A stunning scenic cycle trail. Definitely a must-do while in New Zealand!

Whitestone City is an interesting interactive museum opened in about 2019 within an old grain store built in 1882. It features cute displays from Victorian times including a school, a penny-farthing merry go round, shop displays and so much more. My little boy loved the little wooden toys. We paid at the end of the visit via an eftpos machine and the hosts were friendly and welcoming. It is a great addition to the beautiful Victorian street scape.

What a great find! We had no idea what this place was about, but it is fabulous and so interesting. A real must if you're in Oamaru.

Actually really fun. Not my normal cup of tea but actually had a great time. Played some croquet, learnt a bit about the town, and even went on a Penny Farthing Carousel. Staff were super friendly and helpful. Go here instead of Steampunk HQ.

The BEST hands on , interactive museum we've been to in NZ. Superb. Our grandsons couldn't believe they were encouraged to play with items. A very cool place. Allow an hour ...and be generous with your chosen 'per head' fee on exit . The carousel was stunning (& the historic reel, fabulous).. We'll be back

Love this place! The huge bicycles are so cool. We had a wonderful time in it. All these old items are interesting and beautiful.

It's a small place that used to be a grain and seed storage room but you will fun have here if you enjoy seeing Victorian objects. It's an interactive museum so you can touch absolutely everything. They have a barber shop, a grocery shop, newspaper office, doctor's place, a carousel and the old train tracks so that you can imagine how the train got inside the place to refill it's wagons with seeds. For an extra, you can dress up in Victorian costumes and take some fun memory pics.

If you love Victorian era, as much as I do, you're gonna love this museum. The ladies behind the counter are soo kind and helpful. You can even pay lil extra and walk around in the costume! Definitely worth the money!

Always a delight to visit. Arrived home with birthday presents of beautiful candles and 2nd hand books. Chocolate and hokey pokey and a conversation with a lovely lady about life and travel.

A excellent place for understanding th heritage of North Otago lots to see and do. Organized events and Steam train rides Blue Penguin colony lots of cafes and restaurants brewery Something for all ages to check out

Lovely vibe. You can see that alot of energy is going into restoration of the buildings and its memories. The heritage festival weekend was being held when we visited and is well worth attending.

A gem in the South Island - Oamaru. We were only staying a few days but ended up being almost a week. There is so much to explore, and this quarter is fascinating.

On a recent trip to the South Island we passed through Oamaru and had lunch and a look around Oamaru's Victorian Precinct. What an unexpected surprise! Amazing attraction. The focus on steam punk an unexpected bonus, especially knowing that this has been a long-time focus of the area. The charming blend of history and quirkiness was captivating, with the steampunk twist adding an extra layer of fun.(as you will see from my few photos). Think a must see if you have children and want a great place to explore with them. Loved every moment of our brief stay and was sad to be on our way to our next destination. We will definitely be back !

Great place glad it was on the list to visit

Went to the Steampunk Festival over the long weekend. People watching on steroids! Had fun seeing the tapestry of costumes, conversations and shared obsession unfold all around. The historic setting alone is worth the visit, but even better if you can time it with an event like this one.

This was such a highlight of my road trip up the east coast. I decided to randomly stop and check it out and it was such a creative and fun place to visit. So many interactive and unique exhibits and well worth the visit. Very highly recommend.

I was actually surprised that I really enjoyed this activity. Was a lot to see and do here. The kids loved it and so many things to touch and experience. Is an outside area so we did that first with the weather about to turn! Really cool. Would recommend to anyone in the area to go and check out it. You will be surprised!!!

Loved this museum! It’s a mix of both cool and freaky stuff! I would highly recommend visiting this place. You will easily spend an hour or so if you love taking photos like me! It has many interactive elements which were a massive highlight!

Steam Punk HQ Was great fun! Everything is interactive. Lots of buttons to push and levers to move and things that make noise or flash lights. There are vehicles to climb in & on and amazing machines and sculptures and giant roaches on the wall! Ever wanted to play an evil dentist? Or mad scientist? This is the perfect opportunity. Quirky kids of all ages will love this place!

I love carefully curated clutter where I can poke around and fiddle with stuff. While not a steampunk aficionado per se, I am a generalist nerd, so I have made my rounds with Gibson and Sterling. The place is perfectly sized for a couple of hours of serious examination or an hour of casual wonder. It is a bit like the original Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. While it doesn’t have as strong and in-depth of a narrative thread as MW, it does stick its main theme with fanciful interpretive plaques like a traditional local history museum. Oh, and there is a little Weta Workshop connection and kickass movie prop if you read carefully.

Definitely go to this. 2kids loved it 1 didn't. Ages, 13, 11 and 9. Fun activity and lots of cool photos and things to do

Second time here and still enjoyed our visit. Loved the things that we can activate. Well worth the visit.

Absolutely love this place in spring. Good for walks and children will love the playground.

Stayed at the top 10 Oamaru, this park is about 5 mins from there,very impressive different gardens within the park. Children's play area, bridges over the water. Such a beautiful place definitely worth a visit

Beautiful garden. Well worth the stop. When we visited the glass houses were closed as they were undergoing restoration. I'm very envious of the private house that sits in these gardens, it is an amazing little piece of paradise.

