic building required some ingenious, out of the box thinking and quite a feat of engineering – where it has been fascinating people ever since.  

The thing that strikes you immediately about the specimen is the size – at 17 metres it isn’t even fully grown, adult fin whales can grow up to 27 to 30 metres in length. If nothing else, it shows you just how truly immense these creatures are and how vast the ocean must be. The thought is mind boggling! 

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

New Zealand Centennial Commemorative Lookout

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Daily Photo – New Zealand Centennial Commemorative Lookout

Back in the 1840s, when a group of Scots became disgruntled with life in their bonny wee part of the world, they did what any sane, rational human would do. They packed up all their worldly possessions, bundled them into a boat, and sailed 14,000 miles to begin a new life in a place they had never seen and probably could not have found on a map. Fortunately for them, a few of their English counterparts from down the road in London had recently signed a treaty with local indigenous chiefs at their intended destination. This at least gave the newcomers the sense that settling would be reasonably straightforward.

So, when the first of these settlers arrived on the shores of what would later become the city of Dunedin in 1848, they wasted no time in making everything look nice and homely. Over the years, from the trees and mudflats on the edge of their new home, a delightful wee town slowly rose with all the charm and industriousness you would expect from a determined group of Scots keen to recreate a slice of Scotland at the bottom of the world.

One hundred years later, keen to celebrate what a wonderful job their ancestors had done and to mark the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, everyone agreed that a New Zealand Centennial Commemorative Lookout would be the perfect way to give the city a well-deserved pat on the back. Plans moved along swiftly and a local hill called Signal Hill was chosen as the site of the new landmark. Its height and commanding views over the Otago Harbour were obvious advantages. It was also accessible by road and already an important navigation and communication point, since a coal beacon signal station and flagstaff on its summit had long helped guide ships through the narrow harbour. It was, in all respects, an ideal location.

Needing an architect to complete the design, the job went to Henry McDowell Smith, somewhat of a celebrity in South Island architectural circles, he quickly got to work. The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor in February 1940 and the official inauguration followed in April. Unfortunately, things did not go smoothly after that. The entire project would not be finished for another fifteen years, a full decade later than planned. The main delay was caused by a certain German fellow with a small moustache who decided he would try to take over the world, starting with Europe. Understandably, this held things up for quite some time while the mess was being dealt with.

Things got back on track in the 1950s when progress finally picked up again. The site was completed and two bronze sculptures were commissioned to stand on either side of the monument. The entire project was finished in 1957. Today, residents have a commanding stone Centennial Memorial, flanked by impressive bronze figures, that offers spectacular panoramic views of Dunedin City and the Otago Harbour.

#dailyat6am, Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

The Quiet Night Air of the Esplanade

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Daily Photo – The Quiet Night Air of the Esplanade

I waited a few moments for a light rain shower to pass before strolling along the beachfront. I passed both the St Clair Surf Lifesaving club and the statue of ‘Mum’ (a famous local Sea Lion) and looked out beyond rows of sand sausages – massive long tubes made of mesh, filled with sand and put in place to help slow coastal erosion. I watched the incoming tide for a few minutes, turned and headed for the far opposite end of the Esplanade. The whole area was quiet in the fading light as the street lights started to take hold. Reaching the end of the Esplanade by the Salt Water Pool, I paused beside a cafe that must have closed several hours ago. Once again I stood and watched the tide roll in, breaking against the rocks before receding out into the backwash. Every so often patches of sand became exposed, revealing leftover seaweed and driftwood that would shift and move with the tide. I took a moment to look out across the ocean. As the light had continued to fade, the sea had taken on a moody grey-blue complexion. Suddenly to my left the lights of the Hotel St Clair came on and drew my attention back to the Esplanade. In the blue hour of evening, I walked in the salty sea air as darkness held. The lights from the hotel reflected off the road’s glossy surface, created from light misty rain that had recently passed through. The glow of the lights from the hotel revealed a cleaning crew packing up from the day while the restaurant was just starting to become busy. Occasionally, a passing vehicle would slowly pass along couples holding hands, walking in the calm and quiet night air.

