If you’re going to be staying in Dunedin then I would highly recommend visiting its Historic Railway Station. During my recent visit to New Zealand’s South Island I was lucky enough to have stayed in the city and so I decided to see the station for myself. I was mildly surprised at how insanely well preserved and maintained it was.
Dunedin Railway Station: A Well Preserved Heritage Building
Dunedin Railway Station is readily accessible through Anzac Avenue which in turn can be accessed through a number of ways. You could of course take a cab to get here or you could just take the bus as there are a number of stops near the station that are all within 10 minutes walking distance.
The moment you arrive, you’ll immediately realize why this historic railway station is so popular. When I first set my sights on its facade I thought that I travelled back in time. The architecture and the landscape here looks so pristine that it felt a little out of place with all the newer buildings in the city.
Like a lot of the government buildings that I’d been to here in New Zealand, Dunedin Railway Station was designed and made in the Gothic Revival architectural style. The building was built in the early 1900s which was just around the same time that Gothic Revival as an architectural style was in vogue.
Now even though it’s a Gothic Revival building, Dunedin Railway Station still looks very distinct from others that I’ve seen during my stay in New Zealand. For one, it looks a lot more detailed compared to buildings like even the ones I saw in Christchurch’s The Arts Centre. Interestingly enough, I think the reason why the Railway Station looks so pristine is because it recently had gone under a major repair/construction that ended just last 2023.
I will say, whoever headed the reconstruction/repair efforts needs to get a pay raise. Looking at the Railway Station’s facade, you’d think it was built yesterday. It hardly looks like it’s gone through any wear and tear and if not for the cars passing by the street (as well as the other trappings of the modern world) you’d think you were really in the early 1900s.
Perhaps one of the most imposing features of the Dunedin Railway Station is its bell tower. It’s arguably one of the tallest structures in the surrounding area and at the very top of it you’ll find a flag of New Zealand fluttering in the wind. Looking at the tower, I also began to notice how the building’s brickwork design looked so unique (though it might be because it just looked darker than the ones in The Arts Centre).
This is a closer look at the clock tower. One other feature that sets the Railway Station building apart is its use of grotesques. These are ornamental sculptures (like the ones pictured) that are very prominent in Gothic and Gothic Revival architecture.
After checking out the station’s facade, I decided to go in to check out what its interiors had to offer. Before going inside though, I noticed this large sign in the portico featuring the attractions (and their business hours) that can be found inside the building. Of the attractions listed here, the Otago Arts Society Gallery is free and open to the public. If you want to go see Taieri Gorge or see sports memorabilia from New Zealand’s past and present then you will have to shell out a minimum of 159 NZD for the train ride or 6 NZD for the museum ticket.
Then on one of the columns flanking the entrance door (one the left), I came across these plaques. The top plaque shows respect to members of the NZ Railways who lost their lives in the First World War while the bottom plaque commemorates the restoration efforts done on the station in the year 2000.
On the right column is a larger plaque that commemorates the laying of the Railway Station’s foundation in 1904. It’s kind of crazy how it’s more than 120 years old and yet it’s still very functional. Granted, the traffic going through here today probably isn’t as great as it once was but I think that it’s still impressive nonetheless.
Now I’m not sure if this was part of the original building (very likely it wasn’t) but I can appreciate the inclusion of a PWD ramp. From this view you’ll also notice the unique “brickwork” pattern on the walls of the building. I say brickwork but the material used here is actually black basalt rock.
After getting inside, I looked up and was immediately drawn to the stained glass on the skylight. One of the things Gothic Revival architecture is known for is the use of stained glass. That said, I actually didn’t notice that many stained glass windows in the buildings that I’ve been to (at least here in NZ). Perhaps the most notable building that heavily featured stained glass was the one I saw in The Arts Centre in Christchurch. Here at the Railway Station though, the windows are actually chockfull of stained glass (just like at St. Paul’s Cathedral).
