Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wine, waterskiing and salmon-fishing are just some of the treats on offer along this little-
travelled route. Coming from Omarama, SH83 passes an array of arrestingly blue lakes,
each abutted by a hydroelectric power station. For a scenic detour along the north bank,
leave the highway at Otematata and cross over the huge Benmore Dam, then cross over
Aviemore Dam to rejoin the highway.
A succession of sleepy little heartland towns line the highway, peppered with rustic
heritage bank buildings and pubs. One of the most appealing is tiny lost-in-time
Kurow
(population 302), the home town of World Cup-winning All Blacks captain Richie
McCaw. From almost-as-cute
Duntroon
(population 90), adventurous (and appropriately
insured) drivers can take the unsealed road over Danseys Pass to Naseby.
Although they've got a long way to go to attain the global reputation that their col-
leagues on the other side of the mountains in Central Otago enjoy, a few winemaking pi-
oneers in Waitaki Valley are making wine that international experts are taking notice of.
Sights
Kurow
Kurow Heritage
& Information Centre
MUSEUM
( 03-436 0950;
www.kurow.org.nz
; SH83; 9.30am-4pm Mon-Fri)
While Richie
McCaw might get all the attention these days, Kurow's other famous son was Arnold
Nordmeyer (1901-1989), a Labour Party leader who was one of the key architects of
NZ's welfare and public-health system. His memory is honoured in this interesting com-
munity museum, which jokingly refers to itself as the National Museum of Social Secur-
ity.
Vintner's Drop
WINERY
( 03-436 0545;
www.ostlerwine.co.nz
; 45 Bledisloe St; noon-5pm Thu-Sun Nov-Mar)
Housed
in Kurow's old post office, Vintner's Drop acts as a tasting room for Ostler Vineyards. It
also sells wine from seven other small local producers.
Pasquale Kurow Winery
WINERY
( 03-436 0443;
www.pasquale.co.nz
; 5292 Kurow-Duntroon Rd; 10am-4pm Nov-Mar)
The
valley's most impressive winery, Pasquale produces killer pinot noir, pinot gris and
