We booked a small group nature tour called Bays, Beaches, and Views of Dunedin. We were met at the port, and our guide drove us through Port Charles and to Dunedin, about a 20 min drive along the harbor that is reminiscent of Scotland. Many of the first settlers were Scots and the town, the second largest in NZ, retains its Scottish character, with many well preserved Victorian and Edwardian buildings. We saw the world’s steepest street, Baldwin Street, 
and stopped at the railroad station, which was built in 1906 out of black volcanic rock, white lime stone, and pink Aberdeen granite. It was the busiest railway station in NZ. Today it carries tourists on 90 min ocean-side and mountain tours. Dunedin is surrounded by gorgeous countryside.
We climbed above the harbor to a fantastic view of the Otago Peninsula. The harbor is the caldera of an ancient volcano.
On the other side of the road that traces the crest of the ridge above Dunedin is a beautiful, wild beach.
Next, we descended to Smaills Beach where we hoped to find fur seals and sea lions, but no luck. The path to the beach was lined with yellow lupin and what our guide called flax.
The beach reminded me of the one in the Piano, but apparently that scene was filmed on the west side of NZ at a very similar beach. Spectacular scenery in Dunedin!