Otago

Otago is a region of the South Island of New Zealand whose hilly country and sheltered valleys produce a variety of climates and some spectacular scenery. This article covers the coastal areas and Central Otago (but not the Queenstown-Lakes district of Otago).

Cities

• 1 Dunedin – second largest city in the South Island (population 120,000)
• 2 Alexandra – on the Otago Central Rail Trail, a 150-km walking, cycling and horse-riding trail
• 3 Cromwell – in the former goldfields of inland Central Otago
• 4 Milton – small town in the south
• 5 Oamaru – coastal town (2nd to Dunedin in size) in the north, featuring beautiful Victorian architecture, steampunk, and blue penguin viewing
• 6 Port Chalmers – a small town and Dunedin's cruise ship port
• Ranfurly
• Roxburgh

Other destinations

• 1 Blueskin Bay – 25 km north of Dunedin
• 2 Careys Creek Track – a walking track 20 km north of Dunedin
• 3 The Catlins – forest, beaches and wildlife in south Otago (and partly in Southland)

Understand

Dunedin Town Hall featuring Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque architecture

Stretching from the Southern Alps in the centre of the island to the coast in the east, Otago can provide the full mountain-to-surf New Zealand experience. The Otago region is best thought of in two parts, coastal Otago in the east, with the main city of Dunedin at its centre, and Central Otago (called "Central" by the locals) to the west, in the centre of the island. The two parts of the region differ in climate and geography, with Central Otago being at a higher altitude, and having a more continental climate with cooler winters and hotter summers. The western part of Central Otago is covered by the Queenstown-Lakes article, rather than this one.

Dunedin sits on the coast in the east of Otago, a historic city with many attractions for tourists and access to the Otago peninsula, with its range of unique wildlife attractions. Other towns in the eastern part of Otago include coastal Oamaru (made famous by Janet Frame) and rural Balclutha. To the east Alexandra sits at the heart of central Otago, with Cromwell to its east and Roxburgh to its west.

Central Otago is known for its fruit growing and wine. It produces award-winning wines made from varieties such as the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Riesling grapes.

History

The name Otago is an anglicisation of the Māori place name Otakou as heard in the local dialect. Otakou means red earth.

The Otago region was settled by Europeans in 1848, with initial settlement concentrated in Dunedin. Otago Province was one of the six provinces of New Zealand that were established in 1853, and encompassed everything south of the Waitaki River, including present day Southland and the Queenstown-Lakes area. The 1860s saw rapid commercial expansion after Gabriel Read discovered gold at Gabriel's Gully near Lawrence, and the Central Otago goldrush ensued. Veterans of goldfields in California and Australia, plus many other fortune-seekers from Europe, North America and China, poured into Otago. Further gold discoveries at Clyde and on the Arrow River around Arrowtown led to a boom, and Otago became for a period the cultural and economic centre of New Zealand. The gold rush came and went, but left its touch on the region, including a 'frontier' feeling in many of the small towns.

Get in

Dunedin Airport (DUD ^IATA) has flights from Brisbane and several New Zealand cities. Otherwise Otago is normally accessed by road, driving from either Christchurch or Timaru in the north, or from the Queenstown/Wanaka region in the west.

Get around

By car

State Highway 1 (SH 1), the main highway, runs down through eastern Otago, including the main centres of Oamaru and Dunedin (and then south and on to Invercargill). The main tourist route is SH 1 south from Dunedin to Milton, and then inland along State Highway 8 across to Queenstown/Wanaka (via Roxburgh, Alexandra and Cromwell). An alternative is to take State Highway 85, which branches off from SH 1 north of Dunedin at Palmerston. That takes you to Alexandra (and on to Queenstown) via Ranfurly, and is an amazing scenic route (this way follows along some of the path taken by the Otago Central Rail Trail). You can hire a car from major towns such as Dunedin and Oamaru.

By bus

Bus and shuttle services run between the centres.

See

Like many New Zealand provinces, the landscapes and the playground they provide are the main attraction - not settlements. Coastal attractions are common along the populated east coast, including unique wildlife attractions at the Otago peninsula. Central Otago has a different climate and landscape, with the area around Ranfurly (part of the rail trail) being particularly famous for its scenery.

