The Ultimate Suburbs of Dunedin, New Zealand - American History Information Guide and Reference

Dunedin is a city of 113,000 people in the South Island of New Zealand The principal Suburbs of Dunedin are as follows. Inner and outer suburbs are ordered by location, clockwise from the city centre, starting due north:

Inner suburbs

The main inner suburbs, clockwise from due north of the city centre, include the following:

Pine Hill

Pine Hill is a southern spur of Mount Cargill, the 660-metre volcanic outcrop which dominates the northern end of Dunedin's urban area. The hill lies between the valleys of the Leith River (usually called the Water of Leith) to the west and its tributary Lindsay Creek to the east, and looks down across North East Valley. The Northern Motorway, part of State Highway 1 winds north around the hill's western flank. The suburb, which sits atop the spur, is four kilometres north of the city centre. Pine Hill's 2001 population was 2259, including the southern old suburb of Dalmore and the post-war State-housing development of Liberton.

Dunedin North

The northern end of the city centre is designated Dunedin North. Its main features are the main campuses of Dunedin's three public tertiary institutions, the University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic and the Dunedin Teachers' College , which are situated along the lower reaches of the Water of Leith. This river disgorges into the Otago Harbour in Dunedin North, close to one of the city's main parks, Logan Park (formerly a lake), which contains the Logan Park High School and the sporting facilities of the Caledonian Ground and University Oval. Dunedin North's 2001 population, including the University area, was 7047.

The city's oldest cemetery, the Northern Cemetery, is located in Dunedin North, as are the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. State Highway 1 joins the Dunedin road network at a busy intersection at the foot of Pine Hill and North East Valley at the "Gardens Corner", close to the Botanical Gardens' northwestern edge.

North East Valley

Lindsay Creek, a tributary of the Water of Leith, flows southwest down the long North East Valley at the northern end of Dunedin's urban area. This valley, lying between Pine Hill and Signal Hill, houses a residential suburb consisting of one main road with streets heading off it up the steep hills on either side. One of these streets, Baldwin Street is listed as the world's steepest street. "Normanby" is the name of the northern end of the valley, while people at the southern end, which contains Dunedin North Intermediate School , may refer to their locality as "Gardens". North East Valley's 2001 population was 4266.

To the north of the suburb lies the imposing peak of Mount Cargill, which completely dominates the skyline of northern Dunedin and is topped by the city's main television transmitter tower.

Opoho

Opoho suburb sits on the western flank of Signal Hill overlooking North East Valley and the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. It is a residential suburb with very mixed demographics, containing student flats, significant numbers of elderly citizens, and the houses of many academic staff. Above the suburb sits the Centennial Lookout, a memorial built on the top of Signal Hill to mark the centenary of New Zealand in 1940. Impressive views over the city can be gained from here.

Ravensbourne

The suburb of Ravensbourne sits on the southern slopes of Signal Hill, close to the edge of the Otago Harbour. Separated from the rest of Dunedin's urban area by a quarry at the eastern end of Logan Park, it has the feel of a town in its own right. It is dominated by the Ravensdown fertiliser factory at the southern end of the suburb at the harbour's edge. Ravensbourne's 2001 population was 1269.

Waverley and its companions

Across the Harbour from Ravensbourne are (from north to south) Shiel Hill, Waverley, and Vauxhall. They form a continuous residential suburb at the western end of Otago Peninsula on the flank of Shiel Hill, overlooking Anderson's Bay and the upper reaches of Otago Harbour.

Anderson's Bay

Anderson's Bay is a residential and light industrial zone to the south of the central city and east of South Dunedin. It extends along the former shoreline and across reclaimed land close to the head of the Otago Harbour, with its southernmost point being at the Anderson's Inlet at the foot of part of the Otago Peninsula. Anderson's Bay's 2001 population was 2532. Dunedin's main cemetery is locate in Anderson's Bay, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Musselburgh

Musselburgh is located at the foot of the Otago Peninsula. It is at the narrowest point of the isthmus connecting the Peninsula to the rest of the island (at this point some 1500 metres in width). Musselburgh is dominated by a series of large rocky outcrops known as the Musselburgh Rise which stand above the eastern edge of the flat area of Saint Kilda. At its southern edge, Musselburgh and the neighbouring small suburb of Tainui reach the waters of the Pacific Ocean, rising to the promontory of Lawyer's Head. Musselburgh's 2001 population was 2835.

