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Story: City planning

Dunedin's plan

Dunedin’s grid was rectilinear and centred on an octagon. The plan took some account of the topography, with some streets running diagonally up the encircling hills to lessen their grade. Even so, Dunedin boasts the world’s steepest street – Baldwin Street in North East Valley.

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Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

by F. W. Flanagan

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How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, City planning – Early settlement planning, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/25725/dunedins-plan (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 3 March 2010, updated 26 March 2015.