OTAGO CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL
Stretching from Dunedin to Clyde, the Central Otago rail branch linked small, inland goldfield towns with the big city from the early 20th century through to the 1990s. After the 150km stretch from Middlemarch to Clyde was permanently closed, the rails were ripped up and the trail resurfaced. The result is a year-round mainly gravel trail that takes bikers, walkers and horseback riders along a historic route containing old rail bridges, viaducts and tunnels.
With excellent trailside facilities (toilets, shelters and information), few hills, gob-smacking scenery and profound remoteness, the trail attracts well over 25,000 visitors annually. March is the busiest time, when there are so many city slickers on the track that you might have to wait 30 minutes at cafes en route for a panini. Consider September for a quieter ride.
The trail can be followed in either direction. The entire trail takes approximately four to five days to complete by bike (or a week on foot), but you can obviously choose to do as short or long a stretch as suits your plans. There are also easy detours to towns such as Naseby and St Bathans.
Mountain bikes can be rented in Dunedin, Middlemarch, Alexandra and Clyde. Any of the area’s i-SITEs can provide detailed information. See www.otagocentralrailtrail.co.nz and www.otagorailtrail.co.nz for track information, recommended timings, accommodation options and tour companies.
Due to the popularity of the trail, a whole raft of sleeping and eating options have sprung up in remote locales en route, although some stops are still poorly served.
Middlemarch & Around
Pop 156
With the Rock & Pillar Range as an impressive backdrop, the small town of Middlemarch (www.middlemarch.co.nz) is the terminus of the Taieri Gorge Railway, and also one end of the Otago Central Rail Trail. It’s famous in NZ for the Middlemarch Singles Ball (held across Easter in odd-numbered years), where southern men gather to entice city gals to the country life.
Activities
Catering to riders on the Otago Central Rail Trail year-round, both of the following businesses have large depots on Middlemarch’s main street and provide bike rental and logistical support, including shuttles, bag transfers and an accommodation booking service. They also have depots in Clyde, at the other end of the trail.
(
03-464 3630; www.cyclesurgery.co.nz; Swansea St;
rental per day $35; 
depot mid-Sep–mid-May)
(
03-464 3213; www.trailjourneys.co.nz; Swansea St;
rental per day $40; depot Sep-Apr)
Sleeping & Eating
(
03-444 4800; www.hydehotel.co.nz; SH87, Hyde;
with/without bathroom s $100/80, d $170/130; 
) Most of the tidy rooms in
this cool old hotel, 27km along the trail from Middlemarch, have
private bathrooms but only some are en suite. It’s no longer a
working pub and the licensed cafe on the sunny terrace shuts at
4pm, leaving the set dinner the only meal option for many miles
around.
(2 Swansea St;
mains $7-18; 8.30am-4pm) Sit out under the fruit trees
in the pretty garden of this cute little wooden cottage and tuck
into a cooked breakfast, meatloaf, frittata or some home baking.
Nana-chic at its best.
(
03-464 3070; 31 Snow Ave;
brunch $6-16, dinner $21-29; 8am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 11.30pm Fri & Sat Sep-Apr,
to 4pm May-Aug) Opposite the railway station, Quench lives
up to its name with cooked breakfasts, pies and the Rail Burger
(recommended if you’re beginning the Rail Trail), and ice-cold
Speight’s on tap ( definitely recommended if you’ve just
finished the trail).
Getting There & Away
The scenic Taieri Gorge Railway ( 03-477 4449; www.taieri.co.nz;
Sun May-Sep,Fri & Sun
Oct-Apr) has only limited runs between Dunedin and
Middlemarch; most services end at Pukerangi Station, 20km away.
Both of the main cycle companies offer shuttles to Dunedin,
Pukerangi and the Rail Trail towns.