Case in point is the large windows on the second floor that you can see on this image. Before I got inside I actually thought the foyer would be a little dark and gloomy since the building is a bit old. Turns out, I was completely wrong and it was really well lit. On a side note, you can actually see one of the trains used for the scenic tours from here.
Here’s another plaque commemorating the staff of the Railway Station who fought in the Great War but were never able to come back (just like in the cenotaph at the Queens Gardens). What makes this different from the other plaque though is that it features the names of the staff as opposed to just a general commemoration.
One of the things I really liked about the station were its tiles. Specifically the green tiles with flower designs that you see here. These have gone out of style now but honestly, I think these kinds of bespoke tiles look really cool.
At this point, I decided to go up and check out the top floor. As you can see in the image, it’s where you’ll find the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and the Otago Art Society Gallery. Take note though that of the two, only the Art Society Gallery is free to enter.
Speaking of the Art Society Gallery, you’ll get to see one of its rooms once you’re at the landing. If you’re wondering, the art works that you’ll find showcased here are from local artists. The gallery usually opens at 10:00AM and a lot of the art there can be bought as souvenirs.
While I think the art you’ll find in the gallery is good, there’s no doubt in my mind that this stained glass window is the best looking piece of art on this floor. Immediately upon reaching the floor, this will be one of the first things that is sure to catch your attention.
I was a little curious about the stained glass window so I decided to move in closer to observe. From the looks of it, the stained glass seems to be relatively new or it could either just be really well maintained. Either way, it actually looks even nicer up close.
Now you might be wondering, what’s the design on the window about? If I’m not mistaken, the design features one of the railway’s trains passing through what seems to be Taieri Gorge. As for the coat of arms, I’m not really sure where that’s from or if it’s somehow connected to Dunedin.
A cool feature of the stained glass window (or really, stained glass windows in general) is that it looks quite different the closer you are to it. Remember how blue the glass looked earlier? Well after getting up close and personal with it, the glass now looks gray.
Here’s another look at the stained glass window looking very blue as well as the foyer. Now I’m not quite sure if I’m right but it seems like the reason why the glass is blue is because it magnifies the light from outside. As for the foyer, from up here it looks a lot like a church thanks to the titles and the lighting from the lamps.
Looking at the pictures I took of this place now, it hardly felt like a railway station. Maybe it’s just me but the current aesthetic of the building makes it homey and comfy. I feel like it has more in common with a hotel lobby than a railway station if I’m being honest.
Well, enough with the foyer let’s now check out the Otago Arts Society Gallery. Like I said earlier in this write-up, access to this museum/souvenir shop is free. That said, don’t expect any Carravagio’s or Van Gogh paintings here.
Here are a couple of signs on the door of the gallery showing the time that it typically opens. For weekdays and Sunday, the doors open at 10:00AM with closing time set at 4:00PM. If you come here on Saturday though, expect the gallery to open early at 9:30AM and subsequently, close at 3:30PM.
This cabinet was the first thing I noticed when I went inside the gallery. Aside from the stylized portraits, what really intrigued me were the busts of the cute doggies. Like I said earlier, the artworks here are really good but not at the level of the masters.
If you’re not into stylized portraits or mini sculptures then you might want to check out these landscapes and photographs of various locations here in Dunedin. You also probably didn’t notice it but these also have price tags on them so you can actually buy one or as many as you like even. I wasn’t able to take a closeup picture of it but my favorite here is the sketch just right next to the A to Z of Animals book.
Near the window, I came across these expressionist art pieces by Jenny Longstaff. Much like a lot of the art here, these pieces reference NZ’s seas, plant life, as well as animals. Expressionism isn’t my cup of tea but if you liked these then you can opt to buy one for just 25NZD.
This is the continuation of the cabinets in the previous image. Now that I think about it, of the places I visited this year I think the Dunedin Railway Station is one of the few that has a dedicated space showcasing the city’s local artists. Hopefully the gallery gets to continue operating and that more art continues to be made.
