Highly recommend Big Sky. Fantastic tour organised by John and Jacquie. Accomodation very good and very enjoyable meals along the way. The bikes were excellent quality. Thanks so much would recommend.

We really enjoyed our experience with Big Sky and loved the rail trail. Jacqui had excellent suggestions for accommodations and restaurants. Push bikes were in good order. Our luggage came and went seamlessly between accommodations, and Jacqui even organised getting my glasses back to me before I noticed I'd left them behind - "You'd be calling about your glasses then? We had someone collect them and they are waiting for you at the pub with Angela." In fact, Jacqui's a born organiser, arranging varying transport options for us to get there, and dialing up perfect cycling weather.

Big Sky organized our 5 day trip thru on Central Otago Rail Trail. They are super organized, every step went like clockwork. They offered a great range of accommodation options and we were thrilled with the choices we made. They supplied pleanty of info about the trail and our bikes were fantastic.... Tim even gave me some tips about the hight of my seat.... what a difference that made. We just can't thank them enough.😊

We just completed the five day Otago Central Rail Trail with Big Sky Adventures and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Good bikes and comfy accomodation and tasty pub meals and ales. I particularly enjoyed the side excursions to fascinating places. So it was much more than just a bike ride. Oh and dont start me the great fun of curling. Big shout out to Alison the tour guide who was exceptionally friendly and went out of her way to make the trip even better. She bakes delicious muffins too - if you are lucky. Totally happy and most highly recommended trip. Great organising Big Sky Adventures 👌👍

Jacquie and the team at Big Sky Bike Adventures have been amazing. Going out of there way to book us dinner, and arrange our accomodation. We had a man down with covid the day before we were due to start, and Jacquie was available to help rebook and adjust our bookings. Seamless tour! Thanks again

Spent five days cycling the Central Otago rail trail with Big Sky Bike Adventures, absolutely loved it! The company’s attention to detail, professional back up and operation gave me complete confidence whilst riding. Bikes were in excellent condition, extremely well maintained, Richard our “facilitator” was fantastic, accommodation also comfortable and our hosts very welcoming. Highly recommend you book with Big Sky!!

Jacquie and her Big Sky Team are AWESOME. They went out of there way to accommodate our specific needs including disassembling and boxing our son's custom bike. Communication was great and regular and everything went like clockwork - they even ensured we had the best weather for the 4 days of our trip :). Thank you for a memorable trip!!

We asked for the bespoke (custom, one-way with car transfer) tour itinerary, and we got much more than we imagined. The bikes were fully equipped with panniers, helmets, and a water bottle you can keep when the trip is over. We also were supplied with maps, printed instructions and descriptions, and even candy to take with. Despite some changes we made to our itinerary last minute, Jacquie, John, and Neal handled it all, no problems. Very nice folks to deal with!

Have just recently finished the Rail Trail with these guys. If there was a 10 points available to give them I would. Fully supported by them, especially when we required extra transfers etc due to medical needs. No problem at all to upgrade along the track to e-bike, there that night. Definitely do the optional side tours very interesting the one to St Bathams

After using Hayes fence tensioner for years I had to visit here. What a brilliant stop. Most impressed there was enough foresight to keep and maintain thus grate piece of NZ history

Hannah's Kitchen delivers truly exquisite delicious almost Michelin star quality cabinet food and a chalk board menu too. Beautiful outdoor and indoor seating in an historical environment of old stone buildings and engineering works. Definitely a"not-to-be missed" opportunity to indulge in some of the best small savories and sweets you can find in NZ. Well worth stopping in for just a coffee or more, even if not visiting the fabulous engineering workshop and displays.

Considering the isolated location; this Cafe is simply the BEST...!! The staff, coffee & baked items sublime. Well done ladies, call in for the Cafe alone!! 💜💜

Well worth the visit if you have interest in the history, and the food n drink at the cafe was excellent as well

Ducked in here for a bit of lunch whilst peddling. Very tasty pie and nice gardens. Was too stingy to pay $15 to see the Hayes Engineering workshops which I found afterwards was my mistake as it's highly rated!