Ranfurly & Around
Pop 663
After a series of fires in the 1930s, Ranfurly was rebuilt in the architectural style of the day, and a few attractive art deco buildings still line its sleepy main drag. The teensy town is trying hard to cash in on this meagre legacy, calling itself the ‘South Island’s art deco capital’ and holding an annual Art Deco Festival (www.ranfurlyartdeco.co.nz) on the last weekend of February. There’s even an Art Deco Museum in the admittedly fabulous Centennial Milk Bar building on the main street.
For a self-guided tour, grab a copy of the
Rural Art Deco – Ranfurly Walk brochure from the Ranfurly i-SITE (
03-444 1005; www.centralotagonz.com; 3 Charlemont
St; 9am-5pm; ) in the old train station. While you’re
there, check out the local history and Sports Hall of Fame
displays.
To explore the rugged terrain made famous by
noted local landscape artist Grahame Sydney, contact Maniototo 4WD Safaris ( 03-444 9703; www.maniototo4wdsafaris.co.nz;
half-/full day $130/190) .
There are a couple of cafes in town and an old pub which serves meals and rents rooms.
Sleeping
(
03-444 9811; www.petersfarm.co.nz; 113 Tregonning Rd,
Waipiata; per person $55) Set on a sheep farm 13km south of
Ranfurly, this rustic 1882 farmhouse offers comfy beds, hearty
barbecue dinners ($25) and free pick-ups from the rail trail.
Kayaks, fishing rods and gold pans are all available, so it’s worth
staying a couple of nights. Further beds are available in
neighbouring Tregonnings Cottage (1882).
(
03-444 9750; www.hawkdunlodge.co.nz; 1 Bute St; s/d
from $125/175; ) 
This smart new boutique motel
is the best option in the town centre by far. Each unit has a
kitchenette with a microwave, but travelling chefs can flex their
skills in the guest kitchen and on the barbecue. Rates include a
continental breakfast.
(
03-444 9774; www.kokongalodge.co.nz; 33
Kokonga-Waipiata Rd; r $285; 
) Just off SH87 between
Ranfurly and Hyde, this upmarket rural property offers six
contemporary en suite rooms, one of which housed Sir Peter Jackson
when he was filming The Hobbit in the area. The Rail Trail
passes nearby.
Getting There & Away
Trail Journey’s Catch-a-Bus (
03-449 2024; www.catchabus.co.nz) shuttle
passes through Ranfurly on its way between Cromwell and
Dunedin.
Naseby
Pop 120
Cute as a button, surrounded by forest and dotted with 19th-century stone buildings, Naseby is the kind of small town where life moves slowly. That the town is pleasantly obsessed with the fairly insignificant world of NZ curling indicates there’s not much else going on. It’s that lazy small-town vibe, along with good mountain-biking and walking trails through the surrounding forest, that make Naseby an interesting place to stay for a couple of days.
Activities
Maniototo Curling International CURLING
(
03-444 9878; www.curling.co.nz; 1057 Channel Rd; per
1½hr adult/family $30/80; 10am-5pm) All year round you can shimmy
after curling stones at the indoor ice rink; tuition is available.
In winter there’s also an outdoor ice rink to skate around.
(
03-444 9270; www.lugenz.com; 1057 Channel Rd;
adult/child $30/25; Jun-Aug) Hurtle 360m down a hillside on a
wooden sled. Bookings are recommended.
Sleeping & Eating
(
03-444 9990; www.naseby.co.nz; 1 Earne St; dm $40, r
with/without bathroom $100/70; ) The better of the town’s historic pubs,
the 1863 Royal Hotel sports the royal coat of arms and what just
might be NZ’s most rustic garden bar. Rooms are simple but
spotless, and the meals are good too (mains $25 to $30).
(
03-444 8222; www.nasebylodge.co.nz; cnr Derwent &
Oughter Sts; 1-/2-bedroom apt $170/260;
) Constructed of
environmentally friendly straw-bale walls sheathed in rustic
corrugated iron, these free-standing modern apartments are smart
and spacious, with fully equipped kitchens and underfloor heating
in the bathrooms. There’s also a good restaurant on site.
