OTAGO PENINSULAR The Otago Peninsular offers a wide range level of activities and is visit location in its own right. This is a very different experience to a visit to Dunedin. For starters the Peninsular has its own micro climate. The township of Portobello is the ‘capital’ of the peninsular and is the launch point for the visit to point to observe the Albatross. The viewing centre for the albatross colony is one of the peninsula's main ecotourism attractions, along with other wildlife such as seals and Yellow-eye Penguins. Many species of seabirds and waders in particular may be found around the tidal inlets, including spoonbills, plovers, and herons. Portobello has a hotel, shops and cafes and is deemed a great day trip for people from Dunedin. Portobello also has a museum that opens weekends and on the rise near the cemetery lays a Presbyterian Church. Not far from Portobello is the famous Larnark Castle that is a favorite for tourists, but now comes at a cost. This shot of the flowers is as close as you get for free. On our day the castle was shrouded in cloud and mist and was given a miss. It was during the Otago Gold Rush in the 1860s pleasure gardens were established at Vauxhall; George Grey Russell built his house at Glenfalloch and William Larnach acquired the land for his big house now known Larnach Castle. Also, quite near to Portobello is another historic church that was re-located to the current site over 50 years ago.