Much of Dunedin's attractions is close to the Octagon, the centre of town that's crowded with historic buildings alongside modern cafes and bars. The Octagon was originally laid out in 1846 by Charles Kettle, the Chief Surveyor of the New Zealand Company. Today, following a substantial face-lift in the 1980s, it's a mixture of modern and beautifully preserved buildings overlooking grassland and trees, presided over by a statue of Robert Burns, a potent symbol of Dunedin's Scottish origins and literary associations.