University of Otago Staff Club, Dunedin

The University of Otago Staff Club occupies one of Dunedin鈥檚 most picturesque heritage buildings, set beside the 艑wheo / Water of Leith. Designed by architect J.L. Salmond and completed in 1907, the building originally served as New Zealand鈥檚 first Dental School-a response to the Dentists Act of 1904, which brought dental education under university oversight.

Built in the Gothic Revival style, the structure features a striking mix of Leith Valley andesite, Oamaru limestone, and Port Chalmers breccia, topped with a slate roof. Despite being designed for just 25 students, the Dental School was quickly overwhelmed by public demand, leading to overcrowding, safety concerns, and ultimately a relocation by 1926 following public outcry and a tragic incident under anaesthetic.

After the Dental School moved out, the building was repurposed as the University Registry and remained so for roughly 25 years. Renovations in the 1950s included a full retiling of the roof in orange and aesthetic updates to the northern fa莽ade. In 1966, the Faculty of Law took over the space briefly before it found its current use as the University Staff Club.

Today, the University of Otago Staff Club serves as a welcoming space for students, staff, alumni, and the public, featuring dining areas, meeting rooms, and a balcony with serene views of the river. The club offers a relaxed yet refined setting to enjoy quality food and coffee. Guests can choose from cabinet fare, homemade salads, and daily lunch buffets

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Dunedin. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 911爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: University of Otago Staff Club
Sight Location: Dunedin, New Zealand (See walking tours in Dunedin)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

University of Otago Historical Buildings Walk

Walking Tours in Dunedin, New Zealand

Create Your Own Walk in Dunedin

Creating your own self-guided walk in Dunedin is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

University of Otago Historical Buildings Walk

The University of Otago, founded in 1869, is New Zealand鈥檚 oldest university, and its early buildings remain some of the most distinctive in the country. The story of these structures is tied to Dunedin鈥檚 wider history. When gold was discovered in Otago in the 1860s, the city boomed into a wealthy provincial capital, eager to match the institutions of Europe. Education became a central part of... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Dunedin Introduction Walking Tour

Mark Twain had a way of dressing compliments in sarcasm, and when he visited Dunedin in 1895, he couldn鈥檛 resist. Looking around at the Scottish settlement on New Zealand鈥檚 southern coast, he quipped: 鈥淭he people are Scotch. They stopped here on their way from home to heaven-thinking they had arrived.鈥�

The city of Dunedin carries a name that reflects its Scottish roots. The word comes... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

911爆料网