Dunedin-Waitati Highway

Leith Saddle is a saddle between the sources of the Water of Leith and the Waitati River, approximately halfway between Dunedin's northern suburb of Pine Hill and the outlying settlement of Waitati. The saddle is a strategic point where the Dunedin Northern Motorway, part of State Highway 1 traverses a fragile alpine forest. Proposed road works to straighten a dangerous corner here conflict with conservation values. Water supply pipelines, and popular tramping and cycling routes also converge at the saddle. The Water of Leith's source is 100 metres to the south of Leith Saddle, at a height of 380 metres above sea level.The Leith Saddle Track is a 3.5 hour climb through native cloud forest to Swampy Spur and Swampy Summit with links to other walkways in the Silverpeaks and Dunedin's hills.The Dunedin Northern Motorway has an at-grade intersection at the Leith Saddle summit with Leith Valley Road and Waitati Valley Road. Both have low motor vehicle volumes and have metalled surfaces, making them attractive to cyclists.Transit New Zealand signalled a long term intention in 2004 to realign SH1 in the vicinity of Leith Saddle; construction would require removal of some old-growth forest. The forest here features a species of Libocedrus, variously called Pahautea, Kaikawaka or New Zealand cedar, Libocedrus bidwillii, which is unusual in this region of New Zealand.Transit New Zealand stated in 2004 that Leith Saddle has 250% more accidents than average for the New Zealand state highway network and that the accident rate increased by 50% in the ten years to 2004. They said realignment here would reduce traffic delays, fuel use, crashes, and emissions of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.A contour pipeline running southbound over the saddle from several tributaries of the Waitati River feeds two of Dunedin's water supply reservoirs in Leith Valley: Ross Creek Reservoir and Sullivans Dam. Treated, fluoridated water is transmitted northwards from Dunedin's municipal water system via a new pipeline to the rural settlements of Waitati, Warrington and Seacliff.

Sullivans Dam (often incorrectly but grammatically referred to as Sullivan's Dam) is a reservoir in a forested area 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of the centre of Dunedin, New Zealand. The dam is located to the east of Mount Cargill, close to the Dunedin Northern Motorway in the upper Leith Valley, some 500 metres southeast of the Leith Saddle. It was proposed in 1909 by City Councillor Archibald J. Sullivan (1869–1932), after whom it is named, in order to expand Dunedin's water supply. Work began in May 1913 and the reservoir was officially opened on 15 July 1916. The surrounding catchment area is today a popular site for walkers, with numerous bush walks around the reservoir. The reservoir was also stocked with trout shortly after its completion, and stocks of the fish are periodically replenished. As such, the reservoir provides popular sport for anglers.

Moore's Bush Reserve, also known as Moore's Bush, is a small reserve in the suburb of Leith Valley in Dunedin, New Zealand.This 4-hectare reserve is a combination of remnant native forest and a former dairy farm that has been replanted with native species.A number of small streams, including the Leith, run through the reserve.

Swampy Summit is a prominent hill 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the north of Dunedin, New Zealand. It reaches a height of 739 metres (2,425 ft). The hill's eastern slopes forms the western side of Leith Valley, the other side of which consists of the flank of Mount Cargill. The Leith Saddle is 2500 metres to the east of Swampy Summit's peak. Both the Water of Leith and the Waitati River (which forms the valley on the north side of the Leith Saddle) have their sources on Swampy Summit's eastern flank. As the name suggests, a regionally significant 48.4 hectares (120 acres) of wetland lies to the southeast, close to the peak of Swampy Summit. The wetland is largely composed of peat bog which formed in a hollow near the summit, over which sphagnum moss has grown. Beyond the wetland lies a subordinate peak, Swampy Spur. To the west of Swampy Summit, the land falls away to form the valley of Whare Creek (McKenzie's Creek), a tributary of the Silver Stream. A ridge connects the hill with another prominent peak, Flagstaff, which lies five kilometres to the south. The slopes of Swampy Summit are the site of several walking and mountain biking tracks, one of which — the Swampy Ridge Track — ascends to the hill's peak. The first track on Swampy Summit was formed in the 1840s by early settler Johnny Jones to ease his travels between his farm near Waikouaiti and the new settlement of Dunedin. A private access road also climbs to the summit, built during the 1960s when a telecommunications equipment was placed on and close to the summit.