Gardens on all their autumnal glory. Very pleasant to walk around. Has a lovely kids play park with a Humpty Dumpty wall. The Alps to ocean bike trail goes through the gardens. Very nice atmosphere after a long ride.

Was a bit 'abandoned' during winter. But it is still worth going to see the aviary, the green house and the park in general. There are a lot of ducks, the sign asks people not to feed the ducks with bread, but grain/seeds so the ducks don't get sick.

Outstanding. Well maintained gardens with a vast variation of plantings in a beautiful setting. Great playground with paddling pools for kids. Picnic tables and clean toilets

Not as good as I expect, maybe it’s because in the winter. The bird areas are quite good, they are adorable. There are some parking lots and toilets next to the garden which are so good.

This experience was truly unique. I recommend learning about how this place was founded before visiting—it adds so much meaning. Gwen, also known as the “Lady Wallaby,” dedicated many years to caring for these wallabies. An amazing and inspiring experience!

Visiting the Tame Wallabies was an experience that genuinely humbled me. This incredible place serves as a beautiful reminder that every animal, big or small, wild or domestic, deserves love, compassion, and respect. The dedication of the owner and her daughter is inspiring. You can feel they loved their wallabies and animals . We have the honor to spent some one to one time with the community and understand how every animal are being cared for, their stories touched me deeply. Visiting Tame Wallabies reminded me how important it is to protect and cherish all living beings despite their conditions and appearance. If you want an experience that warms your heart and opens your eyes, I would recommend you take a drive to Tame Wallabies and experience it yourself .

You must stop by this place. The lady who owns this place is definitely part of the experience. A cheeky woman she is which made me laugh so much. It was $15 cash to get a bag of feed. We didn’t even finish the feed because wallabies are surprisingly gentle and slow eaters. They are very soft and gentle as well. Some are more shy than others but make sure everyone gets some feed! I highly recommend to kids and adults! She also has two cockatoos that can speak and say “I love you”. So cute.

Super fun to feed and pet wallabies! Make sure you have cash if you are an international tourist, only kiwi credit cards are accepted. Overall great time! If you’re in the area, you should stop by!

Great place to visit when in Waimate, especially with kids. Gwen, the owner, is very nice. NZ eftpos or cash (15 NZD per adult, 10 NZD children above 5 years)

Highly recommend this tour! Affordable price for an unforgettable experience! Those wallabies all have different personalities and they are all lovely. The host is kind to me and give a really detailed guidance on how to feed wallabies, which I think it’s very necessary to learn. Don’t miss this park if you pass by! 很好玩中国人不骗中国人！！！

Great to feed some wallabies. A lovely place tucked away, in the small town. A good visit if going from Timaru to Oamaru. $15 to hand feed the wallabies, a great coloured peacock wandering around as well. Really easy to navigate if you read the signs as well.

Elephant Rocks Review This is a free and easily accessible natural attraction that’s well worth a visit if you're in the area. Located just a short drive from Duntroon, the site features massive limestone boulders scattered across a wide open field, creating a surreal and scenic landscape. Photos don’t do justice to the scale of the rocks — it's only when you're standing beside them or climbing to the top that you realise just how huge and impressive they are. From the top, you're rewarded with sweeping views across the field and out toward snow-capped mountains on the horizon. There’s ample parking and a couple of picnic tables at the entrance, and even on a busy day the space is vast enough that it never feels crowded. It’s an ideal spot for a leg stretch, a peaceful walk, or snapping some truly one-of-a-kind photos. While I wouldn’t suggest making a long drive just for this one stop, it's absolutely worth the short detour if you're passing through or exploring nearby. A refreshing and memorable place to enjoy the outdoors and take in the natural beauty of these unique rock formations.

We stopped here for what we thought would be a quick picnic lunch and explore. We were here for almost 2 hours exploring every corner we could. Our kids spotted 2 elephant looking rocks and 1 rhino, most of the time too busy climbing and hiding around the grounds. Heaps of room in the parking area and has a few picnic tables before heading into the field. Lovely spot.

It's interesting to see so many rocks clustered in one area. According to Susan, a staff member at the Vanished World Centre, these rocks were submerged in water before, and years of rain and wind created their shapes, like elephants, etc. Thank you to the private owner for allowing visitors to walk in and experience this. We saw many interesting rocks but just couldn't find the elephant. We did find the hippopotamus... haha. It's good to explore and spend some time enjoying nature's creations the sheep. Just be cautious of all the sheep droppings around.

Elephant Rocks. Brilliant, you don’t need tickets (they do request a donation) in a donation tube, just before the gate. There’s a car park (gravel), a picnic/lunch area just before you enter area where the rocks are. There are sheep, but they tend to ignore you. See pictures.

