Then, they eventually passed as close as 90km off the Otago coast.
Australian scientists on Macquarie Island, about halfway between Australia and the Antarctic, spotted the iceberg last week.
The Australian Antarctic Division website reported on Friday the iceberg was about 8km off the northwest coast of the island and estimated to be about 50m high and 500m long.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research physical oceanographer Dr Mike Williams said yesterday, while he was only going on information in Australian media reports, it appeared the iceberg was in roughly the same location as where the 2006 icebergs were first sighted.
"To me, that says it is possible they could come closer to New Zealand and may well come in [off] Otago."
However, in that location currents varied "quite a bit" and the iceberg could just as easily push south around the Campbell Islands and into the Pacific Ocean, Dr Williams said.
Travelling with the currents, the icebergs would be moving about 2km-3km an hour.
"From the photos, the iceberg looks like it is in good condition and not melted like the ones off Dunedin."
In 2006, two large icebergs and about 18 smaller chunks were seen.
One of the large icebergs was about 500m by 50m.