Old Doctor’s Residence B&B $$$
(
03-444 9775; www.olddoctorsresidence.co.nz; 58
Derwent St; r/ste $275/325; ) Old doctors take note: this
is how to reside! Sitting behind a pretty garden, this gorgeous
1870s house offers two luxurious guest rooms and a lounge where
wine and nibbles are served of an evening. The suite has a sitting
room and an en suite bathroom (with a fabulous make-up desk). The
smaller room’s bathroom is accessed from the corridor.
(
03-444 9820; 7 Derwent St;
mains $10-17; 9am-4pm) Fresh baking and good coffee
feature at this cafe. Inside, stone walls, bright colours and warm
polished wood create a pleasant ambience. The wide-ranging menu
includes bagels, panini and creamy smoothies made from Central
Otago fruit.
Information
Ernslaw One Forestry
Office (
03-444 9995; www.ernslaw.co.nz/naseby-recreational-area/;
34 Derwent St) Administers the 500-hectare recreation
reserve within the privately owned Naseby Forest. Call in for maps
of walking tracks and mountain bike trails.
Naseby Information
& Crafts (
03-444 9961; Derwent St;
11am-2pm Sun, Mon &
Fri, to 4pm Sat)
Getting There & Away
The Ranfurly–Naseby Rd leaves SH85 4km north of Ranfurly. There’s no public transport and cyclists should factor in a 12km detour from the Rail Trail. From Naseby, you can wind your way on unsealed roads northeast through spectacular scenery to Danseys Pass and through to Duntroon in the Waitaki Valley.
St Bathans
A worthwhile 17km detour north from SH85 heads into the foothills of the imposing Dunstan Mountains and on to diminutive St Bathans. This once-thriving gold-mining town of 2000 people is now home to only half a dozen permanent residents living amid a cluster of cutesy 19th-century buildings.
The Blue Lake is an accidental attraction: a large hollow filled with amazingly blue water that has run off abandoned gold workings. Walk along the sculpted cliffs to the lookout for a better view of the alien landscape (one hour return).
The Vulcan Hotel (
03-447 3629;
stbathans.vulcanhotel@xtra.co.nz; Loop Rd; r per person $60)
is an atmospheric (and famously haunted) spot to drink, eat or stay
in. Considering St Bathans’ tiny population, you’ll find the bar
here pretty busy on a Friday night as thirsty shearers from around
the valley descend en masse. Further accommodation is available at
the nearby
St Bathans Jail & Constable’s Cottage
( 0800 555 016; www.stbathansnz.co.nz; $145-340)
.
Lauder, Omakau & Ophir
Separated by 8km of SH85, tiny Lauder and larger Omakau (population 250) are good stops if you’re a hungry Rail-Trailer with a sore bum and in need of a feed and a bed. However, the area’s real gem is adorable Ophir (population 50), 2km from Omakau across the Manuherikia River.
Gold was discovered here in 1863 and the town swiftly formed, adopting the name of the biblical place where King Solomon sourced his gold. By 1875, the population hit over 1000 but when the gold disappeared, so did the people. Ophir’s fate was sealed when the railway bypassed it in 1904, leaving its main street trapped in time.
The most photogenic of its many heritage
buildings is the still-functioning 1886 post
office (www.historic.org.nz; Swindon St;
9am-noon Mon-Fri) .
At the far end of the town, the sealed road ends at the 1870s
wooden-planked Dan O’Connell Bridge, a
bumpy but scenic crossing which continues via a gravel road to
SH85.
Ophir lays claim to the country’s largest range of temperatures: from –21.6°C to 35°C (Alexandra, just up the road, once recorded a temperature of 38°C).
Sleeping & Eating
(
03-447 3682; www.muddycreekcutting.co.nz; SH85,
Lauder; per person $80) Art fills the walls of this
charmingly restored 1930s mudbrick farmhouse, with five bedrooms
that share two bathrooms. Dinners with a local, organic spin are
also available ($55 per person).
