Things to do in Port Chalmers

Dunedin · 4.9 km from Port Chalmers

110 reviews

Lanark Castle is located on the Otago Peninsula and is New Zealand's only castle. The castle was built by William Lanark for his first wife, Eliza Jane Guise. There are forty-three rooms and a large ballroom in the castle. Its ornate carvings, intricate stonework, woodcarving, stucco and glassware are outstanding. Construction of the castle began in 1871, and it took two hundred workers five years to complete before the family moved in. After that, it took another 11 years for the decoration by European craftsmen, and the materials were taken from all over the world. Insider tip: William Larnach was a former minister in the British colonial government, banker, capitalist and business tycoon.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Dunedin

Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World

Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World

6.1

4.4/5

95 reviews

Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World is a residential street considered the steepest residential street in the world. The street is about 350 m long and rises about 70 m from the valley floor. The lower section is relatively gentle, but it gets steeper toward the top, with the steepest part at about 35%, which is equivalent to gaining 1 m in elevation for every just under 3 m traveled forward. This section is paved with concrete rather than asphalt, which makes it easier to maintain and more resistant to winter frost and slipperiness. Its steepness was purely accidental — mid-19th-century planners drew the grid on paper without following the hill, which resulted in a world record. The title has had its ups and downs: in 2019 it was briefly taken by a street in Wales, but the following year, after local surveyors appealed and remeasured along the street's centerline, it was returned. Today, it feels more like an open-air photo spot. Visitors like to use the slope to create optical illusions, posing as if they are pushing a bike uphill or leaning back while staying steady for photos, and some come specifically to experience the feeling of climbing from the bottom to the top, like mountaineering. Each summer, the more-than-30-year-old hill-climb challenge Gutbuster takes place here, with participants racing from the bottom to the top and back. Long-time Dunedin locals also recall a former local spectacle: tens of thousands of orange candy-coated chocolate balls bouncing down the steep slope.

Dunedin · 7.4 km from Port Chalmers

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Dunedin

Dunedin Railway Station

6.1

4.3/5

208 reviews

Dunedin Railway Station is a product of the city's gold rush heyday. At that time, Dunedin rose to become the commercial center of New Zealand thanks to its gold wealth, and this station is the magnificent facade left behind by that golden age. It was designed by architect George Troup in the Flemish Renaissance style, with exterior walls made of black basalt accented with creamy Oamaru limestone, making it as exquisite as a fairy-tale gingerbread house, which earned the designer the nickname "Gingerbread George." The interior is equally worth exploring: the floor of the booking hall is composed of a mosaic of nearly 750,000 Royal Doulton tiles, which look particularly beautiful when sunlight streams in from the central dome. The stained glass windows featuring train motifs, the intricate stair railings, and the warm yellow tones of the hall make the space luxurious yet cozy. Today, most of the ground floor has been converted into a restaurant, while the second floor houses an art gallery, the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and a souvenir shop. The Taieri Gorge Railway and Pacific coastal sightseeing trains still depart from here. If you have time, consider taking a trip through the gorge and along the coast. If you are just passing through, don't miss the vintage carriages on the platform and the symmetrical white stone towers on the main facade.

Dunedin · 10.7 km from Port Chalmers

Blue Penguins Pukekura

5.5

Harington Point · 9.6 km from Port Chalmers

2 reviews

Be fascinated by Kororā, the world's smallest penguin, emerging from the sea at dusk at Takiharuru/Pilots Beach, on the end of the Otago Peninsula. Tours include information on the penguins, other wildlife and Māori history.

Harington Point · 9.9 km from Port Chalmers

Taiaroa Head

5.1

Taiaroa Head is located at the tip of the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, on New Zealand's South Island, and is an attraction that combines coastal scenery, wildlife, and historical sites. It faces the Pacific Ocean and overlooks the entrance to Otago Harbour, featuring spectacular coastal cliffs. The lighthouse, built in the 1860s, still watches over ships entering and leaving the harbor. Nearby, coastal defense fortifications from the 1880s are preserved, offering a strong sense of history. It is famous for the Northern Royal Albatross: this large seabird with a wingspan of over 3 m has been nesting and breeding here since the early 20th century, making it one of the few mainland albatross breeding grounds and giving it an important status in global ecological conservation and birdwatching. In addition, marine life such as New Zealand fur seals, sea lions, and penguins can often be seen on the nearby coast. Visiting here, you can feel the strong sea breeze and vast seascape, and also learn about Māori history, culture, and the survival stories of rare seabirds.

