The drive from Oamaru to Dunedin takes you along the Otago Coastline and some of the earliest inhabited places in New Zealand. Just south of Oamaru is Totora Estate and its from here that the modern meat export industry was born. Sheep carcasses were processed here before being sent to England in 1882 by the first freezer ship, the clipper Dunedin.
One of the most intriguing places to explore is Moeraki and the Moeraki Boulders. These unique geological features are easily accessed and well signposted from the main highway. Some of the boulders actually contained dinosaur bones but according to Maori legend they were gourds washed overboard as a waka (canoe) was wrecked on a nearby reef.
Matanaka is a short detour off the main road and here you can take a short walk to see some of the oldest remaining buildings in the South Island.
Arriving into Dunedin you can appreciate the city's Edwardian and Scottish heritage through its fine buildings particularly around the Octagon and city centre and parking your car close by and exploring on foot is highly recommended. A not to be missed building is the railway station, recently listed as one of the worlds top 100 building to see.
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