Oturehua
Encyclopedia
The township of Oturehua is in the Ida Valley of the Maniototo
, in Central Otago
, in the South Island
of New Zealand
.
Known as Rough Ridge until 1907, the settlement stands at 500 metres above sea level, some 25 kilometres from Ranfurly
, to which it is connected by both road and the Otago Central Rail Trail
long-distance walking track.
The Idaburn Dam, located 3km southwest of Oturehua along the Ida Valley Omakau Road is used (conditions permitting) for curling
bonspiel
s. It is also the site of the annual mid-winter Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally
.
The Otago Central Rail Trail
runs through Oturehua, adjacent the Ida Valley Omakau Road. Oturehua offers numerous accommodation options for trail riders.
The Golden Progress mine was worked by three lignite-fired boilers, two for the poppet head to drive the winding gear and one to drive the battery further down the gully.
Maniototo
The Maniototo Plain, usually simply known as The Maniototo, is an elevated inland region in Otago, New Zealand. The region roughly surrounds the upper reaches of the Taieri River and the Manuherikia River. It is bounded by the Kakanui Range to the north and the Rock and Pillar Range to the southeast...
, in Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Known as Rough Ridge until 1907, the settlement stands at 500 metres above sea level, some 25 kilometres from Ranfurly
Ranfurly, New Zealand
Ranfurly is the largest settlement in the Maniototo district of Otago, New Zealand. Located 110 kilometres north of Dunedin, it lies in dry rough country at a moderately high altitude close to a small tributary of the Taieri River. It is a service town for the local farming community...
, to which it is connected by both road and the Otago Central Rail Trail
Otago Central Rail Trail
The Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150-kilometre walking, cycling and horse riding track in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs in an arc between Middlemarch and Clyde, along the route of the former Otago Central Railway...
long-distance walking track.
History
Oturehua lies beneath a Rough Ridge, a range of hills bearing the same name formerly given to Oturehua. The area has changed little from its description in 1905 when it was described as good arable land, from which large crops are successfully raised. In 1905, the township comprised a post and telegraph office, a store, a hotel near the railway station, a school, coal pits and a flour mill. Of these, only the Gilchrist's General Store and the Oturehua Tavern remain.Local Attractions
Hayes Engineering Works, located immediately southwest of the township, was once the home to Ernest Hayes, a farmer and flour miller who began producing and selling farm tools from his Oturehua property. Hayes invented the internationally acclaimed wire strainer, as well as pulley blocks, cattle stops and windmills.The Idaburn Dam, located 3km southwest of Oturehua along the Ida Valley Omakau Road is used (conditions permitting) for curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
bonspiel
Bonspiel
A bonspiel is a curling tournament, traditionally held outdoors on a frozen freshwater loch. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic and means league match . Though not mandatory, curling teams involved in bonspiels often wear theme costumes...
s. It is also the site of the annual mid-winter Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally
Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally
The Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally is a rally held annually in Oturehua, Central Otago in New Zealand.The event is held every year over the weekend on which the Queen's birthday is celebrated, usually the first weekend of June....
.
The Otago Central Rail Trail
Otago Central Rail Trail
The Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150-kilometre walking, cycling and horse riding track in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs in an arc between Middlemarch and Clyde, along the route of the former Otago Central Railway...
runs through Oturehua, adjacent the Ida Valley Omakau Road. Oturehua offers numerous accommodation options for trail riders.
Gold Mining Heritage
Located 2km east of Oturehua on Rough Ridge are the remnants of the Golden Progress quartz mine. These workings are notable as they still retain an intact poppet head, the only surviving one in the Otago goldfields. The Golden Progress poppet head was constructed of Australian hardwood and erected later than most, in 1928, which explains its survival.The Golden Progress mine was worked by three lignite-fired boilers, two for the poppet head to drive the winding gear and one to drive the battery further down the gully.