Living in Dunedin

Dunedin is located on New Zealand's lower South Island and is home to approximately 120,000 people. A university city, it offers a diverse range of cultural, historical and modern attractions for locals, tourists and students.

Dunedin boasts a variety of exciting entertainment opportunities. These include plays at the Fortune Theatre, the Marama concert series organised by the University of Otago’s Music Department, and a range of entertainment at the Regent Theatre that includes touring shows such as ballet, opera and musicals. Smaller clubs and cafes host local musicians. There are also a number of mainstream and art-house cinemas.

A coastal city, Dunedin is surrounded by a captivating natural environment and is a gateway to some of New Zealand's most spectacular scenery, outdoor experiences and wildlife, including penguins, seals, sea lions and the Royal Albatross.

Dunedin City is New Zealand’s true student city and as such offers a wide range of activities to attract and entertain.

One of the first things students notice is how easy it is to get around town. The vibrant city centre has evolved as the University has grown, meaning that today pubs, cafes and restaurants line the main street and surrounding areas - all of which are within easy walk of campus.

Iconic pubs such as ‘The Captain Cook’ and ‘The Gardens Tavern’ can be experienced for their student flavour, while more sophisticated or more family oriented venues are plentiful. It is useful to know that all of Dunedin’s hospitality and educational establishments are “Smoke Free”. Student discount offered at many retail outlets including bookshops, sports shops and at the cinema sweetens the experience of heading into town for the afternoon!

Dunedin’s geographic location makes it ideal for practically all outdoor pursuits. Otago’s campus is only 10 minutes drive from the beach, which means sailing, surfing and fishing are all on the doorstep. The city centre is less than an hour away from fresh water fishing and kayaking spots, 2-3 hours from Southern Alps ski fields, or only 3-3.5 hours from world renowned walks such as the Kepler or Hollyford tracks.

There are many physical recreational activities within the city itself including various top class golf courses, Moana Pool – featuring Olympic sized diving facilities and swimming pools, wave complex and water slide, the Edgar Sports Centre, an ice skating/ice hockey rink, ten pin bowling, sailing, diving, city walks, rugby clubs, netball clubs, along with many other sporting communities that welcome new members.

We appreciate that not everyone likes to don running shoes or a life jacket, but rather prefers to take in the other delights Dunedin has to offer. The city offers a wide selection of cultural and wildlife activities through facilities such as the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Otago Museum, the Fortune Theatre, the Regent Theatre, the Albatross Colony and historic disappearing gun at Taiaroa Head, and Monarch Wildlife cruises where visitors see sea lions and yellow-eyed Penguin.