Wild Stories (and they’re all true!)
Let us tell you a story…
Stories from Wild Dunedin and Beyond share the people, places, and passions that make Ōtepoti and the surrounding region, the wildlife capital of Aotearoa. From festival highlights to meeting our contributors, to inspiring conservation mahi across the motu, our stories shine a light on our connection to nature and the incredible efforts being made to protect it for future generations.
The OPERA
A farm in a past life, and now a thriving sanctuary for native plants and animals, The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance, formerly Penguin Place, has big plans for the future under the guidance of new owners Ike and Jerad Haldan who bought the property in April 2023.
Nature Podcast with Karthic
Refreshing nature sounds and stories from the wilderness in ten episodes and produced in Dunedin. Karthic is a wildlife filmmaker telling simple fun stories about nature and the wild places of Aotearoa. He is from Tamil Nadu, India and is currently based in Dunedin.
Land Art - created from nature’s materials
For the 2022 Festival environmental artists Martin Hill and Philippa Jones guided the community in the construction of a Wild Dunedin ephemeral work at St Kilda beach, that the tide returned to nature.
Fur Seal or Sea Lion – How to Tell the Difference
Can you tell the difference between a New Zealand sea lion/rāpoka/whakahao and a New Zealand fur deal/kekeno? Amelia Saxby from the Dunedin based NZ Sea Lion Trust says that the best way to tell the difference is from the face.
George St Orchard – Rory Harding’s Food Forest
Rory Harding’s spectacular George St Orchard in the heart of Dunedin demonstrates how much food you can grow in 300 square metres.
Wild Herbal Medicine
Ruth Vaughan of Wild Dispensary loves how our backyard provides an abundance of plants to help us stay healthy.