Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Unless you've come especially for the Easter Bunny Hunt or September's NZ Merino
Shearing Championships, the main reason to visit unassuming Alexandra is mountain bik-
ing. It's the biggest Rail Trail settlement by far, offering more eating and sleeping options
than the rest of the one-horse (or fewer) towns on the route. It's also the start of the brand-
new Roxburgh Gorge Trail.
Alex, as it's known to the locals, marks the southeastern corner of the acclaimed Cent-
ral Otago wine region. Of the dozen wineries in the immediate vicinity, only a handful are
open for tastings. These are detailed on the
Central Otago Wine Map,
available from the i-
SITE (
Click here
)
.
Sights & Activities
Walkers and mountain bikers will love the old gold trails weaving through the hills; col-
lect maps from the i-SITE. The
Alexandra-Clyde 150th Anniversary Walk
(12.8km, three hours
one way) is a riverside trail that's fairly flat with ample resting spots and shade.
Central Stories
(
www.centralstories.com
;
21 Centennial Ave; admission by donation; 10am-4pm)
Central Otago's history
of gold-mining, winemaking, orcharding and sheep farming is covered in this excellent re-
gional museum which shares a building with the i-SITE.
MUSEUM
Roxburgh Gorge Trail
(
www.roxburghgorge.co.nz
)
Opened to considerable fanfare in 2013, this well-constructed cyc-
ling and walking track was intended to connect Alexandra to Roxburgh Dam. As access
through some of the farmland in the middle section wasn't successfully negotiated, riding
the 'full trail' requires prearranging a 13km ferry trip ($95) through the local information
centres. Once you add on the noncompulsory track-maintenance fee ($25), it makes it a
very expensive trail indeed. An alternative is to make a return trip from each end: Alexan-
dra-Doctors Point (20km return) or Roxburgh Dam-Shingle Peak (22km return). Note,
parts of the trail are rated Grade III and are not recommended for those under 15 years.
easier 73km track which follows the Clutha through Roxburgh to Beaumont and then
heads to Lawrence. The same maintenance fee covers both tracks.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Altitude Bikes
BICYCLE RENTAL
