Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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 of-
fice
(
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
B&B
$$
Muddy Creek Cutting
( 03-447 3682;
www.muddycreekcutting.co.nz
;
SH85, Lauder; per person $80)
Art fills the walls of this
charmingly restored 1930s mudbrick farmhouse, with five bedrooms that share two bath-
rooms. Dinners with a local, organic spin are also available ($55 per person).
Omakau Commercial Hotel
( 03-447 3715;
www.omakauhotel.co.nz
;
1 Harvey St, Omakau; s with/without bathroom from $79/55, d from 109/
105; )
There's an old-fashioned ambience to this venerable pub, where good-value
rooms, excellent food and local company are all on tap. The bedrooms don't have televi-
sions or kettles, but these are available in the guest lounge downstairs.
PUB
$$
HOTEL
$$
Chatto Creek Tavern
( 03-447 3710;
www.chattocreektavern.co.nz
;
1544 SH85, Chatto Creek; dm/s/d without bathroom $50/90/120)
Dating from 1886, this attractive stone hotel sits right beside the Rail Trail and highway,
10km southwest of Omakau. Pop in for a whitebait fritter (in season) or steak sandwich,
or rest your weary calf muscles in a dorm bed or double room. Rates include breakfast.
Pitches Store
B&B, RESTAURANT
$$$
( 03-447 3240;
www.pitches-store.co.nz
;
45 Swindon St, Ophir; r $250, brunch $9-19, dinner $33-35; restaur-
ant 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.
