Omakau Area Information

Omakau

Omakau is a farming town orginally founded in the early 1900′s when the railway line was opened in 1904 to open up access to this large farming area.

Omakau is situated 28 kilometres north of Alexandra on state highway 85 and is a popular overnight stopover for users of the Otago Central Rail Trail.

Otago Central Rail Trail

The Otago Central Rail Trail was first opened in February 2000 and at 150 kilometres is the longest rail trail in New Zealand.

The Otago Central Rail Trail follows the old Central Otago branch railway line from Clyde to Middlemarch and is accessible all year round. The trail is a public reserve and has been specifically created for mountain bikers, walkers and horse riders (motorised vehicles are not permitted on the trail).

The Otago Central Rail Trail passes through the towns of Clyde, Alexandra, Chatto Creek, Omakau, Lauder, Oturehua, Wedderburn, Ranfurly, Waipiata, Hyde and Middlemarch before finishing in Dunedin.

The rail trail passes through spectacular scenery including mountain ranges, hills and gorges, the Maniototo plain, old gold mining towns and ends in the fruit growing areas of Central Otago. Viaducts, bridges and some of the old Railway Stations have been preserved and can also be viewed along the trail.

Central Otago

Central Otago is a truly amazing area of New Zealand, enjoying a powerful landscape with signs of a rich heritage everywhere.

The Central Otago area is dominated by mountain ranges, the upper reaches of the Clutha River and the flat plateau of the Maniototo.

Queenstown and Wanaka are two very popular tourist destinations in Central Otago, as well as the smaller towns of Alexandra, Arrowtown, Bannockburn, Clyde, Cromwell, Naseby, Omakau, Ranfurly, Roxburgh and St Bathans.

The Otago Central Rail Trail is a main tourist attraction in Central Otago.

Use Omakau Accommodation as your base for exploring Central Otago.