Omakau Commercial Hotel PUB $$
(
03-447 3715; www.omakauhotel.co.nz; 1 Harvey St,
Omakau; s with/without bathroom from $79/55, d from 109/105;
) There’s an
old-fashioned ambience to this venerable pub, where good-value
rooms, excellent food and local company are all on tap. The
bedrooms don’t have televisions or kettles, but these are available
in the guest lounge downstairs.
(
03-447 3710; www.chattocreektavern.co.nz; 1544 SH85,
Chatto Creek; dm/s/d without bathroom $50/90/120) Dating
from 1886, this attractive stone hotel sits right beside the Rail
Trail and highway, 10km southwest of Omakau. Pop in for a whitebait
fritter (in season) or steak sandwich, or rest your weary calf
muscles in a dorm bed or double room. Rates include breakfast.
Pitches Store B&B, RESTAURANT $$$
(
03-447 3240; www.pitches-store.co.nz; 45 Swindon St,
Ophir; r $250, brunch $9-19, dinner $33-35;
restaurant 10am-late daily Nov-May,
11am-late Fri-Mon Jun-Oct) Formerly a general store and
butcher, this heritage building has been sensitively transformed
into six elegant guest rooms and a humdinger of a restaurant.
Exposed-stone walls may speak of the past but the menu is
stridently contemporary.
(Lauder-Matakanui Rd, Lauder; mains $8-18;
7am-5pm Oct-Apr)
Home baking and country cooking are showcased at this great little
trailside place. Options include healthy salads, sandwiches, soups
and pasta.
(2 Harvey St,
Omakau; mains $8-16; 8.30am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm Sun) Take a
break from the Rail Trail at this friendly spot festooned with old
radios. Cafe treats include all-day breakfasts, pasta, pies and ice
cream, or you can grab a burger or fish and chips from the takeaway
counter.
Alexandra
pop 4800
Unless you’ve come especially for the Easter Bunny Hunt or September’s NZ Merino Shearing Championships, the main reason to visit unassuming Alexandra is mountain biking. It’s the biggest Rail Trail settlement by far, offering more eating and sleeping options than the rest of the one-horse (or fewer) towns on the route. It’s also the start of the brand-new Roxburgh Gorge Trail.
Alex, as it’s known to the locals, marks the southeastern corner of the acclaimed Central Otago wine region. Of the dozen wineries in the immediate vicinity, only a handful are open for tastings. These are detailed on the Central Otago Wine Map, available from the i-SITE (Click here).
Sights & Activities
Walkers and mountain bikers will love the old gold trails weaving through the hills; collect maps from the i-SITE. The Alexandra–Clyde 150th Anniversary Walk (12.8km, three hours one way) is a riverside trail that’s fairly flat with ample resting spots and shade.
(www.centralstories.com; 21 Centennial
Ave; admission by donation; 10am-4pm) Central Otago’s history of
gold-mining, winemaking, orcharding and sheep farming is covered in
this excellent regional museum which shares a building with the
i-SITE.
Roxburgh Gorge Trail MOUNTAIN BIKING
(www.roxburghgorge.co.nz) Opened to considerable fanfare in 2013, this well-constructed cycling and walking track was intended to connect Alexandra to Roxburgh Dam. As access through some of the farmland in the middle section wasn’t successfully negotiated, riding the ‘full trail’ requires prearranging a 13km ferry trip ($95) through the local information centres. Once you add on the noncompulsory track-maintenance fee ($25), it makes it a very expensive trail indeed. An alternative is to make a return trip from each end: Alexandra–Doctors Point (20km return) or Roxburgh Dam–Shingle Peak (22km return). Note, parts of the trail are rated Grade III and are not recommended for those under 15 years.
From Roxburgh Dam you can continue on the Clutha Gold Trail (www.cluthagold.co.nz) , an easier 73km track which follows the Clutha through Roxburgh to Beaumont and then heads to Lawrence. The same maintenance fee covers both tracks.
