Daily Photo – Stream at Ross Creek

There are a few things you can be certain of in Dunedin, one of which is never being too far away from a bush walk. Thankfully when the city was first planned by surveyor Frederick Tuckett and then later Charles Kettle, the first European settlers were smart enough not to flatten every single piece of hill and bush before turning them into roads and buildings! In fact, they even had the foresight to block off large sections of bush near the city to create an extensive town belt. Even if it was to create open spaces and natural green areas to alleviate slums, disease and crime, today it has turned out rather well and if they were around to see it, I’m sure they’d be rather pleased! Within 5 minutes of leaving the city centre you can be walking in replanted forest that is filled with native birds and on tracks that lead from the city centre to the higher hills suburbs which I think is simply splendid.