Port Chalmers

New_Zealand

Port Chalmers is a deep water fishing and cargo port for Dunedin, one of the main ports for the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Otago region. It is visited by several cruise ships each summer.

Port Chalmers, called "Port" for short by locals, is about 20 minutes by road from Dunedin and shares the same long, narrow, Otago Harbour. Only smaller ships can proceed past Port Chalmers to the wharves in the city centre.

The main streets of Port Chalmers and Dunedin are both called George St. The Port Chalmers one is numbered in the 5000s to avoid confusion, and all shops, cafes and services can be found along or near this street.

Port Chalmers Iona Church

i-SITE Dunedin Visitor Centre, based at 26 Princess St in Dunedin, +64 3 474-3300. maintains a temporary office in the wharf when cruise ships are in port.

  • Lady Thorn Dell. Dawn to dusk. A rhododendron garden. Free, but donations welcome.
  • Iona Church. Local stone church, built between 1871 and 1885.
  • Holy Trinity Church. local stone church
  • Scott memorial, 6 Brailleys Track. a plaque commemorates Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition and a viewing platform gives an impressive vantage point over the container port operations.

Lady Thorn Dell. Dawn to dusk. A rhododendron garden. Free, but donations welcome.

Iona Church. Local stone church, built between 1871 and 1885.

Holy Trinity Church. local stone church

Scott memorial, 6 Brailleys Track. a plaque commemorates Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition and a viewing platform gives an impressive vantage point over the container port operations.

  • Orokonui EcoSanctuary, 600 Blueskin Rd (on the scenic route between Port Chalmers and Blueskin Bay, +64 3 482-1755. Daily 09:30-16:30. Home to some of New Zealand's most fascinating and rare wildlife and providing visitors with exceptional experiences while allowing native flora and fauna to live naturally in a safe haven. A 307 ha enclosure inside an 8.7 km pest proof fence, it provides a chance to see Kaka, Tui, Bellbirds, Tuatara, Kiwi and more in a native setting. Offers daily guided tours and night tours twice a week. The visitor centre has free entry, but passengers on identified cruise ship tours are charged $5 for a mandatory tour.

Orokonui EcoSanctuary, 600 Blueskin Rd (on the scenic route between Port Chalmers and Blueskin Bay, +64 3 482-1755. Daily 09:30-16:30. Home to some of New Zealand's most fascinating and rare wildlife and providing visitors with exceptional experiences while allowing native flora and fauna to live naturally in a safe haven. A 307 ha enclosure inside an 8.7 km pest proof fence, it provides a chance to see Kaka, Tui, Bellbirds, Tuatara, Kiwi and more in a native setting. Offers daily guided tours and night tours twice a week. The visitor centre has free entry, but passengers on identified cruise ship tours are charged $5 for a mandatory tour.

  • Taieri Gorge Railway, +64 3 477-4449. A sightseeing train trip travelling through spectacular scenery. It departs from the cruise ship wharf and takes you on a journey through the rugged and spectacular Taieri River Gorge, across wrought iron viaducts and through tunnels carved by hand more than 100 years ago. Take your camera and lots of memory. The same company runs trips on the old Christchurch line as far as Palmerston, about 2 hours away; these can be booked to pick up at Port Chalmers Upper railway station (really a patch of lawn above the town in Ajax St). Cruise ship passengers may be charged a premium to travel by train from shipside; it can be cheaper to travel by bus to Dunedin and take the train from there.

Taieri Gorge Railway, +64 3 477-4449. A sightseeing train trip travelling through spectacular scenery. It departs from the cruise ship wharf and takes you on a journey through the rugged and spectacular Taieri River Gorge, across wrought iron viaducts and through tunnels carved by hand more than 100 years ago. Take your camera and lots of memory. The same company runs trips on the old Christchurch line as far as Palmerston, about 2 hours away; these can be booked to pick up at Port Chalmers Upper railway station (really a patch of lawn above the town in Ajax St). Cruise ship passengers may be charged a premium to travel by train from shipside; it can be cheaper to travel by bus to Dunedin and take the train from there.

The New World supermarket on the port's main street George St, about ten minutes walk from shipside, has plenty of grocery lines to choose from.

Being NZ, fish and chips are the classic cheap eats. The chippy is on Macandrew Rd, opposite the main gate of the container terminal.

Carey's Bay Hotel, about 15 minutes walk in the next bay towards the harbour mouth, has a pleasant restaurant featuring local seafood.

  • The Galley Cafe & Bar, 36 George St, +64 3-472 8528. Homemade baked goods and coffee in a rustic setting.

The Galley Cafe & Bar, 36 George St, +64 3-472 8528. Homemade baked goods and coffee in a rustic setting.

Chick's Hotel has a regular pub band on Friday and Saturday nights.

There is free Wi-Fi available in the port terminal building. Chairs and tables are limited.