• The lakes.
• The mountains.
• The rivers.
• The tiny towns and villages, some now abandoned.
• The stone architecture of many of the pioneers' structures.
• Abandoned goldfields
• Moeraki Boulders - a popular attraction, large spherical rocks on the beach near the fishing settlement of Moeraki, about halfway between Oamaru and Dunedin, about 20 km north of Palmerston.
• The Vanished World Centre at Duntroon is a museum on the geology and fossils of the Waitaki district. It exhibits fossilised whales, dolphins, giant penguins, giant sharks and other invertebrates from the marine ecosystems of the Oligocene, 20–30 million years ago. There is also a self-drive Vanished World Trail you can follow to view geology, fossils and Māori rock art in situ. See the Oamaru article for more details.

Do

The Central Otago Rail Trail utilises the route of a disused railway line.

• Otago Central Rail Trail. A 150-km walking, cycling and horse-riding track that runs in an arc between Middlemarch, Alexandra and Clyde, along the route of the former Otago Central Railway. It's a great way to take in the region's stunning scenery at a leisurely pace, as well as get a close-up view of the historic townships. The trail is a great success story for the region; it is a nationally recognised tourist attraction and second biggest economic earner for the region (after farming). It attracts 10,000-12,000 users per year and supports a network of bed and breakfasts and cafe/pubs along its route. It has been used as a template for a network of similar trails throughout New Zealand. 
• Camping. Central Otago is a popular holiday destination for Kiwis, with a number of lakes and camping locations in the region.
• Goldpanning
• Skiing
• Adventure tourism
• Oamaru to Dunedin avoiding State Highway 1 is a scenic driving route between these two towns / cities, with sightseeing possibilities on the way if you want to spend the day exploring the coast.

Eat

Central Otago is a well known stone fruit growing region. There are a large number of orchards located around Roxburgh and Cromwell. The region is particularly known for growing cherries and apricots. Roadside food stalls in these places can be a great place to pick up fruit and vegetables (although the larger ones are often designed to capture and overcharge the 'coach' tourists; you will find a better deal at the smaller ones).

Coastal Otago provides some great opportunities to try local sea food.

• Evansdale Cheese Factory (Waikouaiti), Hawksbury Village State Highway 1 (watch for the signs.), ☏ +64 3 465-8101. Daily 10:00–16:00. A small cheese factory with a shop where you can sample and buy cheese. 
• Riverstone Kitchen, 1431 State Highway 1 Rd 5h (about 10 km north of Oamaru), ☏ +64 3 431-3505, mail@riverstonekitchen.co.nz. Another Otago gem, 2010 New Zealand Restaurant of the year. 
• Moeraki Restaurant & Bar. Touristy cafe at the stairs to the beach to the Moeraki Boulders. Good view of sea.
• Fish Inn, in Waikouaiti. Fish & chips shop on SH1. Good fish in light fluffy batter.

Drink

At latitude 45° south, the Central Otago Wine Region is the most southerly wine producing region in the world. The vineyards are also the highest in New Zealand at 200–400 m above sea level, on the floor of glacial valleys. Central Otago is a sheltered inland area with a continental micro-climate characterised by hot, dry summers, cool autumns and crisp, cold winters.

Pinot noir is the leading grape variety in Central Otago, and is estimated to account for some 70% of plantings. The Pinot Noir is notoriously fickle and difficult to grow. Central Otago, however, with its combination of climate, terroir and determined winemaking appears to have the capacity to produce a world-class Pinot Noir that is increasingly sought-after. The grape there is producing elegant wines with great ageing potential that some experts believe will ultimately equal the best in the world.

The other 30% of production comes from Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Pinot gris, and Gewürztraminer. The latter three in particular, amenable to Central Otago's climatic conditions and soil type, are showing great promise, and may develop a reputation to match the Pinot Noirs. Limited production of sparkling wine, made in the traditional style from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, has been of good quality, and has received some accolades at wine tastings around the world.

Stay safe

Unlike the more northerly parts of New Zealand, parts of Otago often gets snow in winter. Some of the roads, especially the alpine passes become icy in winter, so chains should be carried and used when called for.

Many of the main roads can also be very windy and narrow, with many blind corners. Care should be taken when driving in the region, especially when passing.

Go next

• Canterbury region to the north; first Mid and South Canterbury, then Christchurch
• Queenstown-Lakes region, including Wanaka and Queenstown
• Southland region, including the city of Invercargill