Dunn — who is the second Tactix player to shift south after midcourter Kimiora Poi — will join Silver Ferns goal attack Georgia Heffernan and promising Summer Temu in the circle.
Since making her ANZ Premiership debut for the Steel as a replacement player in 2017, the 24-year-old Dunn has plied her netball trade further north, winning three titles in five years with the Pulse before switching to the Tactix last year.
She earned four caps for the Silver Ferns in 2018 and was a member of the New Zealand under-21 World Youth Cup winning side in 2017.
Family proved the catalyst to finally return home to Invercargill.
"Family was definitely a big drawcard for me," Dunn said.
"Both of my nans are getting older so being closer to them was important to me. I also fully understand the obsession over the first grandchild as my brother now has a 1-year-old daughter and being able to see her every day is going to be the best part."
She was "very excited" to return for her seventh campaign, Heffernan said.
"This franchise means a lot to me — it is home and I love being able to represent the South. I’m very excited for 2025 and the new and old faces it brings into our team," Heffernan said.
Temu, 18, has been promoted to a full contract after serving as a replacement player this season.
"I couldn’t be happier to continue wearing the Steel colours," Temu said.
"This franchise has already done so much for me and I can’t wait to represent it again."
The Steel thanked English shooter George Fisher, Grace Namana and replacement Jen O’Connell for their contributions.
■With the ANZ Premiership being cut from three to two rounds, Dunedin will host only one Steel game next season.
They will play their first home game against the Northern Mystics at the Edgar Centre on May 26, but their other four home games are in Invercargill.
The competition will run for 10 weeks with 30 round robin games and retains the same playoff system as previous years.
