Dunedin and the southern NZ tip

The first day on our cruise in a port was at Port Chalmers where we would be bused into Dunedin to explore the City ( settled by Scottish people whose influence persists) and take in Larnach castle.  Our bus ride took us first through the town center, past the lovely railway depot with its small surrounding gardens ( sweet peas smelled heavenly).  

The station is just across from the former Cadbury Chocolate Factory, which closed about two years ago and will be torn down and replaced by a new Hospital.  The existing Hospital will be used for some teaching ( as Dunedin is home to the medical school) and student housing.  

From the railway station, we drove to Larnach Castle, built around 1870  by William Larnach who regrettably had a tragic story.  He was a self-made man, becoming a wealthy banker who married his first wife who was  mother of his children and helped design the house.  She died early at 36 or so, and William, needing a mother to care for his four children, married his former sister in law, who then also died a few years later.  William re-married, signed a pre-nuptial agreement assigning property to his wife on condition of leaving it on her death to his children as his third wife was quite young and he expected to die first.  Unfortunately he didn’t, and she died soon after (after also having an affair with his eldest son), passing all that he owned to his children,  bypassing himself and leaving him without home or funds.  Family monetary squabbles erupted amongst his children about which he could do nothing (now being broke himself),  and ultimately the castle was sold, becoming a children’s home and other uses as it slowly fell into disrepair.  It was eventually purchased by the Barker family in 1967, who has spent enormous time and money restoring it, opening it for public tours, and re-creating its beauty both in grounds and interior.

Many interesting details are preserved and sparkle again, like the leaded glasswork inside as well as in the outside folly, pictured below.  

The gardens are lovely, although we did not have enough time to truly explore them.