For a city of 130,000 it has a remarkable array of things to do and places to go, and the quality of public services is very high. It's safe, with crisp, clear air and beautiful sunsets. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of the southern lights (Aurora Borealis) from the city's hilltops and admire albatross rising from Otago Peninsula.
It's the quality of life offered by the land that first drew people to Ōtepoti/Dunedin and kept them here. Māori started settling here from about 1200, attracted by plentiful food sources and good mooring for waka. The Scots arrived in 1848 to establish a self-sufficient farming community.
These settlers, and all those who followed, were searching for a better life. Their efforts show in today's Dunedin residents. In the 2018 Quality of Life Survey 87 per cent of Dunedin's people rated their quality of life highly and it's not hard to understand why.
The heritage buildings are juxtaposed with modern street art and everywhere you look, quirky and interesting eateries and businesses line the streets. With short commutes, over 30 beaches, and abundant wildlife within 30 minutes' drive of the CBD, Dunedin is a special place to call home.
Voted as the country's Most Beautiful City in the 2018 Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards, Dunedin is reaping the benefit of the hard work that's made it such a great place to live.
There's a buoyant housing market, with latest QV median house sales price sitting at $408,500 as of March 2019, making Dunedin one of New Zealand's more affordable cities. This is matched by a compelling selection of residential locations. People living in inner-city urban precincts and hillside suburbs often enjoy views of Otago Harbour or the Pacific Ocean. Semi-rural lifestyle settlements and satellite coastal villages offer the perfect mix of city and country living among lush green hills, plains and seaside hideaways.
Media personality and marriage celebrant, Melanie Kerr and her partner recently made the move from the Eastern Bay of Plenty after succumbing to the city's charms.
"Dunedin came as a revelation to us. Two weeks into our nine-month sojourn we decided we never wanted to leave.
"What made us fall in love with Dunedin?" Melanie says. "The stunning architecture, the incredible geographic beauty. Dunedin offers you everything you can find in any big city without the stress, but there is one overwhelming reason I never want to leave – the people. People have been so welcoming to us."
Dunedin's attractive city centre radiates out from the Octagon plaza, where many excellent restaurants and bars can be found. It's an easy stroll in any direction to find great food, shops both big and unconventional, and a wide array of entertainment.
There's a varied calendar of festivals and performing arts events, which often make the most of the city's many Victorian and Edwardian buildings.
Leisure time can be happily absorbed by Dunedin's plentiful clubs and societies, or by exploring the multitude of quiet bays, often great for swimming and surfing. The surrounding hills teem with walking and mountain biking tracks and safe cycleways lead you around the city and the harbour.
The city has New Zealand's only covered multi-use sports and entertainment stadium, drawing in world class musical, sporting and social events. Indoor and outdoor sports facilities abound and Dunedin's founders laced a stunning Town Belt of parks through the city's hill suburbs.
As the "wildlife capital of New Zealand", some of the country's rarest creatures, including the albatross, yellow-eyed penguins and sea lions, reside close at hand.
Well-known for the excellent calibre of its educational institutions, Dunedin is highly proud of its University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic. There is a good selection of over 70 public, private and denominational schools throughout the city, some of which also offer boarding facilities for students.
Nicky Aldridge Masters moved to Dunedin three years ago from Wellington and loves her new home town. She says, "Our main reason for moving was the fantastic educational opportunities for our children but add to this the short commute, fabulous cafes, arty community and friendly people and we were on to a winner. It's all going on here... but shhh, don't tell everyone.
"We can take our dog on walks to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and may be the only ones on the beach - apart from a sea lion or two. Day trips and weekend jaunts are easy and we can choose from places that people travel from all over the world to visit including Queenstown, Wanaka, Central Otago, the Catlins, Oamaru, Tekapo... we still have heaps to see!"
Dunedin is a city full of character and charm with a welcoming local community that is quick to embrace new residents and show them the ropes. Make the move. You'll soon settle in and realise just how awesome life can be when you have time and space to enjoy it. Much like Wendy Berg, who moved to Dunedin a decade ago from Liverpool in the UK to join the ICU unit at Dunedin Hospital. She says, "Dunedin makes it easy to achieve a work/life balance and it's changed our lives for the better."
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To find out more about life in Dunedin, visit www.dunedinnz.com/live