#dailyat6am, Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Otago Harbour Sunset

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Daily Photo – Otago Harbour Sunset

That evening I went for a slow walk along one of the tracks on the top ridgeline of the peninsula. It was late in the day and, with just enough time left before sunset, I spent a short while making random stops, pushing my way through long grass and tripping over hidden rocks while the sky shifted through a range of colours. It had been a long day and my feet were tired, I was hungry and ready for a drink. I found a rock and sat for a moment letting the last light disappear while I paused to take in a final view of Otago Harbour. It had been a good day.

#dailyat6am, Creativity, Dunedin, Observation, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

King Edward Technical College

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Daily Photo – King Edward Technical College

Later in the day I went into a café near the Octagon, bought a Coke, and sat in the window with the book I’d been reading. I read for a minute or two before finding myself simply watching the passing scene. It was surprisingly busy for a weekday afternoon. People stood in large groups on the footpath, looking lost and pointing in all sorts of directions before  shuffling off at more or less the same time in more or less the same direction.

I watched all this with great fascination, occasionally sipping my drink and abandoning my book entirely. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning. I knew exactly who these people were: cruise ship passengers. Suddenly everything made sense. The guidebooks, the cameras, the maps, the heavy jackets, the peaked sun caps, and the expressions that hovered somewhere between confusion and forced interest. Dunedin had entered cruise ship season, and for the next five months the city would be crawling with people who didn’t quite know where they were or what they were doing here. Come to think of it, that could also describe a fair number of the city’s university students.

Having finished my drink, I gathered my things and made my way up Stuart Street, passing the stunning St Paul’s Cathedral and the old Fortune Theatre. After crossing Moray Place and Smith Street, I found myself opposite the former King Edward Technical College. It is a truly impressive building when you stop and take it all in, yet it seems oddly forgotten about in recent times until it made the news when a truck crashed into it or the owner floated the idea of selling it. Suddenly, everyone leaped up in outrage about what a travesty it would be to lose such a place. Then the news faded and people went back to ignoring it.

The building really is remarkable. For twenty years it was New Zealand’s largest secondary school. It boasted a saltwater swimming pool, which was quite fancy for a school at the time, a walk-in safe, which is not something you expect in a school, and it is listed as a Category I historic place, meaning it holds special or outstanding historical or cultural significance. Yet when it went up for sale in 2022, the local council chose not to buy it due to financial limitations, competing priorities, and risk. That left the way clear for a private buyer to swoop in and purchase it for $2.9 million and do whatever he likes with it.

Is it just me, or is that a tiny bit sad?

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Early Morning on George Street

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Daily Photo – Early Morning on George Street

I was up early. I don’t know why, I just was. So, with time to spare before I had to be anywhere of note, I went for a walk in the city centre. I’d half expected it to be filled with delivery vans coming and going from the various establishments that lined the main street, while baristas and bakers prepared for an early morning onset of locals wanting a fix of coffee and something made of pastry to start the day. But I was wrong. There was hardly a soul around. A few enthusiastic souls passed on their way to a nearby gym, moving with that purposeful stride, yet apart from them, the city was remarkably quiet. The entire place had the look of a place that wasn’t sure it wanted to be awake yet, as though it had been nudged from a perfectly good dream and was now blinking at the day in mild protest.

As I moved down the street, the sun began to peek over the rooftops, sending soft, warm light across the buildings opposite. It caught the glass frontage of the Wall Street Mall, and the pale façades along the street glowed gently, their details becoming clearer as the light moved down the walls. There was a calmness to the place. Shop windows stood still and silent. Even the plants along the street seemed to be taking their time. It felt like a small moment of peace in the middle of the city, a reminder that some of the best views happen long before the crowds arrive.

#dailyat6am, Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, South Island, Wild Horses

Mount Cargill & The Organ Pipes

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Daily Photo – Mount Cargill & The Organ Pipes

After a slightly breathless scramble to the top of Dunedin’s famous Organ Pipes, you’re rewarded with a view that practically demands a moment of awe, and maybe a little happy panting. Beneath your feet, rock formations that took nearly 15 million years to form jut out like nature’s own sculpture garden, while native broadleaf and podocarp forest stretches lazily down Mount Cargill. Before European settlers arrived, this whole area was forest – proper, ancient forest and some of what survives today is genuinely old, especially where logging either gave up or wasn’t thorough enough. You’ll notice patches that are part original, part regenerating bush, and part exotic forestry that clearly went rogue. From these primeval rocks and leafy slopes, the land tumbles toward farmland and the shoreline far below, a reminder that nature likes to show off now and then. Much like its cousin, the Otago Peninsula, this corner of New Zealand has its own personality and charm that sneaks up on you, whether you’re ready for it or not.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Wild Horses