What an interesting place to visit! My children had a blast (although it may have been easier if we'd put our 2 year old in the pram!) lovely friendly people who stayed open after closing to let us have a good look around! Thank you! Best cheese scone ever too plus delicious juices and a lovely gift shop!

Really lovely cafe with friendly owners and staff. We had lunch and coffee, which was lovely and homemade. I got beef nachos, carrot cake and an oat latte (they have oat and soy milk!) The site itself was also interesting. Self-guided tour of old engineering works and the old home of Earnest and Hannah Hayes who settled on the site in the late 1800s. Worth a visit! Great stop on the Otago Rail Trail

Oturehua is well worth a stop whilst your peddling the Otago Rail Trail or even if your driving through. The lady has plenty of time for a chat and there's good ice cream, pies and heaps of artifacts, displays and historical relics to absorb. Plus a few souvenirs - nice tea towels! Shady seating outside and a great wee pub just across the road

We arrived on horse from Klifden Farm the store owners allowed us to tie our horses up while we enjoyed a snack and a friendly chat. A lovely ride along the rail trail. Thanks very much🤠👍

The longest continuously open general store in Aotearoa. Really delightful. We bought handmade socks for the grandchildren and the lovely gentleman at the counter was really helpful. A piece of history.

Cool little general store/museum. So much to see in this little time capsule. I got some delicious Marsh's clover honey.

What a find! Relaxed inside with a coffee at the table with friends and felt a calmness here like I'd gone back in time. Lovely just to browse the shelves and see what life was like when we were all a bit younger.

Wonderfully charming store full of interesting bits and pieces, groceries history and s post office. Had a great chat with the owner who was happy to talk about the area. Bought some Wedderburn honey - yum. Great pub just across the road and a visit to both is very well worth it.

Great coffee and loved the fact that the store looked like it did 100 years ago. Had items on display that most young ppl wouldn't know what there were

here you can drop by to have a meal, enjoy a coffee, and shop for souvenirs all in one place! they have a great variety of souvenirs to choose from. we’re glad we decided to make an impromptu stop here. the staff are friendly too.

Our breakfast/brunch spot after coming down from Mt Cook, which turned out to be a very good meal! 🏔️ firstly, the view out of the cafe was amazing, and it even came with a fireplace which attracted many diners to take photos with! There’s also several sheep out at the back of the cafe, though they aren’t fully engaged with us 🐑 ☕ coffee was alright, ordered the large one and shared it with my wife 🥞 the pancakes were amazing, opted for the yoghurt option with additional bacon and absolutely loved it - definitely helped that there’s a good amount of maple syrup, which made it sinful yet delicious. The fruits and yoghurt helped a little with the diet for sure though 🤤 Avocado toast was good as well, mushrooms was well flavoured and the portion was good enough to fill us up for hours. Definitely a good spot to stop by for a meal or just check out their shop!

A pit stop for us between Tekapo and Wanaka in the small town of Omarama but what a find. This place is excellent for a travel break if driving or if you are on a coach trip as many did. We ordered choc fudge cake and drinks …all were great. The selection of food available was very good and the brekkies served looked huge. Highly recommend plus if it’s a cold day they will probably have the open fire on the go!!

Super cute place that we stepped in while taking a break during our roadtrip. We were super surprised by the cute decor and the friendly atmosphere. We didn‘t try any of the food but there were some nice options available. The drinks (Mocca and Americano) were great. We also enjoyed strolling through the shops afterwards. The bathrooms were super clean and cozy as well. Would definitely come back!

Dont order the ramen and wanton soup. It cannot caompare to auckland nice food take away nz$15.5 wanyon soup. This place is good for resting before tekapo.

We stopped for coffee and the loo on the way to Queenstown. It has a lovely fireplace so on a dull rainy day it's a perfect stop. It's a bit big a "tour group" stoping place though, so not a cosy quiet atmosphere. Cofee was average but service was excellent.

This cafe was a lovely stop on our way up to Lake Pukaki with our 13 month old daughter. I especially love the fresh flowers they put up around the cafe when opening in the morning, it really adds a nice touch and shows they like to make it a nice experience for customers. Service was friendly, coffee and food came out quickly and we both enjoyed our meals. They have high chairs available for babies, great grab and go food options if you’re in a pinch and clean toilets. It’s attached to a lovely gift shop with leather goods, soaps, etc. If we have time we’ll likely come back for lunch on our way back from our day trip.