What a fun and quirky stop! The massive limestone formations at Elephant Rocks are absolutely stunning — it really feels like stepping into another world. The scenery is unreal, and the view is worth every step. Just be prepared for a little extra adventure — the place is full of lamb poop everywhere! 😂 Half the fun is actually trying to find a clean spot to land your foot. It definitely adds a hilarious twist to the experience. Overall, a must-visit for a good laugh, awesome photos, and a unique New Zealand countryside vibe. Just don’t forget your sense of humor… and maybe some sturdy shoes! 🥾

Seen a video from a soc med - was excited to see but unfortunately when we went their it was mostly big rocks.You can hardly see an elephant formation. Unless they meant Big rocks which stands as an Elephant rock. We still enjoyed it though by climbing the rocks. Visit this place when it is a nice weather. Since this lroperty is a private owned - please bring a gold coin with you for donation

If you're on the way to mpunt cook or anything up there, it's definitely worth it to spend the 15 minutes and have a look at em. Also if you're interested in bouldering there are some problems you can try even without shoes or a crashpad.

Not a massive place but well worth the trip from Oamaru. The staff at the desk was very friendly and informative. The kids spent easily half an hour looking through the limestone for fossils.

Didn't enjoy our visit. Bus load of people. Host loud and overbearing . Wouldn't let us try finding a fossil even with 3 empty seats on the room. Couldn't Even take a picture without rude people walking infront of us. Came a long way to visit and left feeling frustrated

Sarah was so lovely and informative, she really piqued out interest. My grandson spent ages digging the fossils out and is so proud of his haul.

Totally worth a visit and an amazing stop that was totally unexpected. The displays were informative, but the best thing was simply to speak to the passionate staff who were engaging, knowledgeable & friendly. Amazing place to learn about the history and valuable finds many of which were found in the locality. It boggles the mind to think about the geological history of the region! Thank you.

Wonderful place if you are interested in fossils or geology. Amazing to think that many of the exhibits were found within 50 kms of the museum. While many of the original bones are held at Otago University, the casts on display look very authentic.

Was expecting more. But it was ok. Thought it had more real fossils than plastic ones and I guess kids would love it. It was good to see something interesting in a town like Dunroon.

Very Small museum can finish in less than 30 mins. Lots of rocks and fossils to look at and also a chance for the kids to dig for fossils. $20 for a family. $10 per person.

If you're looking for an old style camping grounds in a beautiful, peaceful setting, then this is a great spot, at an outstanding price. Our self contained park backed onto bird-laden bush, and came with both power and water connections. A few minutes from Waimate and close to bush walks, it was a great stop on a road trip south. Facilities were basic, but great value for money and there were no extra charges for anything- including a full laundry. Certainly can recommend.

Fantastic place to stay wonderful staff. Right next door to a hunting block and plenty others close by!

Great place, really friendly people, beautifully clean and quiet!

Wonderful cheap accommodation for those travellers who are on a budget nice friendly hosts.

A really fantastic place to stay.Totaly tranquility,absolute bliss!!!!!

Low key relaxed camping ground. Everyone there just chilling out

Basic but great for the nature lover like us.

Interesting historical site with some early drawings. Plenty of bird chatter from nesting all along the cliff. Good parking area. Will be good when fencing doesn't have to be there, perhaps replaced by perspex, but as rockfall happens not likely for a while. As we left a group had arrived & were being told about the history by a local.

I was very excited to see Maori rock drawings, expecting to witness an important cultural heritage. In fact you see some rounded lines and simple patterns which are not older than 200 years, very primitive compared to the heritage of stone age cultures in Europe or Turkey. And according to the explanation boards yet no-one knows why this red colour was used. Caught between funny and weird.

We were on a road trip and heading towards Aomaru on highway 83 and spotted the Brown Tourist Attraction signs for Maori Rock Art. Took us awhile to turn around safely to visit this historical sight. The information regarding when and how these Rock paintings were created is interesting.

Great Place of recognition but too bad a lot of people took it upon themselves to tag the rock with their names. Couldn't really see a lot and some were removed for preservation. Fences infront of drawings (rightfully so) and to make sure you're safe from any rock fell. Quick stop on the drive

Great gir a short walk, stretch your legs but now with cage fencing to protect from falling boulders, you can still see the artwork. Also the many idiot scratching placed around the rocks.

Small trail with good big limestone rocks with historic drawings. The site is being restored or has arrangements in place to keep it from falling. It was a bit difficult to figure out the drawings, we could only see 1 clearly.

This was a spontaneous stop, but unfortunately did not live up to the hype built up by the delightfully informative content boards. The paintings were underwhelming. Amazing to see what is still there, but so sad to see how disrespectful the public and tourists have been to the paintings over time. Take some time to read the information boards, they are interesting.

The exhibits were interesting, but the collection is quite small and the experience felt underwhelming for the price. By the end, it just didn’t feel like there was much more to see. Unless you’re very into Māori rock art, you could probably give this one a miss.

The staffs are very friendly and always have warm smile:) the information I got from here is very useful and helpful, I get to know better about Timaru. Please note that entry is NOT for free and the parking lots nearby is NOT for free as well.

The two women working were delightful and a wealth of knowledge, the museum was also very well curated and fit a lot of information in. Would 10/10 recommend

Great little centre with some kid’s activities inside. My daughter loved pushing all the buttons to watch the videos and the drawing. And my husband loved seeing and reading about the history. Highly recommend stopping in.

