Taiaroa Head

Taiaroa Head and Harrington Point are two must-visit destinations on the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Taiaroa Head is home to the royal albatross, Dunedin's most famous winged residents. Visitors can see these magnificent birds flying around the windswept headland, but to get up close, it's best to book a short tour. The Royal Albatross Centre offers a 60-minute fully guided tour that includes a short film, presentation on the albatross breeding cycle, and a short walk up the hill to view the albatross and other wildlife from an exclusive glassed observatory. For a more in-depth experience, visitors can book the Unique Taiaroa tour, a 90-minute guided tour that tells the story of the Northern Royal Albatross and the people's history of Pukekura/Taiaroa Head.

Apart from the albatross, Taiaroa Head also offers stunning coastal scenery and a lighthouse that visitors can view from a viewpoint just above the car park. The lighthouse can also be seen from Aramoana Beach/the Heyward Point Track. Fort Taiaroa, an underground fort built on the headland to counter the potential threat of a Russian invasion in the late 1880s and later used for training and defense during WWI and WWII, is another attraction worth exploring.

Just before Taiaroa Head, visitors will find Harrington Point, where they can stop and see some of the other great places on the peninsula. Wellers Rock, the spot where some old whaler arrived in Dunedin almost 200 years ago, is the first stop. Although the rock isn't up to much, there's a nice little beach next to it. Harrington Point is also a great place to get close to some of New Zealand's rarest and most spectacular birds. Visitors can see penguins and sea lions on the beaches around the centre and check out Fort Taiaroa to find out why this location played such an important role in the nation's history.

In summary, Taiaroa Head is home to the royal albatross, and visitors can take a guided tour to learn more about these magnificent birds and other wildlife. Harrington Point offers stunning coastal scenery and is a great place to get close to some of New Zealand's rarest and most spectacular birds.