(
03-448 8917; www.altitudeadventures.co.nz; 88
Centennial Ave; per day from $25) Rents bikes and organises
logistics for riders on the Otago Central, Clutha Gold and Roxburgh
Gorge trails.
Clutha River Cruises BOAT TOUR
(
03-449 3173; www.clutharivercruises.co.nz;
adult/child $90/45; 11am & 2pm Oct-May) Explore the scenery
and history of the region on a 2½-hour boat trip; book at the
i-SITE.
Sleeping
(
03-448 7098; www.marjsplace.co.nz; 5 Theyers St; dm
$25-30, s/d $40/70; ) The standard varies widely between the
three neighbouring houses that comprise Marj’s sprawling ‘place’.
The ‘homestay’ has private rooms, a Finnish sauna and a spa bath.
It’s much nicer, not to mention cleaner, than the ‘backpackers’,
which is let mainly to seasonal workers.
(
03-448 7224; www.quailrock.co.nz; 5 Fairway Dr; s/d
from $100/150) Perched high above town, this very
comfortable B&B offers equal servings of privacy and mountain
views. Homemade preserves give breakfast a unique touch, and
dinners are also available. And yes, quail are often seen
scratching around the rocks in the garden.
WORTH A TRIP
ROXBURGH
Heading south from Alexandra, SH8 winds along rugged, rock-strewn hills above the Clutha River as it passes Central Otago’s famous orchards. In season, roadside fruit stalls sell just-picked stone fruit, cherries and berries. En route are a scattering of small towns, many dating from gold-rush days.
Thirteen kilometres south of Alexandra,
Speargrass Inn (
03-449 2192; www.speargrassinn.co.nz; 1300
Fruitlands-Roxburgh Rd (SH8), Fruitlands; d $180;
) has three units in attractive
gardens. The original 1869 building houses a charming cafe (lunch $18-21,
dinner $20-31; 9am-4pm Mon & Thu, 9am-7pm Fri-Sun).
It’s a good place to stop for coffee and cake, and stock up on
tasty homemade preserves and chutneys.
Further south, the Clutha broadens into
Lake Roxburgh , with a large hydroelectric
power station at its terminus, before rushing past Roxburgh itself
(population 522). Call into the friendly Visitor Information Centre ( 03-446 8920; www.centralotagonz.com; 120 Scotland
St; 9am-5pm daily Nov-Mar, Mon-Fri Apr-Oct) for
information on mountain biking, water sports and seasonal
fruit-picking work in the surrounding apple and stone-fruit
orchards.
Another source of fruit-picking contacts
is Villa Rose Backpackers ( 03-446 8761; www.villarose.co.nz; 79 Scotland St; dm
$30, d with/without bathroom $105/80; ). This lovely old bungalow has spacious
dorm rooms, comfortable self-contained units and a huge modern
kitchen.
Before you leave Roxburgh, drop into
Jimmy’s Pies (
03-444-8596; 143 Scotland
St; pies $4-6; 7.30am-5pm Mon-Fri), renowned across the
South Island since 1959. If you’re at a loss as to which meaty
pastry to choose, try the apricot chicken – you’re in orchard
country after all.
Continuing south from Roxburgh, the road passes through Lawrence and the Manuka Gorge Scenic Reserve, a scenic route through wooded hills and gullies. SH8 joins SH1 near Milton.
Eating
(www.thetingoosecafe.com; 22 Centennial
Ave; $8-16; 6am-5pm) Start the day with a cooked
breakfast and then return for home-style baking and superior
counter food, including interesting salads.
(
03-448 9174; www.redbrickrestaurant.co.nz; off
Limerick St; dinner $32-33; 4.30pm-late Tue-Sun) Housed in what was
Alexandra’s first bakery, Red Brick is positioned beside a
shoppers’ car park, the last place you’d expect to find such
sophisticated Modern European cooking. Most ingredients and wines
are locally sourced.