A lovely spot to spend a relaxing time in the hot tub whilst looking out over a little pond and enjoying the wildlife. Shame there aren't showers in the pods next to the hot tub (we were in 2) they may be in others though. We went straight after walking round the clay cliffs so a shower before we got in would have been great but I wasn't about to have one in the main building and run to the hot tub!

We came here as a stop by for our honeymoon, we had just come from a wet, cold, freezing Milford sounds which we had just spent $250 on a cruise. These hot tubs were God sent. This absolutely transformed our trip around, we would trade that $250 on the Milford cruise EVERYDAY. I cannot rate this place higher enough, the lovely lady we met while we were there on the 02/10 was amazing, engaging and supportive. The staff were exceptional. This will be a staple recommendation for when people ask us what to do on their South Island trips

Amazing hot tub & sauna! Private and peaceful, right next to a lovely pond with gorgeous view of the mountains. Perfect place to relax after a cold rainy day in Mt Cook. Very clean and well-maintained facilities. Highly recommended!

Nice wood heated hot tub experience. Pool very hot - added some cold water to adjust better for us- you can adjust the temp up or down. Pools are private and clothing optional. Pretty views over pond/ducks and to hills. You are given water to drink. You can buy drinks from them (full bar). No outside food or drink allowed. Private cold shower available at the tub or warm showers at main building for after. Towels are provided. The cold shower felt good though after getting so warm in tub. Really enjoyed our private hot tub experience.

AMAZING! Highly recommend a stop here if you're in the area. The tub was on the side of a lake with the snowy mountains in the distance, talk about views! Loved that the water is so fresh. Very cool the tubs are heated by fire too. The facilities were immaculate, very clean! Loved being able to jump out of the tub and have a fresh, cold shower, then hop back in the tub. Privacy was amazing, we had our own changing rooms. The staff were super friendly too, thanks!

My son and I popped in for a gorgeous 90min session two weeks ago. It had been a dream of mine to visit for at least a decade. I'm so glad we did! Such a beautiful experience - a nice hot tub with perfect post card views.. Thanks for having us. We'll be back next year 💛

Beautiful way to spend the morning, we booked the private sauna & Tub combo. Both hot and ready to go when we arrived. Cool shower outside the Sauna was great. A warm welcoming and clear instructions on arrival as well as towels to borrow which would be great for those passing through unprepared! A photo of the sauna as we struggled to find any online to show what kind of heater is used. Will definitely be back!

One of the best place to experience glide. It was my first time and absolutely thrilled from the experience. Instructors are one the best skilled & very professional. I will definitely do it again.... Thanks to Phil & Sabrina for putting a smile on my face and heart

Fantastic experience! A 'must do' once in your lifetime at least! Very expensive for local retired 'kiwis' though. Gliding is sooo different from scenic plane flights though, yes you see the scenery..in fact more as there is no visual restrictions..but it's the feeling of quiet, calm & tranquility just gliding like a bird for half an hour..awesome 😍

A great experience gliding on Omarama, don't hesitate, just sigh up! My instructor Milan is a good pilot!

Unbelievably good. Modern, high performance gliders, great soaring environment, friendly staff, highly experienced instructors all in some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet

My pilot was fantastic and this was an experience I will not soon forget. The views were breathtaking and my pilots knowledge of the area made this so much more enjoyable! I will be back for the Mr Cook trip!

Pulled up on a whim, took the plunge was completely blown away by how awesome gliding is completely different from powered aircraft. The staff and pilot were great. The glider was a top of the line performance glider. Highly recommend worth the $$$

Amazing experience.. Very friendly staff and instructors

We were in a group of 4, so we had two cabins. Our experience was the most fabulous and exciting two night stay. We were greeted like family friends and found everything just beautiful. Laying in bed of an evening we were able to view endless satellites and shooting stars plus lucky enough for snow on the mountains right next to us and the gorgeous farm and wildlife animals. The food in town of an evening was fabulous and an easy five min drive. We would recommend this stay to all that are available to do so, Just Brilliant

Outstanding!!! This has been on my 'bucket' list for a long time and was worth the wait. We were lucky to have both clear skies and a thunder storm and both were spectacular with the glass roof and remote location. Service was terrific and they cater for coeliacs with breakfast. Highly recommend.