Rugged Beauty: The Otago Peninsula from Above

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Daily Photo – The Otago Peninsula

Looking out over the Otago Peninsula, you can’t help but notice the way the land twists and folds like it’s been carefully shaped by a sculptor. The harbour nestles neatly in the curve of the coastline, while bays and inlets offer little hideaways for the local wildlife to go about their business in peace. The hills tumble toward the water, each ridge and dip hinting at the peninsula’s long, slow geological form. It’s a reminder that this part of New Zealand has its own personality, and it’s impossible not to be charmed by it.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Spring, Wild Horses

The Tunnel of Light

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Daily Photo – Spring in Jubilee Park

I followed a shaded, winding path that cut through a dense, vibrant green forest. The trees on either side, tall and lush, created a thick canopy overhead, and the sunlight streaming through the leaves produced a magnificent, bright glow. The strong light turned the foliage a luminous, almost golden green in places, highlighting the texture of the tree trunks and the soft earth of the path. The edges of the track were cloaked in deeper shadow, emphasizing the contrast between the brilliant light and the rich, cool greens of the undergrowth. It felt like walking into a tranquil, sun-drenched natural tunnel of light.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Hindon, South Island, Wild Horses

The Town That Vanished: On the Trail of Gold in Hindon

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Daily Photo – Hindon & The Silverpeaks

I spent a good few hours of the afternoon in Hindon for two reasons. Firstly, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d visited the place, and a strenuous adventure along unpaved, steep, narrow, and winding roads that featured a shared road-and-rail bridge with sharp bends and steep drop-offs  seemed just the thing.

My second, and more compelling, reason for going was that I wanted to see the settlement where nearly 1,200 miners once swarmed the gullies and terraces in the hope of striking it rich. After Gabriel Reid discovered gold in a small gully near the Otago town of Lawrence in 1861, everyone went absolutely bonkers. Within weeks, the population of Dunedin skyrocketed as news of his discovery spread and hopeful prospectors poured into the newly found goldfields. One of the settlements that sprang up almost overnight was a small township in the Silverpeaks range near Dunedin, called Hindon. However, as with most gold rushes, once the gold ran out, the miners quickly moved on to new fields, while the real fortunes were made by the merchants selling shovels, the innkeepers charging exorbitant fees for a night’s rest, and those who realised that gold is often easier to extract from the desperate than from the earth itself.

#dailyat6am, Beach Life, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

A Warm Day by the Sea

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Daily Photo – St Kilda & St Clair Beach

I spent the morning walking the various coastal paths that stretch from St Clair to St Kilda Beach, occasionally breaking away from the formed track to wander through the sand dunes and along the beach for a while, before clambering back up to rejoin the path once more.

It was a warm Dunedin day, with the temperature having already climbed into the twenties by mid-morning. By Dunedin’s standards, the mercury was fairly soaring. I didn’t have anything more pressing to do than shuffle my way along the beach and trip through the dunes until I felt I’d done enough to earn a beer at the end of it all — which, as it turned out, was right around four o’clock when I finally made it home.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

The Shape of the Peninsula

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Daily Photo – The Otago Peninsula

I had always thought that the Otago Peninsula was an interesting shape, with all its bays, inlets, and promontories that border the Otago Harbour before meeting the open sea. It’s like the spine of a taniwha as it twists and turns its way from where Dunedin city now sits to the harbour mouth at Taiaroa Head. To drive the peninsula is one thing; however, it’s not until you see it from a high vantage point that you truly get a sense of its unique shape. It really is no wonder that, an abundance of wildlife was able to thrive undisturbed for centuries in its secluded coves and sheltered valleys, hidden away from the rest of the world by the folds of its rugged hills and the long, protective arm of the harbour.

#dailyat6am, Creativity, Dunedin, Wild Horses

A Dragon’s Floating Relaxation Chamber

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Daily Photo – The Dunedin Gaswork

Out of complete curiosity, I went for a wander around the Dunedin Gasworks – one of only three known preserved gasworks museums in the world, which makes it a significant heritage site and isn’t without its own unique rustic charm!

