Discover Otago - A World of Difference

Stretching from mountain tops, across wide open plains and vineyards down to a natural harbour confronting the wild Southern Ocean is the South Island region of Otago. Less densely populated than most North Island regions, its stunning landscape is rich reward for residents resolute enough to settle where glaciers crouch beneath snow-capped mountains, dramatic valleys steer ice-cold rivers to the sea and Antarctic winds force coastal trees to their knees.

The discovery that Otago rivers were shimmering with gold meant that the Scots-Presbyterian settlers were soon joined by thousands of exotic fortune hunters from around the world. In the 1860’s, at the height of the Otago Gold Rush, Dunedin became New Zealand’s largest city. The region’s economy boomed with the wealth derived from the gold rush funding the building of many of Dunedin’s civic buildings. Otago University was also founded at the end of this decade, in 1869, making it New Zealand’s oldest university and establishing NZ’s first medical school.

Locums, GPs anaesthetics, healthcare and medical specialist fortunate enough to be working in the Otago region will soon discover that it offers a vast array of things to see and do. Dunedin is a great city to explore with a vibrant and social farmer’s market, cafes with warming fires in the winter, live music, museums, libraries and art galleries. The Dunedin Botanic Garden is one of New Zealand’s oldest and the Dunedin railway station dubbed ‘Gingerbread George’ is an architectural delight which also provides a gateway to exploring Otago.

If you fancy a drive, then head to the Otago Peninsula with your camera at the ready. The peninsula is a place of wild, natural beauty with plenty of southern wildlife to see. Yellow-eyed penguins, seals and sea lion sightings are common, and the peninsula is home to the only mainland breeding colony of albatross in the world. While on the peninsula you might wish to visit New Zealand’s one and only Larnach Castle and Gardens, and delve into its history, ghost stories and perhaps tea and scones at the café which was once a ballroom.

Moving further out from Dunedin and surrounds, other wonderful places to visit in Otago include Queenstown, Wanaka and Arrowtown; these towns are breath-taking in autumn and winter. Along with jet-boating and bungy-jumping, skiing, rock-climbing, curling, snowboarding and other mountain pursuits are popular here. Otago boasts world-class vineyards, and spectacular lakes just perfect for water-skiing, boat-cruising, fishing, or photographing majestic mountains reflected in their mirrored surfaces.

Otago is a wonderful place to get to know better. If you are interested in medical placements on the ‘Mainland’, contact New Zealand’s Ochre Recruitment consultants today. They’d love to hear from you!

The author has good knowledge about Otago and has written many articles on medical jobs, doctor jobs and locum emergency medicine jobs in New Zealand. To know more, visit https://www.ochrerecruitment.co.nz/

The author is working in Ochre Recruitment New Zealand who provides up-to-date details on doctor jobs in New Zealand or any other locum doctor jobs. For more details, visit https://www.ochrerecruitment.co.nz