Circumnavigating New Zealand — Arriving into Dunedin 2019

Dunedin, New Zealand

As with Fiordland, we passed through the city of Dunedin on New Zealand‘s South Island on cruises in 2019 and again in 2020, but 2020 saw us take a different excursion. So this week and next we’ll be taking a look at downtown Dunedin as seen in 2019 from our voyage aboard Majestic Princess. On our return visit to Dunedin the week after next we’ll be taking a train trip to Taieri Gorge. But for today we’re going on a Dunedin walking tour starting from The Octagon and heading east southeast along Lower Stuart Street.

Stuart Street at The Octagon

As we head toward Lower Stuart Street from The Octagon, let’s look back to the northwest and catch a glimpse of the spire atop Dunedin Town Hall:

Dunedin Town Hall

Then turn back to the east southeast along the historic areas of Stuart. In the view below you’ll see the Dunedin Railway Station, which is where we’re headed:

Lower Stuart Street

At the corner of Stuart St. and Moray Place are two views worth a moment of your time and some space on your digital camera’s memory card. Looking south you’ll see the impressive spire of the First Church of Otago:

First Church of Otago

And on the southwest corner is Dunedin’s impressive five-story Security Building, which dates back to 1918:

Security Building—Stuart St. at Moray Pl.

Further down the street is the historic Dunedin Law Courts building, which we’ll get to shortly. But before we do, we’ll pass by the surprising Art Deco façade of the Law Courts Hotel. Here I found the entrance rather fun:

Law Courts Hotel

As we approach the end of Lower Stuart Street we reach the Dunedin Law Courts building. This impressive example of John Campbell architecture was built in 1901-1902 in the Victorian Gothic style:

Dunedin Law Courts building

The central tower of the Law Courts features a depiction of Lady Justice:

Dunedin Law Courts building

And finally we reach the Dunedin Railway Station, which we’ll study in detail next week. This Wednesday we’ll traipse around The Octagon and take a look at the old Cadbury Factory. But here’s a small taste of next Monday’s viewing of the Railway Station:

Dunedin Railway Station