Students began celebrating St Patrick’s Day in North Dunedin well before sunrise today, with crowds gathering on Castle St from the early hours.
Police, volunteers and the University of Otago urged revellers to celebrate safely as hundreds of young people gathered in green in Dunedin’s student quarter.
By mid-morning, the student street was already bustling, with music, barbecues and groups of green-clad students moving between flats.
Students spoken to by the Herald said they began drinking shortly after 3.30am as part of their first St Patrick’s Day on Castle St.
“It’s amazing,” a first year said. “Everyone’s so welcoming … it’s a great community. Everyone’s so kind.”
She said she attempted to partake in “six before 6″ (drinking six alcoholic beverages before 6am) but had only managed five.
The pair said they were hoping to last through the day to a large afternoon gathering known as “Lake House”.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said police had been monitoring the area since early morning and the event had been largely well-behaved so far.
“Going very well at the moment. A lot of good barbecues are being done by the university and Red Frogs, which has helped sustain them.”
While there had been some intoxicated students, Bond said friends had generally been looking after each other.
“So far, so good. No arrests, which is pleasing.”
Members of the Otago University Christian group, Student Life, were among volunteers out helping students through the long day.
Student Life member Dre Niehaus said the group had been handing out sausages and water to partygoers - “treating the people who are doing it hard”.
The group returned every year because it was a practical way to support students during the large celebration, he said.
“Dunedin’s pretty unique like that, to show God’s love in a real practical way. Today is a big day, so a sausage and a cup of water goes a long way.”
By 10am, Niehaus said the street was already lively.
“Chaos. It is chaotic.
“Some people start at 2am, 3am, 4am. It’s a long day. It’s only 10am, so people might be thriving, but usually they’re trying to survive by the end of the day.”
Police began shifts from 5am and would maintain a presence throughout the day, with around 25 staff working throughout the whole day, Bond said.
He urged students to drink responsibly and look after themselves.
“Keep up the fluids … get some food into you, be responsible, and when you’ve had enough, go home and go to bed and sleep it off.”
Bond also warned students to stay off roofs - an issue police have repeatedly raised in recent years.
“It’s disappointing. We’ve done a lot of work over the last couple of years around educating everyone about being on a roof at heights whilst intoxicated and it’s not a good idea,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen some serious injury and long-term injury suffered by people who have fallen off.”
In the lead-up to St Patrick’s Day, the University of Otago issued several reminders urging students to celebrate safely, a university spokesperson said.
Students were reminded that March 17 was a normal university day and they were expected to attend classes, the spokesperson said.
They were also urged to stay off roofs, avoid breaking glass and show respect to the wider Dunedin community.
The university said St Patrick’s Day gatherings in North Dunedin were not university-organised events, but staff worked closely with community partners such as police, the Dunedin City Council and student groups to support safety.
Campus Watch staff were rostered on throughout the day alongside other university staff.
The university also noted that problems at student events have historically involved non-students travelling to Dunedin.
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.