Highlights of the Day
We started the day at the Otago Peninsula Penguin Eco Restoration Alliance to see yellow-eyed penguins. With fewer than 500 remaining, the reserve works on disease control and chick survival. Though we didn’t see any in the wild, we visited six in rehabilitation. Next, we explored Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle, with stunning ocean views and a mix of Victorian and Gothic styles. In the evening, we watched blue penguins return home at Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, carefully waddling and hopping toward their burrows. On our way back, we even spotted some crossing the road, ending the day with an unforgettable sight.
Logistics
Accommodation: HOTEL ST CLAIR (highly recommended)
Transportation: Rental Car
Our first activity today was visiting the Yellow-Eyed Penguin at Otago Peninsula Penguin Eco Restoration Alliance.
Tickets had to be booked in advance, and even two to three days ahead, most time slots were already sold out. We managed to get a 10:15 AM slot.
The reserve is not in Dunedin’s main area but on a small island outside the city, about a 40-minute drive away. The road follows the coastline, full of sharp turns, making it a challenging drive, especially at night.
The staff explained that the yellow-eyed penguin population has declined by 75% and now has fewer than 500 individuals. Their reserve only has nine adult penguins. Their work focuses on disease control and increasing chick survival rates, which have improved from 20% to 80% under their care.
Unlike blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins don’t return home only at night. They come and go at any time, so we hoped to see one in action. Unfortunately, after waiting by the shore, none appeared. The staff then took us to the rehabilitation center, where we saw three young penguins and three chicks. Their yellow eyes were quite striking and adorable!
Next, we visited Larnach Castle, the only castle in New Zealand.
Driving along winding mountain roads, we arrived at the castle and first stopped for lunch at its café. The décor was very classical, and we expected a full-service restaurant, but it turned out to be a café.
Larnach Castle was built in 1871 by merchant and politician William Larnach. The inspiration came when he was hiking with his son and was captivated by the breathtaking view. He bought the land and spent 20 years building the castle. The castle changed owners several times before a couple bought it in 1967 and restored it from near ruin. Their efforts were truly impressive.
The landscape of the castle was very well maintained.
The view from the castle stretches across the vast ocean. The architecture blends Victorian and Gothic styles, inspired by his uncle’s castle in England. However, Larnach’s later life was troubled. Family conflicts over wealth led to disputes, and some Chinese locals even say the castle has bad feng shui.
Earlier in the day, another visitor had mentioned seeing blue penguins the night before and highly recommended it. We decided to go but found that the nearby reserve was already sold out for the night.
Determined, we called the one we had tried yesterday, and luckily, they still had tickets. We drove over an hour to get there.
Blue penguins leave home about an hour before sunrise to hunt fish and shrimp. They return around sunset, which in New Zealand is quite late—around 9:20 PM. The first groups of three to five penguins arrived cautiously, taking a few steps, stopping to check for danger, then continuing. If they encountered a step, they hopped over it—adorable to watch.
As more penguins arrived, they became braver. Once they spotted the entrance to their burrows, they all started hopping quickly toward home. It was impossible not to smile, but strict rules required visitors to remain silent and still. Any sign of danger could make the penguins abandon the site in the future.
At one point, two penguins wandered toward our seating area. One even squeezed under the metal fence near us, giving us an up-close view.
On the drive back, just minutes from the reserve, we spotted a few penguins crossing the road. We quickly stopped, and I managed to snap a photo.
Below is the picture I found on website. It resembles what we saw at the reserve.
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