Now, to be frank for a moment, I really don’t have the faintest idea beyond a very basic level how you’d heat coal and turn it into gas to light a town. So, what I was looking at was very much a mystery. In the first room I entered, a large and well-lit engine room filled with natural light that bounced off the whitewashed brick walls and exposed rafters, a massive, dark green flywheel engine (I know this because I read the label) and associated machinery sat in the centre of the room dominated the entire space. Which, if I’m being completely honest, was a little boring. Actually, it was very boring!  It turns out, I’m just not that interested in the manufacturing, treatment, pumping, and storage of gas. So, to amuse myself on my wanderings, I decided to reinvent the various machines so they’d be more practical and useful in the modern age. As I walked around, I gave them all different uses and names. Suddenly, the place took on a whole new level of interest. For example, instead of looking at a stationary steam engine that converted the thermal energy of steam into mechanical energy, I was now looking at a weather-making machine where water vapour is collected, cooled, and condensed – controlled by a person who turns the various levers and handles to produce all sorts of various weather systems – even bolts of lightning! Next, I looked at the giant music box, a fizzy drink machine (which could easily be converted to produce whiskey or beer), a robot-building device, and a pizza oven. 

However, my personal favourite was the dragon’s floating relaxation chamber – complete with a chimney to channel the dragon’s fire-breath, which simultaneously kept the water lovely and hot. This machine I called “Droofus,” because of all the dragons I know, Droofus is by far and away my favourite. 

The one disappointment was that I wasn’t able to find the power mechanism-transponder valve that opens the gates to the secret riches of the Goblin Mines, so I might well have to return!

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, New Zealand, South Island, Wild Horses

Dunedin Before Dawn

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Daily Photo – Dunedin Before Dawn

I was up early as a special kind of calm settled over Dunedin, just before sunrise. The city hadn’t quite woken up. The streets were mostly empty, the air sharp, and the lights glowed against a soft violet sky. It was that minute, that hour, that moment when night hadn’t entirely let go, and day hadn’t quite begun.

Down the main street, baristas, bakers, couriers, and delivery vans were starting to stir, streaks of light cutting through the not-yet-congested roads – but the alleyways remained silent. The rest of the city slumbered behind the darkened windows of the grand old buildings which watched in silence, their stone façades catching the faint promise of dawn.

In a city known for its energy and eccentricity, there was a quiet beauty. It was almost as if the city itself paused to breathe, waiting for the first light to spill over the hills and touch its buildings. And for a brief second, the city dreamed.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, Wild Horses

Baldwin Street: Planned Genius or a Happy Accident?

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Daily Photo – Baldwin Street: Planned Genius or a Happy Accident?

There’s something deeply endearing about Dunedin’s Baldwin Street. It’s the sort of place that makes visitors stop halfway up, hands on knees, and wonder how on earth the world’s steepest street ended up in Dunedin and why a road was built at such an angle in the first place. It looks less like a street and more like town planners had been enjoying a particularly enthusiastic lunch when they drew the lines. The truth, though, is far less deliberate and far more charming. Baldwin Street wasn’t planned to be the steepest street in the world. It just sort of… happened.

Back in the 1850s and 1860s, when Dunedin was still being dreamt into existence by Scottish settlers, the city’s layout was drawn up in London by people who had never laid eyes on the place. Working off maps with all the confidence of Victorian planners, they decided neat rectangular grids would do nicely – regardless of what the terrain actually looked like. 

Unfortunately, when the surveyors arrived to peg out the lines, they discovered that one of those innocent-looking streets went straight up a hillside that appeared to have been designed more for goats than carriages. So Baldwin Street was built exactly as it appeared on the plan: a perfect, unwavering line pointing directly at the sky.

As for the name, a gentleman named William Baldwin, a provincial councillor and local newspaper founder has the honour of the street bearing his name. Although whether Baldwin ever trudged up the street is anyone’s guess, I like to imagine he did.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago Peninsula, South Island, Wild Horses

The Magnificent Boulder Beach

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Daily Photo – The Magnificent Boulder Beach

Boulder Beach, the place is magnificent. A rugged, windswept slice of South Island coastline that looks as though it hasn’t seen a nice promenade in its entire geological existence. No neat boardwalks, no conveniently placed benches. Just raw, elemental beauty and a sense that the wind has been in charge here for quite some time. The beach itself is a glorious jumble of colossal volcanic stones and dark boulders that clearly took a fair bit of tectonic enthusiasm to create. Between them are carefully placed pockets of fine sand, that arrived on wind and next waves. It’s beautiful, but let’s be honest, you wouldn’t want to jog on it.

