Sited on the banks of the Arrow River and overlooked by the Crown Terrace, Arrowtown retains much of its pioneering character. In the 1860s the Arrow River, said to have been one of the richest sources of alluvial gold, attracted a cosmopolitan population of gold miners. Now it is an historic living gold mining village with many of the original shops and cottages still in use.

With Lake Dunstan on its doorstep, Cromwell, Central Otago is ideally placed as a base for recreational activities, picnicking, fishing, water-skiing, jetboating or just lazing the day away. The heritage town of Old Cromwell, located to the west of "The Junction" where the two arms of Lake Dunstan now meet, offers some fine examples of stone masonry. These reconstructed buildings are quiet reminders of Cromwell's gold mining and pioneering past. Here can be found replicas of the Cobb & Co Store, Seed and Grain Store, Belfast Store, stables, barn, cottages and artefacts, all part of a living museum development. Old Cromwell Town is also a perfect setting for artisans and cottage industries, where artists can be seen working in their studios and a wide range of Central Otago fine art and crafts enjoyed.

Situated at the edge of the Southern Pacific Ocean, Dunedin is the capital of Otago. This city of Scottish ancestry offers the visitor scenic beauty, rare wildlife and a vibrant cultural and architectural heritage. Dunedin's University of Otago founded in 1869 is still an influential characteristic of Dunedin and attracts many students from far beyond Otago.

Once called ‘Eight Mile’ because of its distance from the Hamiltons gold workings, Hyde was very much a settlement of the Otago’s gold rush era. In 1894 the Otago Central Railway reached the station site 2km out of town on the only area of flat land considered big enough for railway operations.

After its opening in 1901, Ida Valley Station was for quite a few years the Otago Central Railway railhead. The only evidence remaining of the station’s importance is the handsome mud-brick ‘Railway Hotel’ still standing alongside the Otago Central Rail Trail.

Middlemarch on the Strath Taieri is the start or finish of the Otago Central Rail Trail. 21 km to the south of Middlemarch, is Pukerangi, the highest point on the Taieri Gorge Railway and, on most days of the week, where the train journey from Dunedin ends.

The township of Naseby, a former gold mining town and now a holiday resort, is located among shady trees at the head of the sun-bleached Maniototo Plain.

Omakau is a step off point to visit historic Ophir, 2km away, or , to make a side trip to the Matakanui ghost town and gold diggings. The station site, now part of the Otago Central Rail Trail, was at times New Zealand’s busiest stock loading station. In 1962 alone, Omakau handled 119,736 head of stock.

Yjis category contains links to sites located in Owaka.

Situated in the South Island's Central Otago district, the beautiful resort of Queenstown lies on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and is surrounded by majestic mountains. It is one of New Zealand's premier holiday destinations and boasts adventure in all forms, from the extreme to the relaxed.

Named after the Fifth Earl of Ranfurly, New Zealand’s 15th Governor General, Ranfurly owes its existence to the Otago Central Railway cutting a direct route across the Maniototo Plains. Wedderburn is one of the smallest of settlements on the Otago Central Rail Trail, but even so it is big on community spirit. On the outskirts of Oturehua one of the icons of New Zealand farming was developed Hayes Engineering.

All web sites to do with Lake Roxburgh, Roxburgh and the Roxburgh area of Central Otago.

Tourism outlets in St Bathans, Maniototo

Waipiata (Shining or Clear Water) was the local train station for the former 112 bed tuberculosis sanatorium 7km away on the slopes of the Rock and Pillar Range. Besides the old sanatorium there’s the Hamiltons gold diggings and the community-restored stonewall cemetery, Patearoa and Pareau/Styx.

Wanaka hosts a number of festivals and events, from the biggest three-day airshow in the Southern Hemisphere, Warbirds Over Wanaka, to the international World Heli-Challenge where the world's best snowboarders and skiers tackle backcountry alpine slopes. Motor-sport action heads to the Cardrona Valley at Easter with an International Hillclimb while each winter the locals stage the week-long Winter Festival.Wine too is on the menu with an array of vineyards both in Wanaka and further afield.