Mon, 9th Mar, 2026 (p2) 48hr RV Thomas Burns Street carpark, Dunedin to Town Oval carpark free camp, Dunedin, NZ (Port Chalmers, Signal Hill & Baldwin St etc)

Headed out Anzac Avenue in the drizzling rain.

Along the bay edge to Port Chalmers. The rail line runs along the side and has it’s own causeways here and there.

Lots of homes along the hillside. Port Chalmers is located in Otago Harbour and was established in 1848 as the main port for Scottish settlers. It became a bustling hub during the 1860s gold rush time, developing into NZ’s key maritime centre. It is historic for hosting the first frozen meat shipment in 1882 as as a base for Antarctic expeditions. The town was named after Rev Thomas Chalmers, a Free Church of Scotland leader. A railway line connected it to Dunedin was completed in 1872. The port became a container terminal in 1977.

As we headed down the hill the port area comes into view. Obviously the timber loading area is around to the right.

We pulled up near a laundrette - time to get that job done. I sorted the laundry while Steve wandered down the street to check out the port area as the rain has stopped. Lovely building on the corner (1889). Big ship at the dock.

Another lovely church and 1880 Portsider building.

Washing dried and back into the camper. 

Down the street then sharp turn and up the hill to Flagstaff Hill. Info and a fantastic view - town, wharf, timber loading - the sea in the distance. Very chilly up here.

 Zoomed in on Taiaroa Head.

Steep hills here! View over Quarantine Island etc as we head down.

Back down then we continued on Main Road along the foreshore around the different bays. Houses along the edge of the lake, some up high on the hillslope and others on the flat. Signs for sea lions but we only saw black swans.

Into the township of Aramoana and along to the beach - a sea lion having a sleep on beach. Normally it is the sea lions on the sand and the fur seals on the rocks. Parked in a free camping spot then headed off on foot.

Bay view and Taiaroa Head.

Wikicamps had this marked as a spot to see an Albatross. Found some information boards then headed out to the man-made groin which is called The Mole. Interesting note about Captain Cook feeding his crew the grass growing here to prevent his crew getting scurvy.

Someone left a Paua shell - which is abalone.

First we had to walk along a narrow road to carpark for the other beach and the Mole - Steve noted he could have driven out but I said we need the exercise. Mind you it is very windy and cold out here!

The other beach.

Remains of one part of the first Mole.

Met our first NZ fur seal having a nice rest on the grass.

No Albatross in sight here but plenty of terns, silver gulls and shags, black-backed gulls.

Across the water is Harrington Point Reserve on Taiaroa Head we could see lots of white birds flying about. When I googled it up that is where the Albatross viewing is at the Royal Albatross Centre but you have to pay a big fee for a guided tour to see the only mainland Royal Albatross colony on earth (largest seabird). There is also the Antipodean Albatross and the Salvin’s Albatross. Zoomed in on some soaring ones and they could be Albatross with the big black wings or just the black-backed gulls.

Certainly is a spot for Terns - there are hundreds of them.

A tad chilly out here.

Found a few more fur seals.

Looking back to where the water goes into Otago Harbour.

Steve found a memorial in the trees when he went looking for the toilet. Screenshot about the massacre here in 1990. A terrible mass shooting - a gunman, angry after arguing with a neighbour, murdered 13 adults an children here on 13 Nov 1990. The gunman was shot and killed the next day when he stormed towards them, firing a rifle randomly and yelling “kill me, f… kill me”. It was the deadliest shooting till the Christchurch terror attack in 2019. Sad statistics.

Love these flowers.

Back to old mate on the beach - he has rolled over so he is alive.

7pm, headed back around foreshore to Dunedin as the sun is just going down behind the mountains. Lots of homes on the other side of the bay on Otago Peninsula.

Spotted this home which might be a set of flats - using the name Footrot Flats for their accommodation place. We loved the comics by Murray Ball about Wal and his sheepdog ‘Dog’. It was set in the fictional rural town of Raupo. There was a movie too.

Turned off and wove around the streets then up through hillside homes on Signal Hill Road. Up and down hills then up through a farm to the top as the sun dropped lower through the clouds. Signal Hill is a historic, 329m panoramic viewpoint overlooking the city and Otago Harbour. It was used for spotting ships and features a 1950s Centennial Memorial with ‘Old Father History’ and ‘The Thread of Life’ bronze statues. The area includes a 180ha scenic reserve, a 1926 park and an Edinburgh stone marking the city’s Scottish roots.

Great views and very chilly.

Lots of Pampas Grass in between the flax plants. Pampas grass is another introduced plant.

Back down the steep road.

Onto the flat ground looking up the hill where the steepest road in the world is.

Baldwin Street. Steve started driving up - I said ‘no way’.

We parked and walked up for a photo. Not going any further as it is getting dark. I got this photo off Facebook - that’s good enough for me.

Back along North Road and passed the Railway Station. Would have been a good photo if my flash hadn’t have gone off!

Through town to a free camp site at the Town Oval carpark. Our route for today.

8.30pm - too dark for a camp photo now. Looks like some homeless are camped under the trees in their tents.

Heater on for our late dinner then read our books.