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Otago Rail TrailIn 1993 D.O.C. bought the old railway land and built a 150km
recreational trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders that runs from
Middlemarch across the Maniototo Plain to Clyde. The trail winds through
gorges over terrain that's best described as 'middle earth'. Over
picturesque railway bridges and through old brick tunnels built around the
turn of the century. Along the route the local pub come backpacker now
serve either a Speight or a cappuccino. Ranfurly Art Deco TownOriginally to be named Eweburn, Ranfurly was named after the fifth Earl
of Ranfurly, the 15th Governor General of New Zealand, and is perhaps more
notable for the Ranfurly Shield, New Zealand's inter-provincial rugby
trophy. Ranfurly features some of the first buildings designed to meet
early standards of earthquake specification following the Napier quake of
1933. The modernist design style of Art Deco used in Napier was adopted in
Ranfurly and used in many of the homes and commercial buildings in the
town and surrounding communities. Danseys PassThe Upper Kyeburn goldfield was in existence even before the main finds
at and the miners were well served by the Danseys Pass Hotel built
in 1862, its stonework paid for in beer. The hotel has been redeveloped
into a world renowned Coach Inn, and is the last stop on the Danseys Pass
Road which winds over the mountains to North Otago. The road from Duntroon
to , once used by pack trackers and gold prospectors, crosses over
Dansey's Pass, named after William Dansey, who discovered it. The Dansey's
Pass road is winding, narrow in places, and largely unsealed, and is
sometimes closed during the winter due to snow DuntroonClose to Duntroon are two good sites to view early Maori rock drawings.
Duntroon is worth a vist alone to see these and the old Blacksmith stables
and gaol. But it is also home to The Vanished World Centre which was
designed to provide a glimpse and an introductory interpretation of a
particular period of geological time when the New Zealand region played a
significant role in the development of groups such as Cetacea (whales,
dolphins and porpoises) and penguins. St BathansJust 30 minutes from beneath the Hawkdun Range and the Dunstan
Mountains is the tiny ancient gold mining township of St Bathans. Situated
beside the beautiful Blue Lake (created by the sluicing and channelling of
the gold diggers), the intense blue colour of the lake is caused by the
mineral content of the surrounding cliffs. The adobe (sun dried mud brick)
buildings, notably the Vulcan Hotel, reflect a theme common throughout
Central Otago. With virtually no timber available in the goldfields areas,
miners and other settlers used whatever was to hand to build their
dwellings. OturehuaOriginally known as Rough Ridge, Oturehua is now a quiet little
township serving the farming community of the Ida Valley. Most famous of
its sites is Hayes Engineering Works established in 1895 by Ernest
Hayes maker of the world famous Hayes Wire Strainer, and the Hayes
Windmill. Gilchrist's Oturehua Store Hayes Engineering Works Triplet Creek Country Garden OphirAfter the discovery of gold in 1863, Ophir was the commercial and
social centre in it's district, and had a population of about 1000. Now
famous for Blacks Hotel, the Ophir bridge, the Post and Telegraph Office,
courthouse, bakery, and cottage hospital. MiddlemarchThere are two routes from Dunedin to ; the Pigroot through
Palmerston, or the Railway line through the township of Middlemarch, home
of the infamous 'Otago Farmers Singles Ball' McCrae's MineVisit the historic village of McCrae's and see the churches, stables
and agricultural machinery of a bygone era. Visit heritage mining sites
including a complete battery stamper. View the gigantic Fraser's open cast
pit and the CAT maintenance base. Other TownsOther towns in the area are: |