Information
Alexandra i-SITE
( 03-448 9515; www.centralotagonz.com; 21 Centennial
Ave; 9am-5pm; ) Pick up a free map of this very
spread-out town.
Getting There & Away
InterCity
( 03-471 7143; www.intercity.co.nz) A daily
coach heads to/from Dunedin (from $21, three hours), Roxburgh (from
$14, 34 minutes), Clyde (from $15, nine minutes), Cromwell (from
$18, 24 minutes) and Queenstown (from $22, 1½ hours).
Atomic Shuttles
( 03-349 0697; www.atomictravel.co.nz) A daily
bus heads to/from Dunedin ($30, 2¼ hours), Roxburgh ($15, 30
minutes), Cromwell ($15, 50 minutes) and Wanaka ($20, 1¾
hours).
Alpine
Connexions (
03-443 9120; www.alpineconnexions.co.nz)
Shuttles head to/from Dunedin ($40), Clyde ($15), Cromwell ($24),
Queenstown ($35) and Wanaka ($35), as well as key stops on the
Otago Central Rail Trail.
Clyde
Pop 1020
Much more charming than his buddy Alex, 8km down the road, Clyde looks more like a 19th-century gold-rush film set than a real town. Set on the banks of the emerald-green Clutha River, Clyde (www.clyde.co.nz) retains a friendly, small-town feel, even when holidaymakers arrive in numbers over summer. It’s also one end of the Otago Central Rail Trail (Click here).
Sights & Activities
Clyde Historical Museums MUSEUM
(5 Blyth St;
admission by donation; 2-4pm Tue-Sun Sep-Apr) The main building
showcases Maori and Victorian exhibits and provides information
about the Clyde Dam. Larger exhibits (machinery, horse-drawn carts
etc) are housed in the Herb Factory complex at 12 Fraser St.
(
03-449 2150; www.trailjourneys.co.nz; 16 Springvale
Rd; tours Sep-Apr) Right by the Rail Trailhead,
Trail Journeys rents bikes (from $40 per day) and arranges cycling
tours, baggage transfers and shuttles. It also has a depot in
Middlemarch.
Festivals & Events
Clyde Wine & Food Festival WINE, FOOD
(www.promotedunstan.org.nz) Showcases the region’s produce and wines on Easter Sunday.
Sleeping
Clyde gets crammed with Rail Trailers in February and March, so book in advance.
(
03-449 2488; www.postofficecafeclyde.co.nz; 4 Blyth
St; d with/without bathroom $125/95) Antique furnishings are
dotted around the large and lovely rooms in this pretty stone
cottage. Two of the three rooms share an en suite bathroom; the
third has its own.
(
03-449 2295; www.dunstanhouse.co.nz; 29 Sunderland
St; s $95, d with/without bathroom from $160/120;
Oct-Apr; ) This restored late-Victorian balconied
inn has lovely bar and lounge areas, and rooms decorated in period
style. The less expensive rooms share bathrooms but are just as
comfortable and atmospheric.
(
03-449 2600; www.oliverscentralotago.co.nz; Holloway
Rd; d $205-345; ) Oliver’s fills an 1860s
merchant’s house and stone stables with luxurious rooms decked out
with old maps, heritage furniture and claw-foot baths. Most rooms
open onto a secluded garden courtyard.
Eating
(www.bankcafe.co.nz; 31 Sunderland St;
$9-15; 9am-4pm) Grab a table inside or out and
tuck into cakes, slices, waffles and delicious burgers. The robust
takeaway sandwiches are perfect for lunch on two wheels.
Post Office Café & Bar CAFE $$
(www.postofficecafeclyde.co.nz; 2 Blyth
St; mains $15-32; 10am-9pm) Clyde’s 1899 post office houses a
popular restaurant famous for its garden tables and hearty food.
There are loads of nooks and crannies conducive to newspaper
perusing.
