Mosgiel is on the Taieri Plain, about 15 to 17 km west of central Dunedin. It's part of the Dunedin City Council since 1989 but separated from the city's contiguous suburbs by hills, giving it a distinct country-town feel.

How was Mosgiel named?

Mosgiel was named after Mossgiel Farm in Ayrshire, Scotland, the home of poet Robert Burns. His nephew, Reverend Thomas Burns, was a co-founder of the Otago settlement. The original spelling lost an "s" over time.

Why is there a Hollywood-style sign in Mosgiel?

A "MOSGIEL" sign sits on a hillside at the northeastern edge of town, modelled on the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. It's a local landmark, and locals occasionally joke about calling the town "Mollywood".

Is Dunedin Airport in Mosgiel?

Dunedin International Airport is at Momona, on the Taieri Plain about 10 minutes south of Mosgiel. Most flights into Dunedin land here, and it's the closest international airport to Mosgiel residents.

Saddle Hill (Matamata in te reo Maori) is a 473m volcanic hill south of Mosgiel, named for its distinctive saddle shape by Captain Cook in 1770. It's one of the most recognisable landmarks of the southern Otago coastline.

Which schools are in zone for Mosgiel?

Children living in Mosgiel are in zone for Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School, Silverstream (South) Primary School, St Hildas Collegiate, Columba College, John McGlashan College, Liberton Christian School, Taieri College, Trinity Catholic College. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Mosgiel?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Mosgiel, Otago | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Mosgiel

Mosgiel sits 15 km west of Dunedin on the Taieri Plain, separated from the city by Three Mile Hill and Saddle Hill. Locally it's "the pearl of the plain". The te reo Maori name is Te Konika o te Matamata. Population is around 15,100 and growing.

The town takes its name from Mossgiel Farm in Ayrshire, the home of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The "ss" got reduced to a single "s" along the way, possibly to save characters when names were sent by telegram. The suburb's founding figure was Reverend Thomas Burns, the poet's nephew and co-founder of the Otago settlement in 1848.

Three things are worth knowing locally. The Mosgiel Woollen Mill (1871) was Otago's first and one of New Zealand's earliest, producing blankets and uniforms for over a century before closing. Holy Cross College trained Catholic priests on the site from 1900 to 1997. And there's a Hollywood-style "MOSGIEL" sign on a hillside at the northeastern edge of town. Locals jokingly call the town "Mollywood".

Dunedin International Airport is at Momona, 10 minutes south. Saddle Hill (Matamata) sits to the south. Outram, the Taieri River and the Otago Central Rail Trail are all close by.

Is Mosgiel a good place to live?

Mosgiel is home to roughly 13,713 people across 1.1 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Mosgiel scores 76 out of 100, with a safety score of 91/100 and 15% green space.

Schools: Mosgiel has 15 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $742K, and weekly rent typically sits around $545.

Lifestyle: Mosgiel has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 5.9°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Mosgiel is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety91
Amenities100
Schools88
Housing Affordability51
Green space51
Community78
Transport30

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $742K
Median Weekly Rent: $545/wk
Median HH Income: $121K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +3.0%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Dunedin City →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Mosgiel?: Mosgiel is on the Taieri Plain, about 15 to 17 km west of central Dunedin. It's part of the Dunedin City Council since 1989 but separated from the city's contiguous suburbs by hills, giving it a distinct country-town feel.
How was Mosgiel named?: Mosgiel was named after Mossgiel Farm in Ayrshire, Scotland, the home of poet Robert Burns. His nephew, Reverend Thomas Burns, was a co-founder of the Otago settlement. The original spelling lost an "s" over time.
Why is there a Hollywood-style sign in Mosgiel?: A "MOSGIEL" sign sits on a hillside at the northeastern edge of town, modelled on the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. It's a local landmark, and locals occasionally joke about calling the town "Mollywood".
Is Dunedin Airport in Mosgiel?: Dunedin International Airport is at Momona, on the Taieri Plain about 10 minutes south of Mosgiel. Most flights into Dunedin land here, and it's the closest international airport to Mosgiel residents.
What is Saddle Hill?: Saddle Hill (Matamata in te reo Maori) is a 473m volcanic hill south of Mosgiel, named for its distinctive saddle shape by Captain Cook in 1770. It's one of the most recognisable landmarks of the southern Otago coastline.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Mosgiel

