Shoreline Walk

When the first Pakeha settlers stepped onto land next to the Toitu Stream in 1848 near the top of today’s Water Street, they were greeted with a shoreline that rose steeply into Dunedin’s hilly and forested flanks. Reclamation began almost immediately as the new settlers dumped anything they did not want or could not use into the harbour. Things changed dramatically in 1861 with the discovery of gold in Otago. From this date, Dunedin expanded as people from all walks of life poured into the settlement. Flat land near jetties was in demand by businesses and industry and so the harbour was reclaimed as fast as it could be. The shoreline walk will trace Dunedin’s shoreline as it was in 1865 when Dunedin officially became a city and the same year that photographer William Meluish took a panoramic of Dunedin. Archaeologist Dr Matthew Schmidt and historian Paul Pope will guide you along the 1865 shoreline and explain what archaeology lies beneath your feet and the history of various buildings along this trail.

Please meet at the corner of Water and Princes Streets.