The Kilmog

The Kilmog (occasionally Kilmog Hill) is a hilly area approximately 20 kilometres north of Dunedin, New Zealand, on State Highway 1, to the north of Blueskin Bay, south of Karitane, and inland of the coastal settlements of Warrington and Seacliff. It is more well known for a steep stretch of State Highway 1 where this main state highway traverses a section of these hills between Waitati and Waikouaiti.

In the five kilometre stretch from Evansdale, at the northern end of Blueskin Bay, SH1 climbs from sea level to an altitude of 300 m - the highest point on the highway south of Amberley in north Canterbury. Most of the road is 3 lanes, with two lanes for uphill traffic on each side of the hill, and a passing lane for southbound traffic on a relatively flat alignment near the summit. The highway is sometimes closed by snow in winter.

Most of the area is prone to slumping, which leads to regular maintenance for the highway. The instability of the land also lead to the disgrace of architect Robert Lawson, whose Seacliff Lunatic Asylum was structurally affected.

A narrow winding scenic alternative route by-passing the Kilmog follows the coast past the settlements of Warrington and Seacliff, but this is of a relatively poor standard and is not recommended for heavy vehicles.

The hill's name, though occasionally disputed, is widely believed to be a corruption of the Southern Maori word Kilimoko, the name of a species of manuka tree used by early Maori for brewing a kind of tea.