Omakau: Gold Mining History and the Otago Central Rail Trail

Omakau is a former mining town in a region historically shaped by gold mining. At the same time, the town is only a few metres from the Otago Central Rail Trail. This brings together two distinct travel interests: the town’s history and a cycling trip. Cyclists and their companions can plan to stop in Omakau for overnight stays or refreshment breaks.

Local history in specific buildings

The Omakau Commercial Hotel at 1 Harvey St was Omakau’s first homestead. It was built in 1898 as Pomona House on a 200-acre farm. Behind the hotel stands the Old Stone Stable, a historic building that was originally associated with this first homestead and was also built in 1898. The two buildings bring the town’s early history to life in named locations, without the need for a lengthy account.

Churches are also among Omakau’s historic landmarks. St Mary’s Anglican Church is listed in the Central Otago District Plan register of historic buildings, places, sites and objects. North of Omakau, St Peter’s Catholic Church stands on a hill. Visitors can stroll past historic buildings in Omakau and learn about its earlier gold mining history. Those particularly interested in architectural history and the character of a former mining town will find a different focus here than in a stay centred mainly on cycling.

Cycling, golf and events

Its location on the Otago Central Rail Trail makes Omakau a convenient place for cyclists and their companions to stay overnight or take a refreshment break. The Omakau township area is also listed as a parking location for this section of the trail. If you are planning your trip around the cycle trail, you can therefore take both the overnight stop or break and the parking information into account. These details refer to the Rail Trail and the township area; they do not provide information about specific accommodation.

Golf is another activity in town: Omakau has a 9-hole golf course with scenic views. The Omakau A&P Show is one of the town’s regular events. The Central Otago A&P Show in Omakau includes, among other things, equestrian competitions. Horse races are also held in Omakau during the Christmas and New Year period. So, alongside cycling, golf and horse-related events offer different interests to consider when planning a trip.

A focus that suits your stay

Omakau is a suitable destination if you want to learn about a former mining town or include the Otago Central Rail Trail in your trip. For a history-focused stay, the former mining connections and named historic buildings provide specific points of interest. For an active trip, the location near the cycle trail is a draw in its own right; golf and the horse events mentioned above offer further interests. This way, you can choose holiday accommodation based on which side of Omakau is most important to you.

Near Omakau, at Thomson’s Creek just before the town, there is a picnic and rest area. This adds another place to stop in the surrounding area. It is separate from the town’s historic buildings and activities on the Rail Trail: these details describe different points of interest for a stay, not a single shared route. Depending on whether you mainly want to cycle, explore history, play golf or attend an event, you can consider these themes separately when planning your trip.

More places: Waipiata, Ranfurly, Lauder, Roxburgh, Queensbury, Clyde, Conroys Gully, Naseby.

For the broader travel overview: Central Otago District.