Musselburgh, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Musselburgh is a residential suburb of the New Zealand
city of Dunedin
. It is located in the southeast of the city's urban area, 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) southeast of the city's centre, and at the narrowest point of the isthmus
which joins Otago Peninsula
to the rest of the South Island (here just 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) in width). The suburb takes its name from the similarly named tow
n in Scotland
. Musselburgh's 2001 population was 2,835.
Musselburgh's most distinctive feature is a rocky outcrop called the Musselburgh Rise, which rises prominently above the eastern end of "The Flat", the local name for the broad coastal plain which stretches across the suburbs of Saint Kilda
and South Dunedin
. The Rise is located close to the southernmost point of the Otago Harbour
immediately to the west of the Andersons Bay Inlet. Another outcrop, geologically part of the same formation, lies several hundred metres to the east, and has been extensively quarried.
The rise lends its name to the suburb's main street, Musselburgh Rise (differentiated in name from the outcrop by always being written without the definite article), which connects with the southern end of Andersons Bay Road and skirts the southern flank of the outcrop. Musselburgh Rise contains the suburb's small retail area, consisting of some dozen or so shops. This shopping area and the southern flank of the Rise is sometimes considered a separate suburb, Sunshine, which was at on time known as Goat Hill.
The northern side of the Musselburgh Rise is skirted by another main thoroughfare, Portobello Road. This road joins with the southern end of Portsmouth Drive close to the northeastern point of the rise, and continues across the causeway at Andersons Bay Inlet, though the junction is a limited one, and traffic may not turn right from the Musselburgh part of Portsmouth Drive to continue across the causeway. Close to the junction is a large memorial stone to the Taranaki Māori prisoners of the New Zealand Land Wars
who were transported south to Dunedin, many of whom constructed the causeway and much of Dunedin's foreshore roads as forced labour. A branch railway ran along Portobello Road in this area from the 1870s until 1912, and rail links continued to the suburb until the track were lifted in 1928.
Close to the eastern edge of the rise is one of Dunedin's main secondary schools, Bayfield High School
. This school lies close to the boundary of the suburbs of Musselburgh and Andersons Bay
.
Musselburgh's residential area includes the top of the Musselburgh Rise, and spreads east and south along the eastern edge of the suburb of Saint Kilda
. Other surrounding suburbs include Andersons Bay
in the east, Tahuna in the southeast, and Tainui in the south. The top of the rise includes several larger homes, notably including Belmont, built in the 1860s for politician and newspaper editor William Cutten
. Belmont was later owned by Sidney Neill, and became famed for its gardens Neill was the son of Percy Neill, founder of Neill & Co, which was to become New Zealand's largest importer of spirits. Sidney Neill's widow lived at Belmont until the late 1950s when the large house was sold, divided and the property broken up into separate sections. The Rise was also home to Sir Norman Haggitt.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
city of Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. It is located in the southeast of the city's urban area, 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) southeast of the city's centre, and at the narrowest point of the isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
which joins Otago Peninsula
Otago Peninsula
The Otago Peninsula is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies south-east of Otago Harbour and runs parallel to the mainland for...
to the rest of the South Island (here just 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) in width). The suburb takes its name from the similarly named tow
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
n in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Musselburgh's 2001 population was 2,835.
Musselburgh's most distinctive feature is a rocky outcrop called the Musselburgh Rise, which rises prominently above the eastern end of "The Flat", the local name for the broad coastal plain which stretches across the suburbs of Saint Kilda
Saint Kilda, New Zealand
St Kilda is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. A densely populated residential suburb, it lies on the southern part of the city's central plain, to the southwest of the head of the harbour and immediately north of Ocean Beach, parts of which are within the suburb and form its major...
and South Dunedin
South Dunedin
South Dunedin is a major inner city suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located, as its name suggests, to the south of the city centre, on part of a large plain known locally simply as "The Flat". The suburb is a mix of industrial, retail, and predominantly lower-quality residential...
. The Rise is located close to the southernmost point of the Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour is the natural harbour of Dunedin, New Zealand, consisting of a long, much-indented stretch of generally navigable water separating the Otago Peninsula from the mainland. They join at its southwest end, from the harbour mouth...
immediately to the west of the Andersons Bay Inlet. Another outcrop, geologically part of the same formation, lies several hundred metres to the east, and has been extensively quarried.
The rise lends its name to the suburb's main street, Musselburgh Rise (differentiated in name from the outcrop by always being written without the definite article), which connects with the southern end of Andersons Bay Road and skirts the southern flank of the outcrop. Musselburgh Rise contains the suburb's small retail area, consisting of some dozen or so shops. This shopping area and the southern flank of the Rise is sometimes considered a separate suburb, Sunshine, which was at on time known as Goat Hill.
The northern side of the Musselburgh Rise is skirted by another main thoroughfare, Portobello Road. This road joins with the southern end of Portsmouth Drive close to the northeastern point of the rise, and continues across the causeway at Andersons Bay Inlet, though the junction is a limited one, and traffic may not turn right from the Musselburgh part of Portsmouth Drive to continue across the causeway. Close to the junction is a large memorial stone to the Taranaki Māori prisoners of the New Zealand Land Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
who were transported south to Dunedin, many of whom constructed the causeway and much of Dunedin's foreshore roads as forced labour. A branch railway ran along Portobello Road in this area from the 1870s until 1912, and rail links continued to the suburb until the track were lifted in 1928.
Close to the eastern edge of the rise is one of Dunedin's main secondary schools, Bayfield High School
Bayfield High School, Dunedin
Bayfield High School is a co-educational high school in Dunedin New Zealand. It was established in 1961 and is located on the corner of Musselburgh Rise and Shore Street, adjacent to the Otago Harbour. The school currently has approximately 700 students....
. This school lies close to the boundary of the suburbs of Musselburgh and Andersons Bay
Andersons Bay
Andersons Bay is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located in the southeast of the city's urban area, southeast of the city's centre...
.
Musselburgh's residential area includes the top of the Musselburgh Rise, and spreads east and south along the eastern edge of the suburb of Saint Kilda
Saint Kilda, New Zealand
St Kilda is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. A densely populated residential suburb, it lies on the southern part of the city's central plain, to the southwest of the head of the harbour and immediately north of Ocean Beach, parts of which are within the suburb and form its major...
. Other surrounding suburbs include Andersons Bay
Andersons Bay
Andersons Bay is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located in the southeast of the city's urban area, southeast of the city's centre...
in the east, Tahuna in the southeast, and Tainui in the south. The top of the rise includes several larger homes, notably including Belmont, built in the 1860s for politician and newspaper editor William Cutten
William Cutten
William Henry Cutten was a New Zealand politician. He served in the 1st New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Dunedin Country electorate 1853-1855, but resigned before the end of his term. He later served in the 6th Parliament as a representative for Taieri 1878-1879, also resigned. He...
. Belmont was later owned by Sidney Neill, and became famed for its gardens Neill was the son of Percy Neill, founder of Neill & Co, which was to become New Zealand's largest importer of spirits. Sidney Neill's widow lived at Belmont until the late 1950s when the large house was sold, divided and the property broken up into separate sections. The Rise was also home to Sir Norman Haggitt.