Wild life

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After a couple of nights in Oamaru, where we were lucky enough to see 7 rare yellow-eyed penguins from a hide above Bushy Beach, we continued on our drive south towards Dunedin. We stopped off at the famous Moeraki boulders and spent an afternoon at Shag Point (lots of NZ fur seals, two more yellow-eyed penguins and large colonies of Steward Island and Spotted Shags).

Just before we arrived in Dunedin we decided to spend one night in the gloriously named "Seacliff Asylum"...we'll paint you a picture:

...black stallions roaming wild...sheds full of 1920's rusting cars...the ruins of seacliff mental hospital...rumours (found on the internet) that 37 women died there in a mysterious fire in 1942...no locks on the doors...a strange door into our room blocked by a wardrobe whose back had been bashed in (apparently by someone or something trying to get in)...we left early the next morning...

Dunedin is a nice town and perfectly situated for daytripping to the Otago Peninsula (where we saw Royal and Chatham Albatross, more fur seals and, after waiting until dusk, 6 little blue penguins returning home from a day's fishing). The city itself had some interesting attractions: the Settlers museum, Speight's brewery, the old railway station and we also took the opportunity to drive up the world's steepest street (as certified by the Guiness book of records no less!).

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Photos

Seacliff asylum...
...what's left of it

Comments

[sue]

I like your photo of the stable block,my step nicece and her family and her sister inlaw has just brought Seacliff assylum.