Shopping
(www.centralone.co.nz; 27 Sunderland
St; 10am-5pm daily Aug-May, Tue-Sat Jun &
Jul) Stocks a selection of award-winning local wines, many
of which you won’t find anywhere else. There are also plenty of
Central Otago foodie treats such as jams and chutneys.
Getting There & Away
InterCity
( 03-471 7143; www.intercity.co.nz) A daily
coach heads to/from Dunedin (from $19, 3¼ hours), Roxburgh (from
$12, 44 minutes), Alexandra (from $15, nine minutes), Cromwell
(from $10, 14 minutes) and Queenstown (from $13, 1½ hours).
Alpine
Connexions (
03-443 9120; www.alpineconnexions.co.nz)
Shuttles head to/from Dunedin ($40), Alexandra ($15), Cromwell
($24), Queenstown ($35) and Wanaka ($35), as well as key stops on
the Otago Central Rail Trail.
Cromwell & Around
Pop 4150
Cromwell has a charming lakeside historic precinct, a great weekly farmers market and perhaps the South Island’s most over-the-top ‘big thing’ – a selection of giant fruit by the highway.
It’s also at the very heart of the prestigious Central Otago wine region (www.cowa.org.nz), known for its extraordinarily good pinot noir and, to a lesser extent, riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay. The Cromwell Basin – which stretches from Bannockburn, 5km southwest of Cromwell, to north of Lake Dunstan – accounts for over 70% of Central Otago’s total wine production. Pick up the Central Otago Wine Map for details of upwards of three dozen local wineries.
Sights & Activities
Old Cromwell Town HISTORIC BUILDING
(www.oldcromwell.co.nz) When the
Clyde Dam was completed in 1992, it flooded the original Cromwell
village including the town centre, 280 homes, six farms and 17
orchards. Many historic buildings were disassembled before the
flooding and have since been rebuilt in a pedestrianised precinct
beside Lake Dunstan. While some have been set up as period pieces
(stables and the like), others house some good cafes, galleries and
interesting shops. In summer there’s an excellent weekly farmers market (
9am-1pm Sun
Nov-Feb) and monthly craft
market (10am-2pm every 3rd Sun
Nov-Feb) .
Highlands Motorsport Park MOTOR SPORTS
(
03-445 4052; www.highlands.co.nz; cnr SH6 &
Sandflat Rd; 10am-5pm) Transformed from a paddock into a
topnotch 4km racing circuit in just 18 months, this revheads’
paradise hosted its first major event in 2013 – the inaugural
three-day Highlands 101, now scheduled to take place every
November.
Outside of the big events, budding speed freaks can start out on the go-karts ($35 per 10 minutes) before taking a 200km/h ride in the Highlands Taxi ($75 for two people), completing three laps of the circuit as a passenger in a Porsche GT3 ($295), or having a go at the wheel of a Suzuki Swift GT3 ($295).
If you’d prefer a less racy experience, the National Motorsport Museum (adult/child $20/8) showcases racing cars and displays about Kiwi racing legends such as Bruce McLaren, Possum Bourne, Emma Gilmour and Scott Dixon. Plus there’s free minigolf.
(
03-445 1038; www.goldfieldsjet.co.nz; adult/child
$95/49) Zip through the Kawarau Gorge on a 40-minute jetboat
ride.
Tours
Central Otago Motorcycle Hire TOUR
(
03-445 4487; www.comotorcyclehire.co.nz; 271
Bannockburn Rd; per day from $185) The sinuous and hilly
roads of Central Otago are perfect for negotiating on two wheels.
This crew hires bikes and advises on improbably scenic routes. They
also offer guided Gravel ‘n’ Gold trail-bike tours (from $195) and
extended road tours (from $575).
Bannockburn
Historic
Goldfields Tours WALKING TOUR
(
03-445 1559; www.bannockburngold.co.nz; per person
$15-29) Informative tours exploring Bannockburn’s
gold-mining heritage.
Sleeping
Cromwell Top 10 HOLIDAY PARK $
(
03-445 0164; www.cromwellholidaypark.co.nz; 1 Alpha
St; sites $40-42, units with/without bathroom $105/75;
) The size of a small European nation and
packed with cabins and self-contained units of various
descriptions, all set in tree-lined grounds.
Burn Cottage Retreat
RENTAL HOUSE $$
(
03-445 3050; www.burncottageretreat.co.nz; 168 Burn
Cottage Rd; d $195-200; ) Set amongst walnut trees and gardens 3km
northwest of Cromwell, Burn Cottage has three luxury self-contained
cottages with classy decor, spacious kitchens and modern bathrooms.
Bed-and-breakfast accommodation is available in the main house.
(
03-445 4519; www.carricklodge.co.nz; 10 Barry Ave; d
$135-160; ) One of Cromwell’s more stylish motels,
Carrick’s spacious, modern units are just a short stroll from the
main shopping complex. Executive units have spa baths and views
over the golf course.
Eating & Drinking
(Melmore Tce;
meals $10-14; 9am-4pm) Set in a beautiful stone building
that was once Jolly’s Grain Store, this cute cafe serves up big,
delicious, inexpensive meals. Grab an outside table beside the
lake.
The Shed at
Northburn Station MODERN NZ $$
(
03-445 1743; www.northburn.co.nz; 45 Northburn
Station Rd; mains $25; 10.30am-4.30pm) Outside tables take
advantage of lake and mountain views at this acclaimed winery
restaurant, 5km from Cromwell on the eastern side of Lake Dunstan.
The seasonal menu consists of only a handful of dishes, done
exceptionally well.
(71 Melmore Tce;
breakfast $10-17, lunch $17-22; 9.30am-4pm daily Dec-Mar, Tue-Sun Apr-Nov)
Old Cromwell Town is best enjoyed from the heritage verandah of
Armando’s Kitchen, with an espresso or gourmet ice cream in hand.
The homemade pasta, pizza, pies and cakes are all excellent.
(
03-445 3445; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz; 73 Felton Rd,
Bannockburn; platters $19-28, mains $35-36;
tastings 10.30am-4.30pm, restaurant
noon-4pm) As well as making our favourite pinot noir, Mt
Difficulty is a lovely spot for a leisurely lunch looking down over
the valley. Desserts are particularly decadent.
Information
Cromwell i-SITE
( 03-445 0212; www.centralotagonz.com; 47 The
Mall; 9am-5pm) Stocks the Walk Cromwell
brochure, covering local mountain-bike and walking trails,
including the nearby gold-rush ghost town of Bendigo.
Getting There & Away
InterCity
( 03-471 7143; www.intercity.co.nz) There are
four daily coaches to Queenstown (from $10, one hour), and one to
Fox Glacier (from $44, 6½ hours), Christchurch (from $40, 4¾
hours), Alexandra (from $18, 24 minutes) and Dunedin (from $20, 3¼
hours).
Alpine
Connexions (
03-443 9120; www.alpinecoachlines.co.nz)
Scheduled shuttles to/from Clyde ($24, 20 minutes), Alexandra ($24,
35 minutes), Queenstown ($25, one hour) and Wanaka ($25, 45
minutes).
Atomic Shuttles
( 03-349 0697; www.atomictravel.co.nz) Daily
buses head to/from Queenstown ($15, 50 minutes), Alexandra ($15, 50
minutes), Roxburgh ($25, 1¼ hours), Dunedin ($30, 3¾ hours) and
Christchurch ($40, 5¼ hours).
Catch-a-Bus
( 03-449 2024; www.catchabus.co.nz)
Bike-friendly shuttles to Clyde (20 minutes), Alexandra (30
minutes), Ranfurly (1¾ hours), Middlemarch (2¾ hours) and Dunedin
(3¾ hours).
Naked Bus (www.nakedbus.com; prices vary) Buses head to/from Queenstown, Wanaka, Twizel, Tekapo and Christchurch.