New Zealand's deep south is a region rich in diversity.
Mountains, lakes and fiords, historic goldmining towns, lush countryside and cities
of impressive architecture form a unique setting
When European settlers
reached the coast in some numbers in the early nineteenth century, there were
scattered Maori settlements at places both along the coast and inland, traces
of which can be seen today. The earliest settlers were whalers, many of whom married
into the local Maori communities. In the early 1840s, the region shifted towards
more of a farming focus, with settlers arriving in greater numbers. The region
prospered on the basis of Central Otago gold in the nineteenth century, and today
there still remain many fine old buildings, reminders of the province’s years
of affluence. The farming history too is well recalled by its old farmhouses and
farm buildings.
The city of Dunedin has its origins in Scotland, where in
1840 leading members of the Free Church of Scotland settled there, with the aim
of founding a society based on solid principles of religion, education and industry.
Clark’s Mill
State Highway 1, Maheno,
North Otago
Clark’s Mill is a four-storied limestone flourmill
built in 1866 to grind oats and wheat for the owners of Totara Estate. The mill
was powered by water and produced flour from 1867 until 1976 The original machinery
is still standing in the mill.
Built in 1899 over the Waiau River, the Clifden suspension
bridge is a very elegant construction. Although no longer open to traffic, the
bridge, made of twenty-seven steel cables, concrete pillars made to look like
stone, and timber decking, makes for an interesting stroll over the river.
Kiwi ingenuity is brought to life at these rural engineering
works made from mudbrick and corrugated iron. Ernest Hayes’ small workshop
was established in 1895, and by the 1930s had grown into a business with a worldwide
reputation, providing farmers with everything from wire strainers to windmills.
The works have been well preserved and appear very much as they did when they
were in full operation.
Open
August-November: weekends 11am - 4pm (other times by arrangment)
December-March: daily 9am-5pm
April-May: weekends 11am-4pm (other times by arrangment)
June-July: by arrangement only
Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday
Operational days
on 6 January, 3 February, 2 March, 23 March and 13 April
tel:(03) 444-5801
fax: (03) 444-5817 after hours ph/fax: (03) 444-5817
Turn off State Highway 1 just north of Waikouaiti (signposted)
onto Edinburgh St, then follow private road to carpark.
Located in a grand
setting high on a windswept seaside cliff, the Matanaka Farm Buildings are the
oldest still in existence in New Zealand. Built in the early 1840s by Johnny Jones,
an ex-convict turned whaler, farmer, businessman and settler, the buildings evoke
the isolated and tough life faced by migrant families. The complex includes stables,
a granary, store, schoolroom and unique three-seat privy.
Find out more about Matanaka -
granary
Find out more about Matanaka - stables
Find out more about Matanaka - 3
seater privy
Serving the goldfields town of Ophir since 1886 when
it was built to replace an earlier post office, this attractive building still
operates today as a postal agency. Constructed from local schist with contrasting
detail, the Ophir Post Office is an important feature in the historic streetscape
of Ophir.
Built in 1864 as Invercargill’s first Masonic Hall,
this building was used as Provincial Government Chambers before the Southland
Provincial Council was abolished. The building then served as a Court and Borough
Council Chamber before settling down to a more ordinary life as a retail shop.
State Highway 1, approximately
8kms south of Oamaru, North Otago
A cross section of rural society, from landowners to
swaggers relied on Totara Estate for a living in the 19th and 20th century. It
was from here in 1882 that the first shipment of frozen export meat was sent to
Britain, establishing New Zealand’s economic direction for the next century.
Today the beautiful park-like grounds are a feature of the estate, and the buildings
have been faithfully restored to reflect the conditions of that era. A history
of the meat industry in New Zealand is also featured.
Oamaru
is recognised as New Zealand’s capital of Victorian Architecture. In 1999,
the Waitaki District Council adopted the Oamaru Central Design Guidelines to assist
owners and developers of buildings in the business zones of Central Oamaru who
want to renovate, alter, or redevelop their properties to ensure compatibility
with neighbourhood buildings and the historic character and feel of Oamaru.
Secrets
of a lost world are being uncovered on the farms and beaches
of the Waitaki District as the region's limestone reveals
sea life, birds and plants rooted in a very distant past.
The
Vanished World Fossil Trail, which explores the ancient geological
history of North Otago, runs 80 kilometres from the Waianakarua River inland to Duntroon.
When
the Otago Central rail line, which once ran from Dunedin to
Cromwell, closed in 1990, most folk predicted a quiet shifting
of the fences as time and nature obliterated what was once
the mighty heartbeat of Central Otago.
But,
thanks to an imaginative partnership between the Department
of Conservation and a community trust driven by Les Cleveland,
the idea of a biking and walking trail covering 150 km from
Middlemarch to Clyde was converted into action.
Bluff
may have its oysters but its near neighbour Riverton has something
more lasting: historic significance - and, with the development
of a heritage trail, it's making the most of it.
