Bluff and Dunedin

Bluff

Bluff became an important port for whaling and sealing ships in the mid-19th century. And it retains an industrial feel with industries of a different kind, thanks to the Tīwai Point aluminium smelter and the port of Bluff that handles over 3.5M tonnes of cargo per year. It’s a whopper.

For us tourist types, it’s an essential destination for connoisseurs of Bluff Oysters and for those wanting to get a ferry to Stewart Island. The former is celebrated yearly during the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival, attracting thousands of visitors from around the country. The latter is a pilgrimage for nature lovers who want to see the Kiwi bird in its native habitat.

Oysters Art and Anchors

There are limited choices of where to stay in Bluff with a campervan. The Bluff Camping Ground is that option. We forked out NZD 50 for two people to stay there and paid the bill by stuffing cash into an honesty box in the office. It isn’t in the Top Ten class of campsites, but it is convenient for town.

Our reasons for coming to Bluff were a) that it is the southernmost town on the South Island, so why not? b) I wanted to try those famous Bluff oysters.

So that we could achieve that second objective, Maria made a reservation at the Anchorage Cafe Bar for the evening, and on the walk over there, we came across these great examples of street art. They are created by the folks at Southland Sea Spray, who visit towns such as Bluff to create art such as this:

We were so glad we had made a reservation at the restaurant. Only one other couple was there, but we did get the number one table on an elevated plinth with views out to sea. And those Bluff oysters were delicious. The rest of the food was good, too – and the service.

Sterling Point

The next day, 6th April, we unplugged the van, left the campsite, and headed to Sterling Point, the southern end of State Highway One.

At Sterling Point lighthouse, we met some fellow campers here on holiday – Yang & Jiajia. In addition to sightseeing, they were on a gastronomic mission to find abalone. We stayed in touch.

A little further from the lighthouse is the Heritage Trail, which leads to this giant chain sculpture. It plays on the Māori myth that Rakiura (Stewart Island) is an anchor stone chained to the South Island. It’s an impressive sight—very well done. On the other end of the chain, its twin lies on the coast of Stewart Island at Lee Bay. 

The signpost in the photo below is one of the most popular tourist attractions in town. Allegedly.

After that, we returned to the van and headed north to Dunedin.

Dunedin

Scottish settlers established Dunedin in the early 19th century, and its name, meaning “Edinburgh” in Gaelic, reflects this heritage. Wealth created by the gold rush during the 1860s spurred rapid growth and prosperity, creating the well-preserved Victorian and Edwardian architecture that can be seen today –  including the Dunedin Railway Station and Larnach Castle.

We stayed a little outside the centre near Saint Kilda beach—it’s empty now, but I could imagine it being bonkers in the summertime.

Conscious of the time remaining on our road trip, we decided to drive around Dunedin to see the sights and then stop at the Dunedin Botanic Garden. The gardens here are very well-kept.

And on the top of that hill is an aviary home to this good-looking fella.

Now, we are headed back inland towards Oamaru and Omarama.