Located in a hill and harbour setting, Dunedin is centred around the Octagon, an eight sided garden presided over by a statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The city contains many relics of its Scottish heritage and has many of the nation's finest Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Once swarming with gold prospectors, Dunedin today is a city of culture and learning distinguished by libraries, museums and galleries.

The Otago Peninsula is home to colonies of many rare wildlife species. This is of world importance, and includes Royal Albatross, Southern Fur Seals, cormorants and Yellow-Eyed penguins. These animals can be observed up close in their natural habitat as part of nature tours. The Peninsula is indented with bays and offers many swimming and picnic sites. Its hills provide excellent walkways and views of the peninsula and harbour.

Oamaru is a garden city in a sheltered area of the North Otago Coast. Farming is the areas major industry, along with the quarrying of limestone. Coastal wildlife includes fur seals, yellow-eyed penguins and little blue penguins. Dolphins can occasionally be seen near Kakanui.

Palmerston is the gateway to the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trail.

Queenstown, in Central Otago, is primarily a tourist centre. Queenstown's stunning scenery, wide open spaces, lakes and alpine setting entice visitors year round. In winter the magnet is skiing and the snow fields at the Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Cardrona. Summer provides the chance to experience a wide variety of water sports on Lake Wakatipu and enjoy walks through the mountains. Mountains rise abruptly from the shore of Lake Wakatipu. The glacial lake has a very unusual rhythmic rise and fall in water level - up to 12cm every five minutes in some areas.

At the southern tip of Lake Wanaka, the township of Wanaka is a popular tourist resort. Walks around Wanaka and in Mt Aspiring National Park. Mt Aspiring National Park is made up of rugged terrain, including glaciers, hanging valleys and cirque basins. The park takes in both side of the Southern Alps, and there are many differences between the two. Silver beech trees dominate the area and there are many species of bird and unique alpine flora found within the park.

Fact Summary

Queenstown is located 1020 feet above sea level.

The flight time from Christchurch to Queenstown is 35-40 minutes.

Climate. Summer: 19-29 deg CC. Winter: 5-10 deg CC.

Lake Wakatipu is New Zealands third largest lake.

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