Fascinating exhibition of Maori rock art, had a lovely chat with Donna about this piece of local history.

Rock Art is described so well here, the guide so informative and descendant of the local iwi. Seen the real art around Duntroon and now understand.

A very interesting exhibit. We had seen this rock art in various places, but this explained all that is known about it. There was no tour available when we visited, but everything was well organized and clearly presented. The attendant suggested we should plan to spent 45 minutes to an hour to see it. We were there for an hour and 45 minutes and didn't quite have a chance to view all the videos. I suggest the amount of time depends upon the interests of your group. Younger kids would have enough after a half hour. If you want time to read all the materials and view all the videos, you might allow 2 or 2 1/2 hours, or more. I consider it worthwhile if you are interested in archeology, Maori History, etc.

2 levels of information! :) i love how much info is packed into the space. They used the area really well. Theres an exhibition regarding WW2.. informative and thought-provoking to a certain extent. Theres also exhibits on the wildlife and the origins to modernisation of new zealand. I spent 1.5hrs here. Would have been more if they hadnt close at 430pm. It was nice to wander through the exhibits, reading everything. The staff were very nice and gave u space, whenever needed. No admission fee but the museum runs on donation. Always happy to give, to maintain.

One of my favourite museums in New Zealand. Free admission, with two levels of fascinating displays and local collections. What made my visit truly memorable was the warm welcome at reception. As someone new to Timaru, the kind lady at the front desk not only introduced me to the museum but also gave helpful tips about the area, which made settling in so much easier. A wonderful museum made even better by the people.

Really neat museum offering a great history of the region. Easy to lose track of time with so much on offer. Admission is free but donations always welcomed.

I enjoyed coming in here, it offers more exploration and wonder than many museums as it’s set up as almost a school activity/ investigation center. It has things they encourage you to touch, drawers you open, places to explore and little info boards that open up. Even has a creative coloring in section for if you have a young one who gets bored.

Super nice staff. The Explorer program is so good, combined with finding the collection items! So much fun! Please bring out more different versions, the kids loves them.

Interesting museum, contains exhibits from many fields, everyone will find something for themselves. It's impossible to be bored. Free entry, donation can be made in cash or by credit card

Really nice, place, worth the time...full of NZ and local history. During the holidays, they offer workshops for children.

Probably one of the best places I’ve walked around,great views and plenty of great amenities and things to look at.best thing to do is explore yourself.

Another kite festival down 'The Bay' Fantastic to see all the kids ( and adults ) enjoying the great weather. I was surprised at how many had never flown a kite before. I guess for us 'Old people' it was a rite of passage, learning how to first build then fly your home built kite...

Nice place to stay and beautiful beach walk.

Grate place to stop when visiting Timaru . 3 places merged on one place Rose garden, park and beach . They offer train ride as well $2 for 3 round and $6 golf .I love this place .

This place is not too large but everything is quite reasonable. Next to the sea and seaport, there is a beach for you to walk around. Inside there is also a play area for children. There's also a block of houses that I haven't finished yet. It's a suitable place if your family goes out and has children along.

I visited Caroline Bay for the Rock n Hop festival. Which was brilliant. It should be noted that if you want to put your children into the fancy dress competition you have to register online the week before. Anyway Caroline Bay is worth a visit any time with the new adventure playground, aviary, rose garden, fountain pond, then stairs up so that you can view the whole area. Timaru is a place that actually takes advantage of and uses the natural lay of the land to get the best views with amenities.

Such a beautiful place. A kind lady, who'd pointed out a seal to me first, helped me to get there, while I was out in Timaru, in an attempt to lose myself in nature. She showed me the area of the beach where penguins come at night to have their little beach party. I could see tiny footprints which I hoped belonged to a penguin or two. A path along the beach led to the cliffs, oh, those beautiful cliffs. A bridge above a railway track and a tiny unused lighthouse were the sights that greeted me there. I do wish the lighthouse was open for the public. It'd give an even greater perspective, I think. A small path from the cliff led onto another cozy part of the bay. A wide selection of small to large round pebbles could be found there. Another bridge that extended into the sea gave an absolutely graceful view of the sea. The sea changed its colors from light blue to shades of green and dark blue. Altogether, it was a peaceful and beautiful day out there, in the midst of nature. Hope to see some penguins next time!

Beautiful place. Went to the Timaru Aigantighe Art Gallery on Monday. This amazing place was orginally the home biult in 1905 for Mr Alexander Grant and Helen Grant who emigrated from Scotland and lived here for 50 years while farming Grays Hills Station in the Mackenzie Country. Their children gifted the house and grounds to the people of Timaru in 1955. One of the Pine trees on the property is the winter home for Monarch Butterflies overwintering in clusters.