South Dunedin

South Dunedin is the city's second most important retail district, and lies immediately below the major road junction of Cargill's Corner some 2500 metres south of the city centre. The main feature of South Dunedin is the railway workshops which cover some 10 hectares (25 acres) at the northern edge of the suburb. South Dunedin's 2001 population was 2538.

Saint Kilda

Dunedin is blessed to have a long stretch of fine beach close to the city centre. The beaches of Saint Kilda and its neighbour Saint Clair stretch along the city's south coast for some 3500 metres between the headland of Lawyer's Head and Forbury Hill. The suburb of Saint Kilda, which until 1989 was a separate borough, is a densely populated residential area stretching across the flat land between the beach and the light industrial areas to the south of the central city. St. Kilda's 2001 population was 5904.

Saint Clair

Five kilometres southwest of the city centre, Saint Clair lies on the lower slopes and at the foot of Forbury Hill. One of the city's wealthier suburbs, many fine houses are situated in the tree-clad slopes. Close to the summit of the hill is one of the city's top golf courses (St. Clair Golf Course) and the ruins of Cargill's Castle. At the foot of the hill is St. Clair Beach and an open-air heated salt-water swimming pool; the beach's sea wall and esplanade were rebuilt and renovated in 2004. The beach is one of the South Island's more popular surfing venues. The small promontory of White Island lies three kilometres off the beach. St. Clair's 2001 population was 4179.

Caversham

One of Dunedin's older suburban areas is Caversham, lying in a valley close to the Southern Motorway (part of State Highway 1). The suburb contains a small retail area, but is mainly residential. Carisbrook Stadium is situated at the eastern end of the suburb. Caversham's 2001 population was 5019.

Mornington and its neighbours

Due west of the city centre, with primary access up High Street, sits the hill suburb of Mornington. South-west of it is Maryhill, while Kenmure is a small locality to the northwest.

Roslyn

The suburb of Roslyn lies atop a crest which forms part of the inner ring of hills around Dunedin. Excellent views of the inner city can be gained from the Roslyn overbridge, which is 2,500 metres northwest of the city centre, and 150 metres above sea level. Several of the city's most prestigious schools are located close to this suburb and its northern neighbour, Maori Hill. Its southwestern end merges imperceptibly into Belleknowes. Roslyn's 2001 population was 3957.

Maori Hill

Along with Saint Clair, Maori Hill is regarded as one of Dunedin's more exclusive suburbs. Many fine houses are located among the trees of the city's green belt, which snakes around the slopes of the crest which surrounds much of the inner city. Maori Hill's 2001 population was 1956.

Outer suburbs

The main outer suburbs, clockwise from the city centre (starting due north), include the following. Many of them were separate towns until local government reorganisation in the late 1980s.

Saint Leonards

On the west bank of the Otago Harbour equidistant between Ravensbourne and Port Chalmers lies the sleepy residential settlement of Saint Leonards. Named for St. Leonards-on-Sea in England, the settlement is a commuter township also favoured by alternative lifestylers. St. Leonards' 2001 population was 729.

Portobello

see Portobello, New Zealand

Broad Bay

Situated on an aptly named wide bay on the harbour coast of the Otago Peninsula is Broad Bay. This settlement, located between Macandrew Bay and Portobello is 13 kilometres east of the city centre, but has the feel of a small fishing village. The main reason for this is that it is located around a large bluff from the city's main urban area, and is thus out of sight of it. The town, like several on the peninsula (including Macandrew Bay, below) is a commuter settlement. Broad Bay and its neighbouring settlements have a strong arts community, and are also a haven for alternative lifestylers.

Macandrew Bay

As with Broad Bay (above), the harbourside peninsula township of Macandrew Bay has the feel of an isolated coastal settlement, even though the heart of Dunedin city is visible 10 kilometres away at the head of the harbour. The township is both a commuter town and a harbourside retreat from the city. Macandrew Bay's 2001 population was 1131.

Waldronville

Waldronville is a commuter township on the Otago coast to the southwest of Dunedin. It is located 13 kilometres southwest of the city centre, close to the Kaikorai Lagoon, which is at the estuary of the Kaikorai Stream, which flows through several of Dunedin's western suburbs.

Green Island

see Green Island, New Zealand

Abbotsford