Look, it was a cloudy rainy night and we couldn’t see a single star but I would still 100% stay here again. You cannot control the weather and actually it was cool to hear the raindrops on the glass roof. Lovely spot. Exactly as advertised. Can’t wait to give it another shot on my next trip.

The place is truly magical. We spent a wonderful evening soaking in the hot tub under a starry night sky, losing track of time until 10 PM. It's an unparalleled way to connect with nature. We can't wait to return in autumn!

Very cool accommodation, super unique and definitely a highlight of our NZ trip. Got an awesome view of the stars and really enjoyed the hot tub + the property it’s on is beautiful!

The SkyScape accommodation was amazing. Even though we had cloudy conditions our entire stay, the room was still an oasis. We thoroughly enjoyed the soaking tub and complete remoteness with amazing views. The bed is super comfortable, bathroom and kitchen area were pristine. Twizel is a very small town so visitors should be prepared ahead for food options. The skyscape had all the essentials for breakfast and even mimosas! Its essential to arrive during the daylight to be sure an easy drive to find your room.

It was an excellent experience, we enjoyed the peace and the sound of nature in the room. The room is well equipped and provided an excellent vibes and coziness. Highly recommend it!! We love it very much!

Since so many good reviews we make a special trip here to try. We have ordered the fresh salmon, some sushi's to try it. Salmon meat tasted good the the cut is thicker comparing to other restaurants. We tried the chicken sushi, personally find it is not that great. The indoor sitting area is not too big so could sit outside especially in warm day.

An absolute must visit! I am glad I came here. There is a sashimi and smoked salmon section with other goods like tea pots, souvenirs and then there is a cafe which overlooks the salmon farm. They have sashimi that tastes buttery and rich and smoked salmon with various flavours (really liked it). Inside the cafe they also serve sushi. If you go outside on the deck there are pellets that you can feed the young salmon. Overall, very pleasant experience. Staff were friendly and helpful. Thank you to the young lady in the fish shop and deli, you were helpful and also thank you to the tall young guy in the cafe.

Popped here for dinner whilst staying in twizel! There is a mix of preprepared food and menu items - seating is all self service! The food was very tasty we got a few things to share! The salmon was all very tasty! Only issue we had was my dad wanted a well done steak which they only cook their steak to be medium rare.

Had dinner at High Country Salmon near Twizel — great experience overall! The salmon sashimi was fresh, tender, and full of flavour. The chowder was a little on the salty side, but the ingredients tasted very fresh. The fries were perfectly cooked — crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. A nice spot to enjoy good salmon dishes with a lovely atmosphere by the water.

Unfortunately, this restaurant did not meet my expectations. While the salmon was fresh, the sushi itself was cold and tasted as though it had been pre-prepared. I ordered the cooked salmon sushi and the pork belly, but neither dish was enjoyable. The view is decent, but overall, the experience did not justify the visit. I do not plan on returning.

It is different that you order and pay for your food. You then find your own seats and they deliver you with the food. We ordered platter for two. Nice presentation but if you are there for the salmon, order salmon sushi or sashimi only which we should have done. We stayed at Mount Cook Hermitage and this Salmon restaurant would be the closest at 60 km away. Also it is 3km from Twizel, a small village from Mount Cook that you can get reasonable priced food.

Came after the hype and the place was busy with people when we got there. We had to line up for quite long for food orders. When it was our turn the server told us that their kitchen was closed as they had too many orders to make and couldn’t make new orders anymore. We were very disappointed of course as we came all the way to try their salmon and all we could get was anything ready at the counter. We got some sashimi and sushi for sharing. Honestly they tasted average though salmon was fresh. They had a pond behind the restaurant where you could feed the fishes in it. We quickly finished our lunch as the place was busy and people were waiting for seats. We then went over to the shop next to the restaurant to have a look at what they sell.