I chanced upon the gallery just zooming in and out of gmaps for timaru.. its a very peaceful and to be honest, quite impressive art gallery. Not a huge place but exhibits so many artists' work. As i understood, its uses the old Grant's house as a gallery and thus, it also showcases the house's rooms and even the old kitchen! And i loved that, its like seeing what i've read of old-english aristocratic houses coming to life. 😍 The gallery itself, the works itself is very varied. Its paintings hung bold and proud on its walls. There's even a small corner where u could silent-bid for one of the painting. How cool is that! The gallery is FOC and i think they do have seasonal events to keep things fresh and engaging too. Spent a good 2hrs there. Oh! There's also an outdoor garden with exhibits too. Do explore!

Special place, this is the 3rd year I've been during autumn to see the monach butterflies and enjoy the beautiful gardens & sculptures. Love the Time Bomb. Staff as always very friendly and welcoming. Remember the butterflies are high up in the tree.

Free admission, amazing artwork and dedicated staff come together to make an exciting and intimate gallery experience. Dont hesitate to brong your children on a rainy day with fun activities and free stickers as well!

The Exhibition is free! Loved it so much we bought a painting

Very interesting exhibitions on at present, really recommend both. Friendly staff

Charming little gallery with a pretty large outdoor section of sculptures. Unfortunately no gift shop, would have loved to buy some of the paintings as a postcard..

I have been buying knitwear from the Tin shed for about 6 years now. I have found their customer service excellent! On one occasion I ordered the wrong size for a Christmas present. They were excellent to deal with and went to extra lengths to get the correct sized jumper resent in time, they really cared! All of the other times I have ordered from them, their customer service has been very good too. Their products have always been very high quality. I would highly recommend this business for high quality and also high quality customer service.

Great shop for authentic New Zealand woolen goods. Wonderful staff. Clean facilities. High quality

The place is beautiful. It has its own mini farm with pigs, chickens, alpacas, and donkey. There was a museum for old, antique stuffs which I thought was very interesting. The shed sells all things woolen which are well made and reasonably priced. The staffs were friendly and helpful. Definitely suggesting a visit!

I ordered some mittens for my little girl and they are so beautiful and soft and keep her hands toasty! They arrived very quickly to Auckland and I am very happy! Thank you so much xx

Excellent service. Ordered four tshirts, a lady rang to advise they may be a bit late as not all in stock. Then were couriered as an urgent courier, and wrapped very well in tissue. Thanks for the great service!!

Have brought possum and merino wool gloves from The Tin Shed a few times now..so glad I found you online...nothing else keeps my fingers and hands warm like these gloves!..so happy you ship to UK :)

I was looking for socks for my 90 year old mum, they needed to be warm, non-slip, and also not impede her circulation. Was just about to give up when I found the perfect socks on The Tin Shed. I bought three pairs of their anti-freeze non-slip merino and possum socks, mum loved them. So did my sisters and I, we're going to buy ourselves some too. Thanks for a great product, with fast postage and a nice note as well!

This place is fantastic, spent several hours there with a 5 & 6 y.o, they were not bored with so much to see! An incredible collection of historical agricultural and motoring history here with plenty of other bits and pieces as well. 7 huge sheds full of exhibits! It's very unassuming from the road, don't be fooled!

What an incredible collection! Truly spectacular. We're so glad we stopped!

Lovely place and hidden gem in Geraldine. Super friendly staff. Great collection of cars , would definitely visit again. Not just cars but also other machinery from ships, tractors, bikes and a lot more.

A must see for vintage car, tractors and machinery of all kinds, got a personal tour with Bruce. The highlight for me, a Canadian is an International Travel All, that was purchased in Canada, travelled around North America then was brought back to New Zealand where it travelled extensively here. There is also a very Canadian Bombardier Alpine Skidoo snow machine that warmed my Canuck soul😎

What a beautiful collection. So happy we stopped by to see them.

#NZ 04 2024 FamilyTrip# A worth with price Vintage Experience! All my family members enjoy the visit. 😍 Lots of vintage cars.. Truck.. Etc 😍 Surprisingly, Some cars are new and can be used! Really eyes opened! Yeah..

It's a lovely place to stroll down memory lane.. not just cars , but all sorts of machinery and such. I only discovered it by accident... but very worthwhile to pay a visit.

first time at the movies today and it’s so vintage retro cool vibes, choose your own sofa to sit, choose your level up or down and blankets available, really cool experience! great choice of snacks. recommend for an old school experience it was really fun movie date with the family. il be back!!! 10/10

Just went to Ash Grunwald, absolutely amazing to see such a great musician up close and personal . It was like having him in your lounge ! Awesome experience

Second time visit to see "The Blues Brothers". Fantastic old time theatre with comfy couchs in place of the first few rows. Nice and warm and a supply of blankets for over the knees. A must visit when in Geraldine.

What a gem of a place, lovely old cinema, and very proud owners who keep the place going. Choice of super comfy couches or normal cinema seats, Well worth a visit.

Really cool place.. the cinema was great. Amazing place!!! My kids really enjoyed the movie and the experience.

Very cool old style theatre with a lot of soul. They have replaced a lot of the seats with random couches and armchairs, which is a really nice touch.

Most of the seating is in poor condition and the cinema smells musty. Viewing is available for most popular movies.

Extremely knowledgeable, smart and witty guy. Peter taught me a lot about astronomy, despite me having 4 years of tertiary astrophysics experience! We didn't get an opportunity to view through the telescopes much as the clouds were in the way but check the weather ahead and plan carefully.

