Alexandra: Gold mining history, river trails and a spring festival

Alexandra combines traces of gold mining with riverside trails and an annual spring festival. The Earnscleugh Tailings show how mining and gold dredging technology developed over a long period. There is also the Alexandra Clock Walk, the Roxburgh Gorge Trail and a museum featuring stories from Central Otago. You can tailor your stay to different interests—from history and scenery to wine and outdoor activities.

Gold mining and stories from Central Otago

The Earnscleugh Tailings are historically, technologically and archaeologically significant. They illustrate the development of mining, particularly gold dredging and its technologies, from the early 1860s to the 1960s. The tailings are on the right bank of the Clutha River, also known as Mata-au, near Alexandra and are accessible to the public via a walking track. This makes it possible to combine an outdoor visit with a specific chapter in the region’s mining history.

The Central Stories William Bodkin Memorial Museum presents more stories from Central Otago. Topics include geology and early explorers, as well as social history, gold, gold dredging and mining. Agriculture, fruit growing and viticulture add to this picture of the region. Admission to the William Bodkin Memorial Museum Gallery is by donation. The museum is also home to two Otago skinks (Oligosoma otagense)—a special addition to its cultural and historical themes.

Explore on foot and enjoy the outdoors

The Alexandra Clock Walk starts in Alexandra and leads to the distinctive clock on the hillside. Along the way, you cross the historic Shaky Bridge in Kerry Street over the Manuherekia River. This route combines a walk with a striking structure and a destination that, even by its description, characterises Alexandra: the clock on the hillside.

For a longer route, try the Roxburgh Gorge Trail. It runs between Alexandra and the Lake Roxburgh Hydro Dam alongside the Clutha Mata-au River. Eroded rock faces, old gold workings, willows, native shrubs and fragrant thyme shape the scenery along the way. The section from Alexandra to Doctors Point is 10 km one way. This information can help you factor your preferred distance into your daily plans.

There are also different options on wheels: the Fulton Hogan Community Cycle Park in Alexandra is free and includes a training track and a BMX track. If you’re interested in golf, the Alexandra Golf Club’s 18-hole course is on the edge of Alexandra. Visitors are welcome on club days and at open competitions.

Alexandra’s spring festival and wine

The Alexandra Blossom Festival celebrates spring and takes place annually. It is a three-day festival featuring a range of events and festivities. If you’d like to plan your trip around a festival, this is a chance to experience Alexandra in a springtime setting; no specific event dates are given here.

Another local highlight is Perseverance Estate Wines, a family-run boutique winery. It produces handcrafted single-vineyard wines, including award-winning Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, rosé and the dessert wine Pinot Cousins. The wines are made and bottled in Alexandra. Wine tastings are by appointment. This is important to keep in mind if you’d like to include a tasting in your stay.

Which holiday accommodation suits your stay?

When choosing holiday accommodation in Alexandra, it’s worth considering how much walking and hiking you’d like to do. The Alexandra Visitor Centre–Central Stories Museum provides local walking guides that you can use when planning your routes.

Other places: Chatto Creek, Naseby, Conroys Gully, Omakau, Lauder, Millers Flat, Patearoa, Coal Creek Flat.

For the broader travel overview: Central Otago District.