Give your kids a bird’s eye view of Otago with Manu the Moa! Find out ‘moa’ about our amazing place. Pick up YOUR copy at the Otago Museum Shop.
Only $9.90!
While on her Great Otago Holiday, MANU WONDERS. . .
How many people live in Otago?
At the time of the last census in 2006, in which all people living in New Zealand are counted, there were 193,803 people living in Otago. The census is held every 5 years. In 2001 there were 181,539 people - that is a 6.8% rise in Otago’s population.
How many arches does the Balclutha Bridge have?
The Balclutha Bridge has six arches.
Who decides where roads go?
There are several groups of people that decide where the roads go. Transit New Zealand is responsible for deciding where the state highways go. These include motorways and the roads connecting all our towns and cities together. Land Transport New Zealand is a government group that works with central, regional and local government to decide on the direction and placement of local roads.
Why would anyone buy horse poo?
Horse poo is great to use on gardens as manure or fertiliser. It helps plants grow healthy and strong!
What kinds of things can be made out of gold?
Gold can be made into a huge variety of things such as: jewellery, coins, medals, gold bullion (blocks of gold kept as currency), fillings for teeth and even put into electronics! You’ll find most cellphones, calculators, television and computers will have a small amount of gold in them, because it is a very good conductor of electricity.
What birds and insects live in wetland swamps?
There are many different creatures that live in wetland swamps. You can find birds such as Fernbirds, Stilts, Oyster catchers, Godwits, White herons, Pukeko, Scaup, Swans, Bitterns and Royal spoonbills. Insects living in the wetlands include Dragonflies, Mayflies, Backswimmers, Waterboatmen, Dobsonflies, Damselflies and Sandflies!
What breed of sheep is Shrek?
Shrek is a Merino ram – good for warm woolly jumpers!
What kinds of trees have blossoms?
Any tree that grows stone fruit, such as cherries or plums, has flowers called blossoms.
What four fruits are in the big Cromwell sign?
This iconic landmark features a pear, an apple, an apricot and a nectarine.
How many kilometres long is the Central Otago Rail Trail?
The Central Otago Rail Trail is 150km long. Originally, the Trail was completed in 1907 as a railway line between Middlemarch and Clyde. It stopped being used for that in 1990.
How many ski fields are there in Otago?
There are six well-known ski fields in the Otago region – the Remarkables, Treble Cone, Coronet Peak, Cardrona, Snow Park NZ and Ohau ski fields.
Who invented bungy jumping?
While A J Hackett is the first person to commercialise bungy jumping (that means he made it available for the general public), people from the Pentecost Islands in Vanuatu seem to have thought of it first. In the 1950’s, a British film crew brought back footage of men called “land divers”, who would jump from tall wooden platforms with vines tied around their ankles as a test of courage. This inspired a group called the “Dangerous Sports Club” in Bristol, England, to jump off a suspension bridge in 1979. A J Hackett made his first jump in 1986 in Greenhithe, Auckland, then opened the Kawarau Bridge jump, near Queenstown, to the public in 1988. There are now four commercial A J Hackett bungy jumping operations in New Zealand. These are in Auckland and Queenstown, with several other companies in tourist hotspots, such as Taupo and Rotorua.
Did dinosaurs ever meet moa?
No. The oldest known moa specimen is only about 2.4 million years old, while dinosaurs became extinct around 65 million years ago. However, the ancestors of the eleven New Zealand moa species are thought to have lived from as early as 80 million years ago, so it is possible that they may have met a dinosaur!
What differences are there between a Giant moa and a Heavy-footed moa?
The Giant moa was the tallest of the moas, standing as tall as 3 metres and weighing up to 300kg. The Heavy-footed moa was very stout, measured approximately 1.8m and weighed 145kg. As its name suggests, it was heavy-footed. While both lived in shrubland, the Giant moa also lived in low, open forest.
Why don’t moa have wings?
Moa belong to a group of birds called ratites. These birds don’t have wings. Early New Zealand was a land free from predators so the birds did not need to fly to escape being killed. They could survive on land alone because it was free of enemies.
What other kinds of penguins might I meet in Otago?
In addition to the Little blue, Otago is home to the Yellow-eyed penguin (Hōiho).
If I look hard enough, will I be able to see the tiny sea creatures in Oamaru stone? If you’re lucky, sometimes you will! You just need to know what you’re looking for. Sometimes you might see the whole remains of a large shell, or little crushed up pieces. If you find round circles, they were probably, once upon a time, part of a sea creature.
Why are the Moeraki Boulders so round?
Many millions of years ago shells and other marine life settled on the seabed. Over a long time, sand covered the shell and marine life (known as sediment) pressing it deep under the ground. Seawater has a lot of calcium carbonate in it and this gets trapped in the sand. As more sand gets piled on top of the sediment, it gets very heavy, creating a great deal of pressure on the sediment, which squeezes the water out. As the water is being squeezed out of the sediment, the calcium carbonate is forming crystals around some of the larger shells in the sediment. Over time, the sediment hardens over the crystal shells, creating round balls of various sizes. Over thousands or even millions of years, these balls grow in size with each new layer of sediment, only to stop growing in size when the water can no longer seep through the mud exterior. The reason the Moeraki Boulders are so round is because when the layers of sediment harden over them, there is very little disturbance, such as running water, so the sediment can form evenly.
What New Zealand bird has the biggest egg?
The kiwi not only has the largest egg compared with the size of the adult bird in the world, but also has the largest egg of any bird in New Zealand!
What is ice cream made of?
Ice cream is made mainly of milk, cream and sugar. Other ingredients are added depending on the flavour.
How tall is the ‘M’ in the Mosgiel sign?
The ‘M’ is approximately 3 metres tall.
Why does the water in the pool make my eyes sting?
The water in public swimming pools contains a chemical called chlorine, which is added to kill any bugs or germs that may be in the water. While it is not harmful to you, it may make your eyes, which are a sensitive part of your body, sting a little.
What other birds live on the Otago Peninsula?
Yellow-eyed penguins, Black-backed gulls, Red-billed gulls, Stewart Island shag, Spotted shag, Petrels and Little pied cormorant all live on the Otago Peninsula.
How many people study in Dunedin?
Every year approximately 25,000 students converge on Dunedin’s University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic campuses. That’s about 1/5th of the total population of Dunedin at the last census in 2006.
How old is the Dunedin Railway Station?
The Dunedin Railway Station was opened in 1906, making it nearly 103 years old!
What other native birds like Kowhai flowers?
The Kowhai flower is a favourite meal for Bellbirds, Tuis and Kererū (Woodpigeons).
Which is the steepest part of Baldwin Street?
The steepest part of Baldwin Street is a six metre stretch at the top, with a gradient of 1:2.86. That means for every 2.86 metres you walk on that stretch of road, you rise 1 metre!
What is chocolate made of?
The key ingredients of chocolate are cocoa powder, cocoa butter, milk and sugar. Other ingredients are added depending on the flavour.
How many stories are there in the Otago Daily Times each day?
Each day is different in the Otago Daily Times depending on what is happening in the news. You are likely to be able to read over 120 stories in each weekday edition of the paper. On Saturdays this can rise to 200 or more. The number of stories is influenced by how many pages are printed each day.
When are you coming to visit me at the Otago Museum?
As soon as you can, we can’t wait to see you! |