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Dunedin

First Church Of Otago

5.1

Dunedin · 11 km from Port Chalmers

71 reviews

First Church Of Otago stands on the remnants of Bell Hill in the center of Dunedin and is an iconic Presbyterian church for Scottish immigrants in New Zealand. The existing building was designed by architect Robert Lawson and built in the Gothic Revival style, with exterior walls made of Oamaru limestone and a base of volcanic rock from Port Chalmers. The spire, over 50m high, is embedded with two-tiered lancet windows on all four sides, making the tower appear even taller. It can be seen by looking up from many street corners in the city center. Today, it remains an active church for the local congregation. Inside the bell tower hangs a set of bronze bells shipped from the United Kingdom, which are still rung manually by bell ringers using traditional British methods—a rarity among Presbyterian churches outside the United Kingdom. Two old street lamps from Edinburgh hang on the iron gate posts in front of the church, and a large bell brought all the way from Scotland stands on the lawn. The marks of the immigrants' homeland are hidden in many details. Stepping inside, the most eye-catching feature is the huge circular rose window above the pulpit. Stained glass casts soft light onto the wooden truss ceiling and the intricately carved pulpit. There are also stained glass windows around the perimeter commemorating fallen soldiers and the Otago Mounted Rifles. When visiting, you might want to walk around to the back of the church and look back from the direction of Queen's Gardens. The apse, corner towers, and the tall gable embedded with the rose window unfold in layers, making it a great spot for taking panoramic photos of the church.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Harington Point

Royal Albatross Centre

4.7

4.3/5

24 reviews

The Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head is the world's largest continental albatross breeding centre. Just a 50-minute drive from Dunedin city centre. Here, you can not only observe elegant birds such as albatrosses, but also small animals such as blue penguins and yellow-eyed penguins. The best time to see albatrosses is from December to February of the following year. The Albatross Centre has the following different guided tours to choose from. The 1.5-hour guided tour of UniqueTaiaroaTour is a combination of FortTour and ClassicTour. ClassicAlbatrossTour 60-minute guided tour, with a guide introducing the history of the Royal Albatross and watching a video provided by NaturalHistoryNZ, and then going to TaiaroaHead to watch the Royal Albatross. FortTourFortTaiaroa was built in the early 18th century to defend against Russian invasion, and was later used as a training and defense base in World War I and World War II. A 30-minute guided program will take you to the fort in depth. The LittleBluePenguinsTour takes you on a tour of blue penguins, the natural habitat of the world's little penguins.

Harington Point · 9.7 km from Port Chalmers

No. 5 of Best Things to Do in Dunedin

The Octagon

4.8

Dunedin · 10.9 km from Port Chalmers

50 reviews

The Octagon is located at the intersection of Princes Street and Georgetown, and is a bustling area of Dunedin. Since 1846, The Octagon has been the city center of Dunedin. Surrounding The Octagon are the GothicSt Paul's Cathedral, the City Council Chambers, the visitor information center, tree-lined green spaces, and several main streets leading in all directions. This is also the commercial center of Dunedin, with numerous shops and large shopping malls lining the area. Strolling through the square, you can order lunch at a restaurant along the street or browse the shops here, experiencing the modern commercial atmosphere in this city full of Scottish architectural style. If you happen to be there during local holidays or folk festivals, you might also see locals wearing kilts and playing bagpipes as they walk through the streets to celebrate.

Selected for Best Things to Do in Dunedin

St Paul's Cathedral

4.7

Dunedin · 10.9 km from Port Chalmers

33 reviews

St Paul's Cathedral is a Gothic building built in 1971. The church is built with Oamaru limestone, Oamaru Stone, and the exterior walls are decorated with gorgeous stained glass. Inside the church there is a magnificent pipe organ with as many as 3,500 pipes, which is amazing. Here you can visit the "WarMemorial Window", which was made to commemorate the soldiers of southern Otago who died in World War I, as well as works depicting Christ's "death, resurrection and ascension", each piece for The church adds an artistic touch. Every Wednesday and Thursday, a volunteer choir composed of adult men and teenagers will perform choral activities in the church, which is well worth listening to.

Harington Point · 8.9 km from Port Chalmers

The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance

4.4

4.0/5

2 reviews

The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance is dedicated to saving endangered yellow-eyed penguins, and you can also see blue penguins, sea lions, and various birds here.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in New Zealand

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