round Alexandra ranges rise on all sides. To the north lie the broad reaches of the Dunstan Range and to the south and west the Old Man Range.

The Old Man Range is remarkable for being home to a number of native plants as well as for its many spectacular tors - impressive pillars of schist up to 15 metres tall. This range is worth taking time to explore but be careful: Central Otago weather changes with treacherous suddenness even in summer and severe snowstorms can occur at any time of the year. In 1863 such a storm took 30 lives when a party of miners was caught out on these ranges.

From Alexandra State Highway 85 runs north-east for some distance along the Manuherikia River before turning south-east through the gap between the North Rough Ridge and the Hawkdun Range towards Ranfurly and eventually the coast at Palmerston. At Waihemo, some 30 kilometres before Palmerston, a side-road leads south to Macraes Flat, considered remarkable by reptile researchers for the six species of one genus of lizard that can be found living here in one small area - the only place in the world this occurs.

Palmerston is reached not far south of Shag Point and this is worth a visit to see the seabirds - although there are not, in fact, many shags. Cape pigeons are quite common along the coast together with giant petrels and sooty shearwaters and further out large numbers of albatrosses and mollymawks are to be seen.

Not far north of Shag Point is Moeraki where the famous round boulders are found. On the tiny island of Maukiekie, just offshore, there are little shags, spotted shags and the northernmost colony of Stewart Island shags. They all breed here along with the only colony of royal spoonbills known to nest on an island.

Turning back south it is about 30 kilometres to Waikouaiti where at nearby Island Point in 1846 the collector Percy Earl excavated a large number of moa bones. The naturalist Walter Mantell found more here in 1849 and made other collections further north at two points he dubbed Paramoa and Awamoa. Since then these two names have often been erroneously cited as examples of Maori usage of the word moa in place names.

From here it is a fairly short drive to Dunedin where a stop of a couple of days is well worthwhile. There is plenty to see in the surrounding countryside and the Otago Museum is worth visiting. Their bird collection includes some of the best mounted specimens I have seen, the laughing owl being particularly impressive.

There are many parks and gardens throughout the city and in the many patches of light bush a good number of native and exotic birds can be found.

Dunedin, was one of the earliest places where large-scale importation of exotic birds took place. In 1871 there was great excitement when Richard Bills, who made a living by importing birds for acclimatisation societies, arrived in Dunedin with 1000 birds, an exceptionally high number for that time.

Blackbirds, thrushes, skylarks, and a variety of finches were imported. Robins were also an early arrival but were not successful because the canny Mr Bills brought only cock birds, figuring that no one would pay good money for the drab females. Rosellas are here as well, descendants of a mixed flock of crimson and eastern rosellas released from a ship in Dunedin's harbour, Port Chalmers, in 1910, after they were refused entry.

One of only two lots of cirl buntings to be brought in went to Dunedin (the other went to Wellington). These have survived but are nowhere common, with most of them being found in the limestone country around Oamaru.

Another importation the society made which has earned it criticism is that of the little owl. This was first imported between 1906 and 1910 from Germany to control small birds which were attacking fruit. They succeeded only too well and the grubs which the birds had kept under control soon flourished. The owls also infuriated bird societies by attacking native species.

Two birds which have earned Dunedin justifiable fame are the yelloweyed penguin or hoiho, and the royal albatross, or toroa. At Taiaroa Head, not far from the city, is found the only mainland breeding colony of this beautiful albatross. It apparently tried to breed at this site for a number of years but was disturbed by animals and bird-egg collectors. Then in 1937 Lance Richdale, a keen naturalist, took it upon himself to protect the bird, and the first chick was reared. Richdale is better known for his work with the yellow-eyed penguin, but it is almost certain that without his interest - which sometimes meant sitting all day beside the nest the colony would not have become established. Now a small but growing colony of royal albatrosses is established at Taiaroa Head and thousands of visitors come each year to see the birds.

The yellow-eyed penguin is, on the other hand, in decline. Needing forested coastline near deep water to breed, the bird is under threat as this type of cover has been cleared for farming or by fire. Stock has also disturbed breeding birds, and local Forest and Bird Society members have begun to fence off breeding areas.