Duntroon

Duntroon is a small farming town in the Waitaki District of New Zealand's South Island. Although traditionally considered a North Otago town, it is located within the farthest southern reaches of Canterbury. Just north of the town is the Waitaki River that forms the traditional border between the two regions, although the official border has now been moved south to put most of Waitaki District within Canterbury, including Duntroon. To the east of the village is the Maerewhenua River. Near the village are the Earthquakes, a limestone cliff formation.The 2001 census recorded Duntroon as having a population of 120, consisting of 69 females and 51 males, an increase of 3 people or 2.6% since the 1996 census. By the 2006 census the population had declined to 114. The town was named by Scottish settler and farmer Robert Campbell. Economic activity has been mainly agricultural for much of the town's history, focusing primarily on sheep farming and the growth of crops such as wheat and barley.Duntroon is home to the Vanished World Heritage Centre, dedicated to showcasing the geology of the Waitaki region and preserving fossils of extinct species that have been found in the region. These include two species of the penguin genus Archaeospheniscus, Lowe's penguin and Lopdell's penguin, found in the Kokoamu Greensand formation. The town is also located near two sites of centuries-old Māori rock drawings.