Dunedin New Zealand

Our last stop on our trip was Dunedin New Zealand. It may be the furthest south we will ever be, even though we still saw palm trees. Dunedin has a Scottish history and some quite unique architecture. It is home to the Royal Albatross Centre, furry seals, & the world’s smallest, & according to our tour guide, world’s cutest penguins. We visited the Centre & learned a lot about the albatross & how the Centre is working to save these birds from extinction. At dusk we walked down to a viewing platform to watch the little blue penguins come ashore for the night. We saw 30-40 of these penguins. Pics were tough to take, as no flash photography was allowed. The next morning we visited the Larnach Castle, which was built by William Larnach in 1871. It took 200 craftsmen 3 years to construct the outside & many more collecting the interior furnishings. The family history is fascinating. The Barker family purchased the castle, raised their family there, and with financial help from the country, & tourist donations, spent years restoring it. The gardens on the property are diverse and huge. We drove into town, toured the Dunedin Public Art Gallery & found the statue of Robbie Burns, the Scottish poet, & songwriter born in Scotland. Robbie’s nephew was the co-founder & first Presbyterian minister of Dunedin’s first church.Read more