Hosts Curl Australia's Australian National Curling Championships -- which I am watching from the comfort of my own home in Hamilton, Ontario! Also as I understand it, hosts New Zealand's curling talent. Kudos to everyone doing their bit to grow the game of curling. Fantastic to see teams from NZ and

Such a cool place. Literally. Everyone can do it. Highly Recommend

Visited from Wānaka for the day. Amazing hospitality and coached us through how to do the curling as we were very much beginners. Had ample time to give curling a go and also tried the outdoor luge which I would highly recommend. Friendly staff, great fun!!

Stopped into Naseby while doing a roadie in the Maniototo and spending a few days in Ranfurly. It's more than worth the drive. My wife and I decided to try curling. We did the outsoor one. Had the rink to ourselves today and it was heaps of fun. Staff was very friendly and welcoming. Gave use some pointers then let us enjoy the game. We had a ball. It's certainly a game of precision but anybody can have some fun trying it. Can't recommend highly enough. Will have to try the indoor version of the game one day too I think.

It was Worth for visit Naseby. Good experience to try Curling Sports. The staff is so friendly and approachable.

Came to do the Gold Rush Luge. It was so much fun. Went down 5 times, would have gone more times except for the walk back up. They need to install transport back up to the start!

Awesome activity, even for those with no experience. We arrived last week on our south island holiday, had no booking or a clue of how to play! After some great instructions from the staff and continual tips for the hour and a half we were there, we got the hang of it and had a great time! Such great fun, thanks a mil!

Honestly, should be a 4.5 star Sashimi is fresh and neatly packed with chopsticks and soy sauce and wasabi. Smoked salmon tastes good when eaten with sandwich. The view is great, but can be hot in the afternoon. Small shop but serves it's purpose well as a pit stop. Many tourists, toilet is clean.

Like many other tourists, we visited this place. Sashimi was nice and fresh. It seems prices are always increasing. 100gm for $15. 500gm large was $53. I also tried the hot smoked salmon to try. Prices are better than High Country Salmon if you want to only try sashimi only.

When you come to Mount Cook, you must try the salmon sashimi here. This shop is more suitable for takeaway or a simple meal. There’s only one table inside, but there are several outdoor tables where you can enjoy delicious food by the riverside while admiring the scenery and the distant Mount Cook.

The salmon was super delicious and incredibly crunchy, with a perfectly balanced taste. We came back twice! The sashimi is genuinely unbeatable. It was quite windy to sit outside, and finding an empty spot inside this small shop was a challenge. With better weather, the experience would be completely perfect.

Salmon that melts in your mouth like butter… and the most stunning views of Mount Cook! You’ll definitely want to make a stop here. Located next to the i-site. Plenty of parking for all vehicle types, and clean public toilets. This is a great place for a leisurely picnic, coffee or a quick snack on the banks of Lake Pukaki. There are picnic tables along the water front, and a picture perfect spot for noteworthy Instagram posts. The Salmon Shop has the cleanest sashimi I’ve ever tasted. So deliciously melt-in-your-mouth. It was the best I’ve ever had. They have small containers with about 10 to 12 pieces for $15, served with wasabi and soy. Their smoked salmon dip is $15 each or 20% off if you buy two (which we did). This was a beautiful treat we enjoyed later at sunset paired with a lovely crisp glass of Pinot Gris. They also sold fresh caviar and wasabi, different cuts of salmon, crackers and some great condiments that pair beautifully. You could also purchase cold drinks, filter coffee, tea, and a yummy hot “lemon honey and ginger” drink (which was so good we came back for seconds). This was great for soothing my partner’s sore throat he’d been struggling with. A small section of the shop had upmarket tourist souvenirs which were far better than many of the junky things you might find at the usual tourist shop. Whether you’re a salmon lover or not I definitely recommend a stop here. The view alone is worth Gold, and I’m sure you’ll be a sashimi convert once you’ve tried this most delicious treat!