A great evening of stories scientific and personal, from a life devoted to following a passion for astronomy. Peter is a great teacher, with a northern english sense of humour (that’s a good thing!). The session is 2-3 hours, with time for questions and answers, in a small group. Highly recommended.

Peter is an amazing host and it shows how much passion he has for what he’s doing. He answered all of our questions and showed/ told us so much about our amazing universe. Totally recommend going here!

Unfortunately, we couldn't change the weather. Clouds blocked out view. Not a star visible in the sky. But Peter showed us around and we got to view videos and photos and learn how to take them ourselves. We stayed for two hours and learned heaps. Our 12 year old girls enjoyed it even though it wasn't hands on this time. Definitely ignited more interest. Well worth the visit.

What a great evening we had! Helped by a totally clear night we were fascinated and had our minds blown by the millions of stars we saw, planets in our solar system, Peter's insights and his incredible photography. Not only is this the best thing to do in Geraldine, but up there with our best experiences in New Zealand.

Peter is such a l lovely and knowledgeable old man who told us a lot about astronomy and let us explore the sky with two of his giant telescopes. We were quite lucky with the sky and were able to see nebulas, the famous jewel box and many more beautiful sky objects. His volunteering commitment to support astronmic research is impressive and with every word he explains, you hear his passion for this science. A simply wonderful night with some other nice and interested people. Clear recommendations.

We got plenty of telescope observation time, and a lovely clear night... Save your Tekapo money and check out Peter and his Observatory, he's going to show you some fantastic highlights... and you can choose what you want to see, Cassini Divison, Great Red Spot, Globular Clusters, nebulae. What a treat!

Very enjoyable place to visit. Excellent range of interesting historic items, especially the jet boat display. We spent a long time there and will go again. There is something for everyone including food and great coffee.

The museum is well worth a visit, you will need cash for entry. The cafe is an absolute must, the chicken and Mushroom pie is delicious. It is crammed full of chicken and mushies all made freshly on site. The pies are $8 with chips. All food is made on site. A wonderful fire for chilly winter days.

Such a fascinating place, so much to see and learn! We popped in for a quick visit and were amazed by how big it is, we spent ages exploring. Lots of displays to interest all ages!

Lots to see, displays are well organised and the cars are awesome, friendly staff and very informative 😀

Cafe: Recently under new management, we have enjoyed several visits to the Museum Cafe. Great coffee and the danish pastry I had today was outstanding. Made on site. Delicious. Definitely worth a stop.

Had the best pie that’s ever touched my mouth. What a treat, needs an award 1# best pie I’ve ever had brisket, tripple cheese and red onion. Oh my I’m salivating thinking about it.

Very friendly people, pretzel amazing, coffee average but place had a good vibe

We had a lovely time at Alpine Alpacas; the staff were welcoming and friendly, and we really enjoyed meeting the alpacas, plus the horse and the Shetland pony ❤️ Feeding them was such a cute experience! The shop has some really nice things too. Would highly recommend to anyone staying in Fairlie or passing through :) Thank you for a lovely morning!

Our group of 6 throughly enjoyed ourselves visiting Alpine Alpacas. We felt very welcome by the staff members, Sharon and Riley, who took the time to tell us about the different animals and their personalities. A We also had the joy of meeting Spot, an eleven day old lamb! Definitely the highlight of our day.

We love Riley’s guide tour!! When she said she is lots of animals’ mom, I can see proud on her face. She knows her children very well, very professional! Very nice tour!

Had a great time at Alpine Alpacas today! The staff were lovely and the alpacas are so cute. I really enjoyed feeding and stroking them and meeting the horse and Shetland pony too :) a great place to visit.

Amazing 45 min guided tour experience with Riley at 10am. The animals are very cute. Riley ensured we had a great time. Thanks for showing us around.

Excellent up close experience with alpacas, lambs, horse. You can feed them too. Riley was a great guide. She explains well.

We had a lovely time feeding & learning about the alpacas. Riley was really friendly & knowledgeable, would recommend if you’re staying in the area

This was an absolutely amazing experience. I am so happy that Real Kiwi Horse Trekking operates all year round. Even in the winter months. Hannah was so good with helping us book a ride and Sue took us on an amazing 2 hour trek through the woods, along the river and through the hills. All with amazing views of the sheep, cows, and of course the mountains They were so friendly and made this ride so easy. I have not ridden much before this but this made me feel like a pro. The horses were wonderful and I cannot recommend this enough. Definitely make this stop on your NZ trip. It's worth it.

A wonderful experience! They operate year-round so we were able to do a trek with them in the winter. Hannah was great to communicate with when planning, and our guide Sue was fantastic - smart and steady leading the horses, always checking in to make sure we didn't need anything, and even took photos during the ride so we didn't need to worry about fumbling with our phones. The horses were great on the trail, and the views and landscape we trekked over were just breathtaking. Definitely recommend, would trek with them again!

