Otago Peninsula

The Otago Peninsula runs northeast from Dunedin as a narrow ridge of old volcanic rock, with a sheltered harbour on one side and open ocean beaches on the other. It is the easiest place in the country to see coastal wildlife without getting on a boat. Northern royal albatross nest at Taiaroa Head at the tip, the only mainland breeding colony of the species, and birds with wingspans of around three metres wheel over the headland on windy afternoons. New Zealand sea lions haul out on beaches such as Allans and Sandfly Bay, where yellow-eyed penguins come ashore at dusk. Two roads run the length of the peninsula, one at the water's edge and one along the ridge.

History

In the Archaic, moa-hunting period the peninsula was one of the most densely settled areas of the country, and the lowest levels of the site at Little Papanui are thought to date from between 1150 and 1300. Whale-ivory chevron pendants made by its early people are now in the Otago Museum (Wikipedia, Otago Peninsula).

The landscape

• Taiaroa Head - the albatross colony at the tip, watched from a hillside centre.
• Sandfly Bay - a steep dune descent to a beach used by sea lions and penguins.
• The harbour road - the narrow low road running right along the water from Dunedin.
• The ridge road - the high route with views over both coasts of the peninsula.

When to go

Albatross are present year round but most active from about November, with chicks visible over summer and autumn; windy days are better, since the birds need wind to get airborne. Penguins come ashore in the last hour of daylight. Summer gives the longest days and warmest beaches, though this coast stays cool and exposed in every season.

What to expect

Wildlife is wild: sea lions may be asleep, penguins may not appear, and the albatross centre charges for a viewing that can end without a bird in the air. Keeping a proper distance from sea lions is not optional, as they move faster than they look. The dune descent at Sandfly Bay is loose and the climb back out is hard work. The roads are narrow, winding and slow.

Nearby

Dunedin is half an hour from the tip, with the harbour villages and hillside gardens along the way.

Key facts