©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Dunedin & Otago Includes ¨ Why Go? Omarama . .. 183 Otago has attractions both urban and rural, ranging from Waitaki Valley . 185 quirky towns to world-class wineries and some of the coun- Oamaru . 186 try’s most accessible wildlife. Its historic heart is Dunedin, Moeraki . 191 home to a vibrant student culture and arts scene. From the town’s stately Edwardian train station it’s possible to catch Dunedin . 192 the famous Taieri Gorge Railway inland, and continue on Otago Peninsula . 202 two wheels along the craggily scenic Otago Central Rail Trail. Naseby . 207 Those seeking colonial New Zealand can soak up the Lauder, Omakau frontier atmosphere of gold-rush towns such as Clyde, St Ba- & Ophir . 208 thans, Naseby and cute-as-a-button Ophir. For wildlife, head Alexandra . 208 to the Otago Peninsula, where penguins, albatross, sea lions and seals are easily sighted. Seaside Oamaru has a wonder- Clyde . 211 ful historic precinct, resident penguin colonies and a quirky Cromwell . 212 devotion to steampunk culture. Unhurried and overflowing with picturesque scenery, Otago is generous to explorers who are after a more leisure- ly style of holiday. Best Places to Eat ¨ Riverstone Kitchen (p191) ¨ Fleur’s Place (p192) When to Go ¨ ¨ No 7 Balmac (p199) February and March have settled, sunny weather (usually…), and the juicy appeal of fresh apricots, peaches ¨ Bracken (p199) and cherries. ¨ Otago Farmers Market ¨ At Easter, hook yourself a ‘Southern Man’ at the (p198) Middlemarch Singles Ball, or drown your sorrows at the Clyde Wine & Food Festival. ¨ Take to two wheels on the Otago Central Rail Trail during Best Places to the quieter month of September. Sleep ¨ In November, watch the pros battle it out on the Highlands ¨ Pen-y-bryn Lodge (p190) Motorsport Park, then ride graciously into the past on a ¨ Oliver’s (p211) penny farthing bicycle at Oamaru’s Victorian Heritage Celebrations. ¨ Pitches Store (p208) ¨ Old Bones Backpackers (p189) ¨ Kiwi’s Nest (p197) 183 8 Getting There & Away ESSENTIAL DUNEDIN & OTAGO Air New Zealand (% 0800 737 000; www . airnewzealand co. nz). flies from Dunedin to Eat Cheese from Oamaru’s Whitestone Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and factory (p190). Jetstar (% 0800 800 995; www jetstar. com). flies to Wellington and Auckland . Drink Central Otago pinot noir. The only train services are heritage trips Read Owls Do Cry by Oamaru’s Janet (p196) from Dunedin to Middlemarch and Dune- Frame. din to Palmerston . Listen to Tally Ho! Flying Nun’s Great- The main bus routes follow SH1 or SH8 . est Bits, a 2011 compilation marking the 30th anniversary of Dunedin’s iconic record label. WAITAKI DISTRICT Watch In My Father’s Den (2004), set in Central Otago. The broad, braided Waitaki River provides a clear dividing line between Otago and Festival Oamaru’s Victorian Heritage Canterbury to the region’s north. The Waita- Celebrations in late November (p189). ki Valley is a direct but less-travelled route Go green Tiptoe down to Otago Pen- from the Southern Alps to the sea, featuring insula beaches (p202) in search of yel- freaky limestone formations, Māori rock low-eyed penguins. paintings and ancient fossils. The area is Online www.dunedinnz.com, www. also one of NZ’s newest winemaking regions, centralotagonz.com DUNE and a major component of the new Alps 2 % Ocean Cycle Trail (p175), which links Aora- Area code 03 ki/Mt Cook National Park to Oamaru on the D coast. The district’s main town, Oamaru, is IN & OTAG a place of penguins and glorious heritage Quailburn Rd, and then turn left after 3km architecture. onto unsealed Henburn Rd. Wrinkly Rams FARM 8 Getting There & Away % O ( 03-438 9751; www thewrinklyrams. co. .nz; 24- W GETTIO MA Buses stop in Oamaru and Moeraki, en route 30 Omarama Ave/SH8; adult/child $20/10) A A from Christchurch to Dunedin and Te Anau . Other regular stop for tour buses, Wrinkly Rams IT R A services pass through Omarama on their journey AMA ng stages 30-minute shearing and sheepdog DISTRI KI between Queenstown/Wanaka and Christchurch . shows, including lamb-feeding in season. No buses traverse the Waitaki Valley . T Phone ahead to tag along with a tour group, HERE& A The only rail service is the Seasider tourist or book your own one-off show. Attached is train that heads between Dunedin and Oamaru . one of Omarama’s better cafes (mains $10-25; C h7am-4 .30pm; W) T . WA Omarama Hot Tubs SPA Omarama Y POP 267 (%03-438 9703; www .hottubsomarama co. .nz; At the head of the Waitaki Valley, Omarama 29 Omarama Ave/SH8; per 1/2/3/4-person tub is surrounded by mountain ranges and fab- $52/90/114/136, pod $75/140/180/200; h11am- ulous landscapes. Busy times in this sleepy late) If your legs are weary after mountain place include the rodeo (28 December) and biking or tramping, or you just want to cosy the sheepdog trials (March). up with your significant other, these private, wood-fired hot tubs could be just the tick- 1 Sights & Activities et. Choose between a 90-minute soak in a Clay Cliffs Paritea LANDMARK tub (each has its own dressing room) or a (Henburn Rd; vehicles $5) This bizarre moon- two-hour session in a ‘wellness pod’, which scape is the result of two million years of includes a sauna. erosion on layers of silt and gravel that were The chemical-free glacier and snow-melt exposed along the active Ostler fault line. water is changed after each booking, and the The cliffs are on private land; before setting used water is recycled for irrigation. out, pay the vehicle admission fee at Omara- The concept is Japanese, but with the ma Hot Tubs. To get to the area, head north surrounding mountain ranges, the lakeside from town for 3km on SH8, turn left onto setting and a pristine night sky, you could .