Tarara: Discover Family History and Nature

Tarara invites you to discover family history and traces of earlier village life. Nearby, Purakaunui Falls adds a touch of nature to your visit: water cascades over three tiers, framed by native forest and accompanied by birdsong and the rush of water. Together, local history and a short nature outing create a clear travel idea.

Family history and earlier village traditions

The Burgess family lived continuously at Greenwood Farm in Tarara for more than a century, spanning four generations. This long continuity makes family history tangible in a specific place. The former Tarara School offers another perspective on community life: at its peak, it had up to 29 pupils. Tarara was a place to visit on a tour in 2017; the former school site was one of the tour’s stops. The farm and school thus offer two different glimpses into local history: a settlement maintained across generations and former school life.

The area’s sporting history also has several settings. Tarara Sports Ground hosted woodchopping competitions and athletics events. Woodchopping was a spectator sport on the front paddock of Greenwood Farm at sports days until 1933. The contrast between the sports ground and the farm provides two specific connections to this tradition; the 1933 date applies to woodchopping as a spectator sport on the farm property.

Purakaunui Falls nearby

The Purakaunui Falls Walk leads to nearby Purakaunui Falls. The return walk from the car park takes 20 minutes. The falls cascade over three tiers, with native forest as a backdrop, accompanied by birdsong and the rush of water. The turn-off to Purakaunui Falls Road is 6.3 kilometres south of Owaka, and the falls are accessible via this road. The waterfall also has a cultural presence: it appeared on a New Zealand 10-cent stamp in 1976.

Travel ideas in the Clutha District

The Clutha District offers a wider range of travel experiences. It stretches along the coast between Dunedin and Invercargill and forms a remarkable section of the Southern Scenic Route. The Clutha Gold Trail is 135 kilometres long, graded as an easy Grade 1–2 track, and designed to take two to four days. A 62-kilometre extension between Lawrence and Waihola opened on 25 August 2023. It connects the existing trail network in Central Otago and Clutha and continues as a cycle trail towards the east coast. This puts two very different timeframes side by side: the 20-minute return walk at Purakaunui Falls and a multi-day trail. Check the latest route information before travelling on the Clutha Gold Trail.

The coast and farm tours are also among the options in the Clutha District. Its more than 200 kilometres of coastline include surfable beach breaks, river breaks and reef breaks. Kākā Point is a beach break with rocky points and is suitable for surfers from beginner to advanced level; conditions vary with swell, tides and weather. Farm tours and hands-on animal encounters are also available in the district; providers and dates may change. Each spring, a daffodil show is held at Weatherston’s Brewery in Lawrence. