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Places to See
We have created two interesting itineraries which together take in the
majority of interesting sites in the surrounding area.
Both day trips have been structured so that you can comfortably drive
them in 4-6 hours. They can
be shortened or lengthened as you prefer.
We have noted places along the way where you can have morning tea
and lunch, a pint of Speights or a glass of
Central Otago
pinot noir.
1.
The Maniototo
Spend
a little time exploring the historic
village
of
Naseby
and then travel on the unsealed road to the historic Dansey’s Pass
Hotel. Adjacent to the hotel are
the Kyeburn Diggings where gold was discovered in 1861 and mining
continued in the
Kyeburn
River
until 1920. On the return
journey stop and take a look at the fascinating noticeboard outside the
Upper
Kyeburn
Cemetery.
Then drive through to Waipiata,
a n old railway camp during the construction of the Central Otago Railway
and afterwards a major stockyard which served the Maniototo sheep
farmers. Close by is
Patearoa, a settlement which serviced the small but very productive gold
diggings at
Hamiltons
on the Rock and
Pillar
Range.
Look for the closed Post Office and Library which maybe the smallest in
New Zealand.
If you feel like stretching your legs, the Sowburn Walkway is a
pleasant stroll that takes you to an old Chinese goldmining settlement.
At
Hamiltons,
see the historic cemetery and gain some fantastic views over the
Maniototo Plain. No visit
to this part of the Maniototo would be complete without a visit to
Clachanburn and Jane Falconer’s rambling country garden…a
garden
of
National Significance.
The lawns and borders roll gracefully away from the house to two
large ponds with rugged hills to one side and the distant mountains
beyond, giving an impression of a lush oasis in the heat and dry of
Central Otago.
Travel back to
Naseby
via the art-deco town of
Ranfurly
where the railway station which houses the information centre and the
Centennial Milk Bar next door are well worth a visit.
2.
The
Ida
Valley
and
Manuherikia
Valley
Visit
Wedderburn and see the goods shed made famous by
Grahame Sydney’s
painting. It’s worthwhile
visiting the station which is opposite too.
Then on to Oturehua and a visit to the Golden Progress mine,
unique in that it contains Otago’s only remaining poppet head.
It is 14m high and supported the
head wheels which passed the ropes used for bringing the gold-bearing
ore to the surface. Treat yourself
to a coffee or lunch at the Ida Valley Kitchen. A stop
at Gilchrist’s Store opposite the pub will take you into a
Cent ral Otago
general store of yesteryear.
The Hayes Engineering works which were established in 1895 is a
fascinating world of windmills, Pelton wheels, rods, belts and machinery
seen as they appeared when work was in full production.
It was here that the wire
strainers used on farms all over the world today were invented by Ernest
Hayes.
Drive past the Idaburn Dam, famous for hosting the Curling Bonspeil and
over the
Raggedy
Range
to historic Ophir. Gold was
discovered here by Charles Black in 1863 and almost overnight a town
sprang up with a population of 1,000.
Blacks, as it was originally called, was renamed Ophir in 1875
and was to become the commercial and social centre of the district.
Stroll down the wide main street and observe the superb heritage
buildings including the Post Office, Courthouse, Policeman’s House,
shops and church.
Then make your way to Omakau over the historic O’Connell suspension
bridge which straddles the
Manuherikia
River.
Then back on the main road, continue your journey through to
Lauder. Here you can
stretch your legs and walk part of the Rail Trail to take in one or two
of the viaducts and tunnels that are easily accessed.
The further you go the better it gets! Then visit St Bathans, a
stunning reminder of the gold mining era and a must visit when
travelling through Central.
Again, the heritage buildings in the old main street are well preserved
and a visit to the Vulcan Hotel, one of the best known Central pubs,
will be well rewarded. Take
in the view of the blue lake from the hill adjacent to the pub.
Then it’s back to
Naseby
as you drive through more typical
Central Otago
landscape and the iconic
Hawkdun
Range.
Hire
Cars
There is no better way of exploring the Maniototo and the Ida and
Manuherikia Valleys than by car and we have access to very reasonably
priced rental cars, supplied by Trail Car Rentals, who are conveniently
based in nearby Wedderburn.
All vehicles are late models and are air-conditioned.
Prices are from $49.00 a day and include maps and unlimited
kilometres. An excess of
$1,000 can be waived for $12.00 a day, so you just pay for the petrol.
You will be given the printed itinerary and a map when you’re staying at
The Old Doctor’s Residence in
Naseby.
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