Dunedin

Dunedin or Ōtepoti is New Zealand's sixth biggest city in terms of population, second biggest in land area. It is located in the Otago region, with its main urban area around the isthmus of the Otago Peninsula.

The population is about 130,000.

It is split into two parliamentary electorates (British: 'constituencies'), Dunedin North and South, both safe Labour seats.

History
European settlement of the area started in 1848 with the arrival of two immigrant ships from Scotland. Dun-Edin is the English version of the Gaelic [Celtic] name Dún Eideann. But Edinburgh was never a Gaelic-speaking town! Edinburgh is of course the Scottish capital (pop. about 450,000) and the subject of praise-poems by Rabbie Burns.

Less than 20 years later, Dunedin was New Zealand's financial capital as a result of the gold rush in Central Otago.

The Taieri
Almost one tenth of the population of Dunedin live on the Taieri plain and surrounding foothills. The principal township is Mosgiel. Others include Outram and Wingatui. The world-famous Taieri Gorge Railway crosses the Taieri plain.

City council
Dunedin has a Mayor, elected "at large" in the New Zealand tradition, and fourteen other councillors, elected on a ward basis. (In Britain a city of this size would have at least 50 councillors.)

Wards

 * Cargill ward
 * Green Island-Saddle Hill ward
 * Hills ward
 * Mosgiel-Taieri ward
 * South Dunedin ward
 * Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers ward