Here are another set of artworks. I honestly didn’t bother checking out what kind of art this pile contained as I was looking to check out the train. Aside from that, I also thought these were priced a little too aggressively when compared to the expressionist pieces from earlier.
After checking out the Arts Society Gallery, I then proceeded to the tracks to see the Taieri Gorge train. So you’re probably wondering why the train has Taieri Gorge Railway inscribed on its side. The name is actually what Dunedin Railways was initially called. Honestly, I’d understand if people get confused as even I had a hard time parsing through the railway’s storied past.
Looking at the train, you’re probably thinking that there’s no way it’s still functioning. In actuality, it’s still very much in use even up until today. Much like the building, the trains here are well maintained and as you saw very early on, this is because they’re used for scenic tours.
Once you get outside to the tracks, you’ll just need to look for the sign for tickets if you want to book a ride on the trains. For the Taieri Gorge scenic tour, you’ll need to dish out at least 167.30NZD for a round trip ticket. From what I can remember, the round trip will take around 5 hours.
Here’s a warning sign informing visitors to not step on the tracks. On a side note, you’re probably going to love this place if you’re a railfan or trainspotter. I’m not sure if it’s rare but the Taieri Gorge train had this classic look to it that I think even those with a passing interest in trains would appreciate.
I don’t know why but for some reason this shot looked really cool. You have the sun just illuminating the end of the platform making it look golden. Then that very same light diffuses throughout the station giving the archways and the train this golden hue that looks really nice.
So one interesting thing about the Dunedin Railway Station is that while there are trains here, these are only for tour activities. The station doesn’t field any trains going to and from other cities or suburban neighborhoods.
It wasn’t always like this though. Once upon a time, the Dunedin Railway Station was said to be one of the busiest in the island nation. Right now, three trains ply the tracks from here but before it used to serve as a hub for up to a hundred daily.
It might be past its heyday as one of the busiest in New Zealand but Dunedin Railway Station has nevertheless soldiered on. There might be fewer trains but it still enjoys an influx of people who want to capture what’s left of the station’s glory. In fact, the station now is said to be the second most photographed destination in the Southern hemisphere just behind the Sydney Opera House.
In a way, the Kiwis are pretty much like the Japanese in how they value their heritage buildings. Rather than building gaudy structures in place of old buildings (or even their trains), they’d much rather have these reconstructed and improved on. I’ve seen this firsthand not just here in Dunedin but also in Christchurch.
Another thing that I like about New Zealand is the country’s appreciation for the arts. Christchurch had its Arts Centre while Dunedin had the Arts Society Gallery you saw earlier. Other examples of public art are street graffiti and this pavement art in the image above.
Typically, the Inlander train leaves at around 9:30AM to 10:00AM and comes back by 2:15PM. The image was taken well past the train’s return time so it’s now showing empty seats. If you want to ride the train to Taieri Gorge then you’ll need to make sure you visit here and book on or before 9:00AM in the morning (that is if you’re not booking online).
Now if you do decide to book here then this is the office you want to be in. I’ve been told that the staff here are really warm and are very welcoming so don’t hesitate to ask questions regarding the tour. With the Inlander done for the day though, I decided it was time to go home instead.
Despite not being able to ride the Inlander or any of the trains here, I think my visit to Dunedin Railway Station was more than worth it. Again, I was able to take some really nice pictures plus I got to know a little bit more about Dunedin and New Zealand in general. Again, if you decide to visit and enjoy the Teiari Gorge tour then make sure you get here early.
And my visit to Dunedin Railway Station finally comes to an end. It was short but definitely chock full of nice views. More importantly, this visit was very affordable. Other than the fare to and from here, I don’t think I spent anything. If you find yourself having some free time and you’re in Dunedin then I’d suggest you give the station a visit.
Have some stories about Dunedin Railway Station? If yes then make sure to share them with us and our avid readers down in the comments section!