Mount Cargill, known in Māori as Kapukataumahaka, is a volcanic outcrop which dominates the skyline of northern Dunedin, New Zealand. The peak is named for Captain William Cargill, an early leader of the Province of Otago. Māori legend tells of the mountain showing the profile of a prominent warrior, and indeed from Dunedin Buttar's Peak and Mount Cargill between them do form the outline of a reclining figure, with the nearby Buttar's Peak being the head and Mount Cargill the body. Panoramic views of Dunedin and its surrounding area are visible from the summit, making it a popular, if difficult to access, site. A single rough road ascends to the peak, and several popular walking tracks also ascend the slopes. Mount Cargill is topped by a telecommunications station and mast, the Mount Cargill Transmitting Station. The mast is Dunedin's tallest man-made structure.

Pine Hill is a suburb, hill, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited on the hill of the same name, a spur of Mount Cargill overlooking North East Valley and Glenleith 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the north of the city centre. This spur lies in the fork of the confluence of the Water of Leith and its largest tributary, the Lindsay Creek. The term Pine Hill is used generally to refer to a group of suburbs which lie on the hill's slopes: Pine Hill suburb itself, which sits on the upper slopes of the spur, and also two other suburbs which lie on the lower slopes, Dalmore and Liberton.

Leith Valley is a suburb, valley, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located to the northwest of the city centre. To differentiate the name of the valley from that of the suburb, the former is usually referred to as the Leith Valley, the latter simply as Leith Valley.

The Chingford Stables are located in North East Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand. The stables are now used for both private and public functions, and listed as a Category I Historic Place.

Bethune's Gully is notable geological feature of northern Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located close to the suburb of Normanby towards the northern end of North East Valley. It preserves a number of acres of very old-growth forest and a large stand of exotic Douglas fir, and is an ecosystem directly below the cloud forest on the upper slopes of Mount Cargill. The gully was formed by the upper reaches of Lindsay Creek, a tributary of the Water of Leith which flows along North East Valley. The gully is surrounded by an 86-hectare (210-acre) reserve and recreational area at the start of walking and trail-biking tracks which lead up the slopes of Mount Cargill, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the north. The most notable of these is a 2-hour round trip walk which leads to the Cargill's summit, a rise of 580 metres (1,900 ft), which was opened in 1981.In 1996 Bethune's Gully was the venue for the New Zealand national mountain-biking championships. Biking tracks were extended after the championships and were opened to the public in 2003. Nearby Forrester Park, on Norwood Street, is home to the city's main BMX circuit.The reserve was named for David Bethune, who took over the property in 1878, setting up a sawmill and brick kiln. The property fell into disuse after it was sold by Bethune, only to be redeveloped by J. B. Thompson immediately after World War I and leased to the Dunedin City Council. It became city property after Thompson's death in 1955.The Gully is reached by Cluny Street, a short paved road off Normanby's Norwood Street, beyond which Norwood Street passes through a narrow cutting before emerging in open countryside.

Dalmore Reserve is a small reserve in the suburb of Dalmore in Dunedin. It is managed by Dunedin City Council who purchased the land in 1990 from the Dominican Order. The 6-hectare reserve is primarily lowland native forest and features a community garden and walking tracks.

The Ross Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake in Dunedin, New Zealand. One of the oldest artificial lakes in the country, and the oldest water supply reservoir still in use in the country, it was created in the 1860s to provide water for the city of Dunedin, at that time in the middle of rapid expansion due to the Otago goldrush. Designed by engineer Ralph Donkin and supervising builder David Proudfoot, the reservoir was opened in 1867 as the Royal Albert Reservoir, but the name was unpopular and it has been known as the Ross Creek Reservoir for over a century. The reservoir, dams, and picturesque valve tower have a New Zealand Historic Places Trust Level I classification. The reservoir is located in a heavily wooded valley in the suburb of Glenleith, four kilometres north of the city centre. Fed by a small stream, the Ross Creek — a tributary of the Water of Leith — it is held behind two small dams, 23 metres and 10 metres in height. The base of the larger dam is 95 metres above sea level, with the water surface at approximately 115 metres ASL.

Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, New Zealand, is located in the residential suburb of North East Valley, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) northeast of Dunedin's central business district. Guinness World Records calls it the steepest street in the world, meaning no street gains more altitude in 10 horizontal metres, measured along the street's centreline.