Fresh salmon and with the best view to eat at. I would recommend if you are in the area. People had also brought their own noodles to eat with salmon. Which I thought was a great idea

Fresh salmon sashimi that are cut too small. Very nice view around the place (scenery is not part of the shop, is free). Quite expensive, $15 for 100g (1 small box). Place is often crowded but they serve very fast.

Lake Pukaki is perfectly positioned at the foot of Southern Alps. The scenery around will blow your mind away. We might have seen such pictures as the backdrop of calendars during my childhood. But never imagined such a beautiful place. The area is famous for Salmon & salmon farms too. This aquamarine colour due to the glacial flour will leave you mesmerized.

Pale water holds the mountain's gaze, A sheet of ice, in sunlit haze. The Southern Alps, in jagged crown, Reflect their snow on water down. The air is thin, the light is gold, A silence ancient, grand, and old. Upon the shore, the tussocks sigh, Beneath a vast and endless sky. Lake Pukaki, a turquoise gleam, The color of a waking dream. It drinks the melt from Tasman's feet, A glacial, breathtaking retreat.

Lake located on the road to Mt Aorangi, lake has some spectacular views and lookouts galore. Can see clear around the valley on a nice day.

It’s so beautiful here! You also can see Mount Cook in the distance.

Our coach passed beautiful Lake Pukaki on the way to Mount Cook, which became visible from quite a distance. The entire lake is an almost perfect and consistent aquamarine, from the glacial runoff silt.

Definitely worth a couple of visits! You can get even closer to the mountains when you drive towards Mount Cook. The lake is an endless body of turquoise blue. There is plenty of parking available. Toilet facilities are not the best though.

Beautiful place to have look on Mount Cook. It gives beautiful look with several other mountains. It's very big and spread in large area till Mount cook.. Drive along with this lake gives you a very sceneric beauty. Even if you wanna dark star view. Than it's a best place to see. By going more along with lake (not on main road) side road. You can get good spot which will give a broad view of sky and definitely you will get too many stars and planets (satellites too if you lucky enough).

I love the appearance of the building which is pretty cute and the staffs are very patient and friendly to explain some details for my questions.

Anna at the isite was awesome today giving us advice and info riding the A2O trail and retrieving our backpack with all our valuables in it which we had left on the back of our truck parked by the public toilets. Thanks Anna, you are our STAR. The isite has an extensive amount of local info available well worth a visit.

Went to change my vehicle usage from rental to private motor vehicle and then register the vehicle for 12 months. All done and dusted in 1.0 minutes.. Great service and friendly staff

Very friendly front of house staff. Some of the other staff are not so approachable which seems odd for a community resource. It would be good to have more focus on Maori and better placement of the artifacts pertaining to them.

This place has a bunch of good-heated caring people who have beautiful community spirits. They demonstrate how the Wataiki valley is an ideal place to live and travel by showing a genuine interest in offering helping hands.

During the winter this is not open on the weekends. Definitely worth stopping in, the museum has a wide collection and a lot of detail about the area. The staff are super friendly and helpful about things to do in the area as well.

An amazingly beautifully presented piece(s) of history, complete with some great storytelling about some people from the district. Well worth a stop in, and it's free! Thank you.

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.

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 sure why elephant Rocks but years gone by maybe. A very amazing formation non the less in an amphitheatre like setting.

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.

Not open both times I have been past but still a cool spot to stop and photo.

This is the first time I was able to have a look here and it was one I won't forget as there were a look of things I remember as a young boy. A wide range of goods for sale so if you are a collector of old things pop in for a look you never know what you might find.

Full of interesting things, well layed out and reasonably priced.

A great shop. Had limited time today to have a good look. However I'll be back. You have some amazing treasures and you are such a cool guy. Pleased you liked my daughter's piggies lol

Good little second hand shop some interesting stuff worth stopping there

Lots of old treasure I here... worth a look

Terrific range of goods on offer..Great collection of blacksmiths tools for sale..I purchased an anvil at good price.. Knowledgeable and pleasant dealer.

