Heritage Highlights Walk

Long the centre of Dunedin, The Octagon is a vibrant and attractive public space. Walkers will learn how the space has evolved, and how Dunedin has evolved. A comprehensive introduction here outlines Dunedin's pre-Colonial period, the Scots Free Church settlement of 1848 and the heady gold-rush years of the 1860s when Dunedin became New Zealand's first city. Guests will also learn of the challenges and opportunities the city faces now. Dunedin's fortunes have always waxed and waned: we learn how this has been reflected in standout Octagon buildings including St. Paul's Cathedral and Dunedin's Municipal Chambers.

Learn why the Cathedral occupies such a prominent site in what was a staunchly Presbyterian town. View the surprising contrast between the Cathedral's elegant neo-Gothic nave and brutalist chancel. Study the figures in the 'Dunedin window', a striking 21C design crafted in the traditional manner but with a contemporary Dunedin feel, and consider changes made and proposed to the building in the wake of the Cathedral's 2020 fire. From here we walk to Dunedin Railway Station, via streetscapes featuring fine Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco buildings plus some of Dunedin's most-adored Street art.

We'll view it inside and out, and discuss what the building is - and could be - used for now. The tour finishes here, so walkers are invited to linger and take photographs.