More importantly, this wild stretch of coast is a vital sanctuary for the yellow-eyed penguin, or Hoiho, a bird so rare it seems perpetually startled by its own continued existence. The Department of Conservation, bless their cotton socks, does a sterling job protecting them, closing off parts of the area for months at a time while the penguins get on with the serious business of breeding. If you’re lucky enough to visit outside of those times, it’s a wonderful reminder of how nature can still write its own rules. You might spot a Hoiho making its slightly awkward way up the sand, or perhaps find yourself the subject of a disapproving glare from a resident sea lion. Best advice: keep your distance, there’s nothing quite like being told off by a several-hundred-kilo local to remind you who really owns the beach.

It’s a place that feels defiantly untamed, as if it’s politely declined every human attempt to tidy it up. And thank goodness for that. Because every so often, it’s good to stand somewhere that reminds you that nature, even here at the far edge of the world, remains profoundly and beautifully unmanageable.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Wild Horses

The Highcliff Track

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Daily Photo – The Highcliff Track

A few of the enduring pleasures of summer in Aotearoa are beach days, barbecues that stretch long into the evening, and exploring walking tracks beneath the hot summer sun. And when it comes to places for walking, the Otago Peninsula has plenty to choose from. It’s one of those rare places that manages to feel both wild and welcoming at the same time, a glorious stretch of land where the views go on forever and you can easily lose an entire morning deciding which track to take next. There’s no shortage of choice out here, and each path seems to promise some new discovery, or at the very least, a better view than the one you’ve just left behind.

One of my favourite route begins down McMeeking Road – a lovely, meandering descent that eventually links up with the Highcliff Track proper, winding through open farmland and coastal bush before spilling you out towards Boulder Beach. From there, you can loop back via the Paradise Road Track, which climbs up to Highcliff Road, a satisfying, if occasionally breath-stealing, end to the journey.

#dailyat6am, Curiosities Of My Island Home, Wild Horses

The Harbour That Never Was

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Daily Photo – Blackhead Beach

Speaking of Blackhead Beach, I came across a story that I found rather amusing. I’ve no idea if it’s true, but it’s a good one nevertheless.

Back in the 1980s, when everyone was wearing shoulder pads, parachute pants, and glowing like neon nightlights in all that fluro clothing, a local Dunedin firm supposedly came up with the unique idea of turning the point, with its distinctive basalt columns, into a man-made harbour.

The plan, as I understand it, was to keep quarrying the centre of the headland until they had a colossal hole some 50 metres below sea level. Then they’d blast through the seaward wall, allowing the Pacific Ocean to rush in and flood the pit, creating a safe, man-made boat harbour for local boaties.

Let’s just think about that: they were prepared to sacrifice an internationally recognised geological wonder – one that had been compared to the Giant’s Causeway – just to create an artificial, industrial-scale paddling pool. The sheer confidence of the idea is breathtaking.

Happily, the story ends well. A concerted effort by environmentalists, surfers, and other local groups managed to save the spectacular columns, scuppering the harbour scheme for good.

#dailyat6am, Curiosities Of My Island Home, Wild Horses

Peter Thomson’s Rambles Round Dunedin

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Daily Photo – Basalt Columns at Blackhead Beach

The earliest recorded European appreciation of Blackhead comes not from a surveyor, but from an enthusiastic fellow with a walking stick – Peter Thomson. This mid-19th-century rambler, writing under the pseudonym “Pakeha,” contributed a regular column to the Otago Witness in the 1860s, chronicling his adventures under the banner Rambles Round Dunedin.

On one such outing, he turned his gaze to the spectacular basalt columns, now sometimes called the “Roman Baths”, at what he referred to as the “Green Island Peninsula.” He didn’t merely note the geology; he positively gushed, offering a truly world-class comparison:

“The base of the hill is composed of a magnificent range of basaltic columns… quite as complete as those of Fingal’s Cave at Staffa, or the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.”

Thomson’s exuberant praise, a fine example of early local boosterism, helped establish Blackhead as a bona fide scenic attraction among settlers by the late 1860s.