When tourism becomes crazy! You know when you turn up somewhere and there’s multiple bus stop signs outside it’s time to turn around and leave. And they charge you to get onto a free beach to see some rocks. Which you can basically see on any other beach in NZ and the world! There’s gift shops, a cafe, an alpaca feeding area, they really have hyped this place up to be something. Crazy! Luckily I was driving this way anyway but to think that some people come over from the west coast all the way to see this is bonkers! Tourism overhype to the max!

Moeraki Boulders are little stunners perched on the beach it’s like 1,000,000 years ago someone rolled the dice and there they stayed. Absolutely worth the stop, the beach also beautiful we enjoyed the walk as well. Would rug up can be a little cold. There is a cafe there but it wasn’t open when we were there. Great stop after a few hours driving.

PARK AT THE PUBLIC ACCESS! The Cafe is public property and will charge you. Otherwise, I absolutely enjoyed walking this beach and taking photos of these natural rocks. It’s too bad the tourists have vandalized them and used them for their personal playground.

Went during low tide and honestly found the boulders a bit unimpressive. The ocean itself was beautiful, though, and worth a look if you’re passing through. Can get crowded with tour buses, so I wouldn’t make a special trip unless it’s already on the way.

Im sure it would have been beautiful but i didnt like that a public beach is privatised and monetised, in a way. Its only NZD2 to access the beach, its not alot.. and yes, the money is to maintain the walkway and etc... just doesnt sit right with me.

A stunning place that you should not miss, especially when it is nice weather! If you not willing to walk, you can choose to use the path made by the café for just paying a fee for pathway maintainance. (May help you skip around 50%-70% distance from the public carparking space) For me, I walked from the public carparking place and enjoy the whole view, cheers.

Beautiful place. There’s a public carpark with a 5 minute walk down to the beach. Alternatively, you can park by the café for a shorter stroll and view trail (a small NZ$2 donation supports the boardwalk)

When tourism becomes crazy! You know when you turn up somewhere and there’s multiple bus stop signs outside it’s time to turn around and leave. And they charge you to get onto a free beach to see some rocks. Which you can basically see on any other beach in NZ and the world! There’s gift shops, a cafe, an alpaca feeding area, they really have hyped this place up to be something. Crazy! Luckily I was driving this way anyway but to think that some people come over from the west coast all the way to see this is bonkers! Tourism overhype to the max!

Moeraki Boulders are little stunners perched on the beach it’s like 1,000,000 years ago someone rolled the dice and there they stayed. Absolutely worth the stop, the beach also beautiful we enjoyed the walk as well. Would rug up can be a little cold. There is a cafe there but it wasn’t open when we were there. Great stop after a few hours driving.

PARK AT THE PUBLIC ACCESS! The Cafe is public property and will charge you. Otherwise, I absolutely enjoyed walking this beach and taking photos of these natural rocks. It’s too bad the tourists have vandalized them and used them for their personal playground.

Went during low tide and honestly found the boulders a bit unimpressive. The ocean itself was beautiful, though, and worth a look if you’re passing through. Can get crowded with tour buses, so I wouldn’t make a special trip unless it’s already on the way.

Im sure it would have been beautiful but i didnt like that a public beach is privatised and monetised, in a way. Its only NZD2 to access the beach, its not alot.. and yes, the money is to maintain the walkway and etc... just doesnt sit right with me.

A stunning place that you should not miss, especially when it is nice weather! If you not willing to walk, you can choose to use the path made by the café for just paying a fee for pathway maintainance. (May help you skip around 50%-70% distance from the public carparking space) For me, I walked from the public carparking place and enjoy the whole view, cheers.

Beautiful place. There’s a public carpark with a 5 minute walk down to the beach. Alternatively, you can park by the café for a shorter stroll and view trail (a small NZ$2 donation supports the boardwalk)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

We found this place on Google as we were passing through and so glad we did! There are 30 wallabies in total and a bunch of other animals as you walk around the paddocks, there's a super cheeky peacock too. The wallabies are so sweet and gentle, the lady that owns the place is a real character, she obviously cares so much about her animals, we found her to be sweet and certainly has a sense of humour! Myself and Husband absolutely loved it. And for $15 for a huge bag of food and unlimited time walking around the paddocks, we thought it was a super reasonable price! 100%recommend ❤️

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!

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.

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..

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!

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.

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.