Definitely one of the favourite highlights of our South Island trip, our guides Sue and helper Riley were both lovely, patient and caring. It was fun noticing all the little quirks and personalities of the horses too. Well recommended. 😊

Hannah was very kind and friendly. It was our first time riding horses, and everything went perfectly. The horses were smart and steady. We absolutely loved this experience!

Where do I start?! What a wonderful experience from start to finish. Booking was simple and directions were easy to follow. Our guides Hannah and Sue were fantastic and really looked after us, making sure we all got what we wanted out of the trek. The woodlands, hills and river crossing were stunning and it’s the best trekking experience in the South Island, I’ve realised it’s called Real Kiwi for a reason, you get the perfect Kiwi trekking experience! I’d highly recommend, and will definitely be returning!

We had an amazing experience riding with Sue and Hannah! We were beginners but felt safe and well taken care of throughout the ride. Bobby, Debbie, Torque, Rio and Maverick are the sweetest horses and we miss them already! The kids also really enjoyed playing with the dogs, lamb and goats! Thank you for having us!

An amazing experience with an incredibly friendly and knowledgeable guide! Hannah was absolutely awesome and we had such a good time. We were total beginner and the horses were so great, Hannah did such a good job of reassuring us as we went and made it into a great experience.

Statue of a Collie dog with the inscription that without the help of these animals they could not have farmed this land. Beautiful location on the shore of this beautiful lake. You should take a trip up the hill which has beautiful views over the lake and mountains

Just a simple sheepdog statue on a rock on the sides of Lake Tekapo. Not sure if this was intentional, you have the Good shepherd Church nearby and you have the Sheepdog that shepherds the sheep - celebrating 2 different shepherds ..

Lovely statue memorial to the Sheepdog (Border Collie) and wonderful views of the lake.

Humble little tribute right next to the Church of the Good Shepherd. Worth a quick stop, especially if you appreciate the history of the region.

Beautiful and meaningful statue, the sheepdog memorial located just a short walk away (100m) from The Church of the Good Shepherd. Least visitor as compared to the church itself , if you are around the corner I recommend you to drop by.

You can never go wrong with a statue dedicated to dogs.

Since it is next to the church, just visit it. Nothing interesting about this statue.

This world-famous landmark has received countless praises — especially during lupin season, on every star-filled night, and in that iconic view where the cross in the window aligns perfectly with the deep blue of Lake Tekapo. And truly, it deserves every bit of that admiration. But what surprised me most is how stunning it becomes in harsh weather. I once visited during heavy snowfall, and the scene felt completely different: vast, silent, almost otherworldly. The sense of emptiness and solitude — like a landscape where “no birds fly over the endless mountains, and no footprints can be found on the snowy paths” — stands in sharp contrast to the usual crowds and bright, calm days. People often say you need good weather to enjoy a place, but for the Church of the Good Shepherd, every kind of weather is a unique stroke of luck. I’ve visited many times, and I know I’ll return many more times in this lifetime.

Small rustic church facing the magnificent lake tekapo. Would have loved to attend the Sunday sermons here if given the time and opportunity. Come early or later into the day where there are less crowds fo better photos.

Original we stopped by about 2pm but there were heaps of people, parking is crazy and it wasn’t easy to take pictures so we went back at 8:30pm for sunset and it was so much better. The church is closed and quiet and you can spend as long as you want taking pictures. Please be mindful this is a functioning church and you need to respect that!

Beautiful Church that was built by Anglicans but is used by different sects for worship. Plenty of parking but the church closes at 5pm for tourists. It is important for tourists to remember that it is a sacred place, I think the church should do more to ensure that people outside do not talk too loud. Otherwise, a beautiful location and cosy architecture.

Lovely little church on the edge of Lake Tekapo. Famous for just being a stone church is a beautiful location. We entered during a service so no internal photos but outside it is very picturesque. If you want a photo with no one around then I suggest an early morning visit as popular with the tourist coaches.

2nd time visiting this scenic place, after my 1st visit 8 years ago. Stands out for its solitude beside beautiful Lake Tekapo and the gorgeous mountains in the background. Much more crowded this time compared to many years ago. Still, a not to be missed place.

Even though we visited in early November — and came for sunrise, sunset, and even during the night for some stargazing — there were still quite a lot of people around, which is understandable though. At a certain hour the area around the church gets closed off, so afterward you can only walk around the fence, but it’s nothing too inconvenient. There’s a beautiful photo spot by the water just behind the church.

We hiked up the track to the mountain to watch sunset and stargaze. It was a nice and quiet place to be at that time. It was a bit of a moderate slog up the mountain, but well worth it. There is a gravel parking lot at the start. Just watch out for horse excrement while making your way up the trail.

The road is a bit slippery with snow, have to be careful and wear a proper shoes. I have spend 1.5-2 hr to reach the hill, please don’t wear too many jackets, super hot to climb up the mountain.

The view on the summit is amazing. We walked up one day after snow, and the view along the track is also fantastic

Easy track up with mostly flat trails and some steps. 3.8km return track with 273m accent. Finished in 43 minutes (I am a regular jogger with good fitness).

Nice walk once you get past Tekapo Springs at the bottom and brilliant views from the summit. The track flattens out after you exit the tree line and go up the stairs. Nice cafe at the top if you need somewhere to rest before heading back down.

