Southern Scenic Route

The Southern Scenic Route is the first touring route in New Zealand.
Riverton (Jacob's River) - is one of the earliest European settlements in New Zealand.
Curio Bay's Petrified Forest is 160 million years old.
The Tunnel Beach stairway was built in the 1870's by John Cargill for his family to go swimming and picknicking.
Ancient Podocarp forests still exist in South Fiordland.
The Percy Burn Viaduct (part of the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track) is believed to be the largest wooden rail viaduct remaining in the world.
The Southland Museum and Art Gallery's 'Tuatarium' is home to over 50 live tuatara ranging from baby tuatara to those over 100 year old.
Waipapa Point is the scene of New Zealand's worst civilian shipping disaster.
The Dean forest 23km from Clifden has 1000 year old totara trees.
The Lake Hauroko area has many ancient urupa (burial sites) and as such the area holds the memories of the Ngai Tahu Tupuna (ancestors) who are buried there.
The Clifden Suspension Bridge was opened in 1899 to replace the punt used by early sheep stations.
Monkey Island/Te Puka a Takitimu - the Anchor stone of the Takitimu canoe captained by Tamatea, wrecked at the mouth of the Waiau River.
Cosy Nook - Early settlers reported Pahi's village, a Ngai Tahu settlement with forty houses. The small island Matariki Was once a defended pa site.
Round Hill - Site of Chinese and European gold mining. Private museum and guided walks to relics at Midland Farm.
Colac Bay/Oraka - Long history of Maori occupation. Rarotoka (Centre Island) also site of occupation. Rarotoka was mainly an urupa site. It is said that the bones of the tupuna (ancestors) were buried in the dunes of Taramea (Howell's Point) before being transported to the island for burial.
Bluff - Bluff Hill/Motu Pohue Lookout. Said to be the burial place of the two prominent Kati Mamoe chiefs.
Waipapa Point - Scene of New Zealand's worst civilian shipping disaster in 1881 when 131 lives were lost in the wreck of the Tararua.
Surat Bay - The sailing vessel Surat was wrecked on this coast in 1874
1864- Otago Boy’s High School established.
1869- NZ’s 1^st university, University of Otago, was built, 1^st to admit women to all its classes- NZ’s 1^st legally made whiskey, gin, and spirits
1870- Dunedin School of Art
1871- Otago Girls High School, one of the 1^st state run secondary schools for girls in the world.
1876- the Pulp and Paper Industry of NZ began
1877 Otago School of Medicine started
1879- 1^st telephone offices established at Port Chalmers and Portobello
1880-Dunedin Technical College opened
1889-NZ’s 1^st kindergarten opened

History of Dunedin

In 1844 after Frederick Tuckett was employed by the New Zealand company in Britain, the southern district was located for the township by its first founder. After the district was located, Charles Kettle was sent by the company in 1846 to plan the new town. His instructions were to include features of the city of Edinburgh such as the Octagon, the geometric shape of an ocatgon in the heart of the city. The name Dunedin is also a feature of the city deriving after the Gaelic form of Edinburgh.

Before the start of European colonisation, the land had been home to the region’s first peoples the Maori who lived on food gathering and whaling. In 1848 settlers arrived in Dunedin on the ‘John Wickliffe’ and ‘Philip Laing’ ships led by Reverend Thomas Burns and Captain Cargill. They came with images of a Scottish settlement, and although a significant number of settlers were not Scottish, Dunedin’s sense of character remains Scottish in heritage and impression.

The population slowly rose in the 1850’s as settlers from Britain continued to arrive. Farming, trading, and craftsmanship flourished the society, and the Maori quickly adapted to the European methods. In 1861 Dunedin experienced the discovery of gold in the Otago region. Dunedin became the largest and wealthiest city in New Zealand from the demand of skills and services. Buildings and churches of notable architecture and significance were established providing Dunedin its historical stature today.