Moray Place, Dunedin facts for kids
| Maintained by | Dunedin City Council |
|---|---|
| Location | central Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Postal code | 9016 |
| Anticlockwise end | Princes Street |
| Major junctions |
Upper Stuart Street George Street Lower Stuart Street |
| Clockwise end | Princes Street |
Moray Place is a special street in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It's shaped like an octagon, which means it has eight sides! This unique street wraps around the very center of Dunedin city.
It crosses paths with other important streets like Stuart Street, Princes Street, and George Street. Just like many streets in Dunedin, its name comes from a street in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. Dunedin itself is named after Edinburgh.
Contents
Exploring Moray Place: Location and Layout
Moray Place has four main sections, called quadrants. The section in the northeast, between George Street and Lower Stuart Street, is mostly flat. However, the other three sections are quite hilly, especially the ones in the southeast and northwest.
Many of Dunedin's most important buildings are found along Moray Place. These include the Dunedin Municipal Chambers (the city council building) and the Dunedin Public Library. You'll also find the grounds of St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral here. These are located in the northwest section, between Moray Place and the city's central square, The Octagon.
Arts and Culture in the Southwest
The southwest section of Moray Place is known as a hub for arts. Here, you can find the old Dunedin Public Library building, now called the Carnegie Centre. The former Fortune Theatre is also here, located in the historic old Trinity Methodist Church building. One of the city's main movie theaters, the Rialto, is also in this area.
This part of Moray Place has been home to many art galleries over the years. One gallery was even located in the city's first synagogue. Today, there are still two art galleries in this section. It also hosts a popular spot for live music called the Dog With Two Tails cafe and bar.
Historic Sites in the Southeast
The southeast section of Moray Place is dominated by the impressive First Church. This church sits on what used to be part of Bell Hill. The top of the hill was lowered to make space for the church.
A special plaque in this area marks the spot of Atahapara. This was the home and private museum of Thomas Hocken, a famous collector. The regional offices of the Automobile Association were also once located here.
Shopping and Transport in the Northeast
The northeast section of Moray Place is part of Dunedin's main shopping area. It also includes the southern end of the city's central bus hub. This is where many bus routes meet, making it a busy spot for travelers.
The Story of Moray Place: History
The center of Dunedin was first planned by a surveyor named Charles Kettle in the 1840s. One big challenge for building the city was Bell Hill. This large hill was located where the southeast part of Moray Place is now. It actually split the early settlement of Dunedin into two parts. For the first few years, a path cut through the hill was the only way to travel between the northern and southern parts of the town. The hill was later quarried in the 1850s. The stones from the hill were used to build many of Dunedin's first buildings.
Charles Kettle might have originally planned for the entire area within Moray Place to be a public park. However, this didn't happen. It was only because Kettle stepped in directly that the central part of The Octagon itself wasn't built on. Even though it might not have been Kettle's first idea, the two circular streets, Moray Place and The Octagon, are now clearly the heart of Dunedin.
In 1897, a fire station was built on Moray Place. It was located between the Municipal Chambers and St Paul's Cathedral. This spot was chosen so firefighters could quickly reach all parts of the city. However, it was moved just 14 years later, in 1911. The new motor engines used on the fire trucks were very noisy. They woke up residents and caused complaints as they drove through town on emergency calls. Also, a bigger building was needed for the new equipment. The original fire station building was torn down a long time ago, and now a car park is in its place.
Important Buildings: Historic Places
Many buildings on Moray Place are recognized as historic places by Heritage New Zealand. They are given a Category I or Category II classification, meaning they are very important to New Zealand's history.
Starting from Princes Street and going clockwise, these buildings include:
- The Savoy Restaurant building (Category I)
- St James Theatre building (Category I)
- The former Dunedin Synagogue (Category I)
- Moray Terrace (Category II)
- The former Congregational Church (Category II)
- The Carnegie Centre (the old Public Library) (Category II)
- York and Kirkwood Houses (Category II)
- The former Holy Trinity Methodist Church (Category I)
- Stephens Inks building (Category II)
- The Otago Pioneer Women's Memorial Hall (Category I)
- The Security Building (Category II)
- And, of course, First Church (Category I)
Also, Burlington Street, a short, steep street next to First Church, is part of a historic area. Both St. Paul's Cathedral and the Dunedin Municipal Chambers are also Category I historic places, and you can reach them from Moray Place.