Amazing views on the lake and the dessert-like surrounding 🥰 would recommend to do the loop anti clock wise (first along the lake, then up to the observatory and then down through the forest - cause that last part are just steep serpentines and I was glad I could walk them down and not up 😅)

This was my very first hike and our tween first hike. It was quite hard for unfit person but well worth the hike. It was great nice outing for family. Free activities. For fit people probably only take 4hours. For me took 5 hours cos stop a lot. There are heaps of resting area. Best part for photos. Good internet reception. I did video call oversea to show the summit and signal was great. Top of the summit, there is a Cafe. Pls see my review on Cafe at Their pages. Please note: you can drive up to summit but It is more fun to hiking up. Recommended! If unfit person like me can conquer the summit. You can! 😘

Absolutely stunning view of Tekapo and the MacKenzie Country. Be aware though that the road may be closed at anytime due to bad weather particularly windy weather so watch out for that. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes looking out over the world.

The place was very interesting! We leaned about the telescopes and the astrophotography viewings. The area was really beautiful! The cafe's food was also great!

This is a ABSOLUTE MUST see if you visit Lake Tekapo. Make time to come up here on a sunny day and see for MILES around. The view from the top is INSANE. See the pics that I posted. We visited, luckily on a CRYSTAL CLEAR sunny day and it was AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL..... There is also a cafe at the top where you can have coffee and some snacks/food to enjoy while you are up there

A good place to have coffee from Astro Cafe. The entrance to the complex cost 8 NZD. The view from the top is beyond stunning. You can watch how visitors of all origins posing for pictures in different styles; this alone is also interesting in addition to the view.

Beautifull sights over Lake Tekapo from Here. Just do not take the car to get here, you’ll be charged 8 dollars. Walk the track starting from close to the tekapo springs, it’ll be way more fun with even better views (away from the insta crowd) if you’ll do the full round when going back along the lake. Rec with nice weather!

I'm sure the view is spectacular but the $14 road users fee to get there and see essentially no more than what I've seen on the way here (Mnt Cook and surrounds) for free I couldn't justify it. Would have bought breakfast and coffee whilst up there otherwise. 4 stars due to road fee.

The 2hour hike path was worth it! Not too difficult and got to see the great view on the way up! We drove up again, very nice views with a lovely cafe up there!

Roundhill is a wonderful ski resort. It starts with a scenic access road that goes along majestic Lake Tekapo. The road is easy to follow with no obstacles for normal family cars. The views there are breathtaking. The parking is perfect, never we had any issues with finding a spot. Access to the fields is great, the learners areas is quite big, and it gives good opportunity to warm up or try new things even for experienced skiers. I got great time learning new stuff with Alex on a snowboard there. The views from the mountain on the surrounding mountain range, and on the lake are the great addition to overall experience.

Beautiful ski field, you can tell it’s under well management. Handy parking, clean restrooms, lovely cafe. Staff are friendly and pro! Would definitely come back every season.

An awesome small local KIWI locals mainly Ski Field.. The Learner Pomma is a challenge for snow boarders.... Saw a few just give up ans walk back to their cars... Shame.. Ski field will lose them and their future income.... Lovely well groomed well laid out field...... Try and pre investigate when schools and bus loads of children are there.... Otherwise thw ques are crazy....

Amazing place to ski if you like to carve. Dylan makes the best cup of tea on a ski hill! She’s a legend.

Great place to learn ski\snowboarding. Friendly and helpful staff. Cafe spacious and warm with good drink options. Plenty of parking. Stunning views. Big thank you to the roundhill team for assisting with snow chains fitment on double wheeled camper and all the advice given on how to descend safely! Anybody who is driving campervan and didn't fit chains before please do a practise fit\unfit(another camper was strugling to remove chains at the bottom) beforehand, weather on the mountain changes quickly and watching youtube vids on how to is pretty hard when its snowing.

Beautiful, friendly and unforgettable experience at Roundhill Ski Area Roundhill is such a beautiful and family-friendly ski field. The views are absolutely stunning, and the whole place has a really relaxed, welcoming vibe. The staff on all the lifts were super friendly and helpful — it made the whole experience even better. I had a ski lesson with Henrietta and honestly, she was THE BEST instructor I could have hoped for. I’m in my 40s, a complete beginner, and was honestly pretty terrified of getting on skis. But Henrietta was so calm, confident, and kind — she made me feel completely safe and capable. She explained things in a way that made perfect sense, and somehow made the whole thing feel much easier than I expected. Thanks to her, I forgot my fear and had a genuinely fun time learning. I can’t thank her enough for the confidence she gave me and the amazing experience overall. If you're thinking of taking a ski lesson at Roundhill, I highly recommend asking for Henrietta!

Great place for beginners intermediate and advanced skiers. New infrastructure. Not the newest, but not the worst rental skies and boots. Clean cafe where u can get soup fries or some other snack. Learners area where u can get lessons with a tutor. Long black trails for experienced skiers. If it's ur first time skiing, it's perfect place to start. Highly recommended!