Schools in zone for Mosgiel

Children living in Mosgiel have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School
Full Primary · roll 77 · decile 9
Silverstream (South) Primary School
Contributing · roll 308 · decile 9
St Hildas Collegiate
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 463 · decile 10
Columba College
Composite · roll 609
John McGlashan College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 527
Liberton Christian School
Full Primary · roll 133 · decile 7
Taieri College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1203 · decile 7
Trinity Catholic College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 872

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Mosgiel. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Mosgiel that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

St Mary's School (Mosgiel)
Full Primary · roll 130 · decile 8 · 2.7 km away
Amana Christian School
Composite · roll 59 · decile 8 · 3.0 km away
Elmgrove School
Contributing · roll 291 · decile 7 · 3.1 km away
East Taieri School
Contributing · roll 309 · decile 8 · 3.8 km away
Fairfield School (Dunedin)
Full Primary · roll 486 · decile 9 · 4.1 km away
Abbotsford School
Full Primary · roll 281 · decile 9 · 4.4 km away
TKKM o Otepoti
Composite · roll 88 · decile 2 · 4.6 km away

Explore Mosgiel

Things to do(24)

Saddlehill

Petanque Taieri

Dunedin Riding Centre

ANZAC Park

Mosgiel Sign

Peter Johnstone Park

Seddon Park

Otago Fight Centre

Taieri Junior Cricket Club

Taieri Tennis Club Inc

Otago Equestrian Centre

Taieri Bowling Club

Taieri Cricket Club

The Taieri Rugby Football Club Inc

Taieri Squash Club

Memorial Park

Moturata Island Scenic Reserve

Complete Fitness Mosgiel

Mosgiel Playground

Wingatui Racecourse

Grassyards Farm

Taieri Rugby Club

Mosgiel Meenan Dance Centre

Mosgiel Park

Parks & green spaces(8)

Saddlehill

ANZAC Park

Peter Johnstone Park

Seddon Park

Memorial Park

Moturata Island Scenic Reserve

Mosgiel Playground

Mosgiel Park

Healthcare(2)

Unichem

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	19.81	11.01	2.27	10.58
☀️ Feb	19.29	10.31	3.08	9.78
🍂 Mar	17.6	9.13	3.04	8.88
🍂 Apr	15.6	7.22	2.07	7.9
🍂 May	12.99	5.2	2.18	6.38
❄️ Jun	10.4	3.04	2.08	5.78
❄️ Jul	9.33	3.16	4.76	5.54
❄️ Aug	11.4	2.2	1.48	7.4
🌸 Sep	13.02	4.23	2.47	8.34
🌸 Oct	14.62	5.07	3.8	9.66
🌸 Nov	16.06	7.12	2.89	10.33
☀️ Dec	17.87	9.9	4.1	9.44

Living in Mosgiel

Is Mosgiel a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Mosgiel

Schools in zone for Mosgiel

Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School

Silverstream (South) Primary School

St Hildas Collegiate

Columba College

John McGlashan College

Liberton Christian School

Taieri College

Trinity Catholic College

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

St Mary's School (Mosgiel)

Amana Christian School

Elmgrove School

East Taieri School

Fairfield School (Dunedin)

Abbotsford School

TKKM o Otepoti

Explore Mosgiel

🎯Things to do(24)

Saddlehill

Petanque Taieri

Dunedin Riding Centre

ANZAC Park

Mosgiel Sign

Peter Johnstone Park

Seddon Park

Otago Fight Centre

Taieri Junior Cricket Club

Taieri Tennis Club Inc

Otago Equestrian Centre

Taieri Bowling Club

Taieri Cricket Club

The Taieri Rugby Football Club Inc

Taieri Squash Club

Memorial Park

Moturata Island Scenic Reserve

Complete Fitness Mosgiel

Mosgiel Playground

Wingatui Racecourse

Grassyards Farm

Taieri Rugby Club

Mosgiel Meenan Dance Centre

Mosgiel Park

🌳Parks & green spaces(8)

Saddlehill

ANZAC Park

Peter Johnstone Park

Seddon Park

Memorial Park

Moturata Island Scenic Reserve

Mosgiel Playground

Mosgiel Park

🏥Healthcare(2)

Unichem

Mosgiel Health Centre

Eat & Drink in Mosgiel

🍽️Places to eat & drink(45)

Cravin Nutrition

Yum Yum

Mosgiel Tavern

Crofters Pub

Blackstone Cafe

Aurora Cafe

NELLIES

Weavers Restaurant

Topiary Café

Krishna Indian takeaways

Nellies Wine Bar and Restaurant

The Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar

Things to do(24)

Parks & green spaces(8)

Healthcare(2)

Places to eat & drink(45)

Tradies & services(42)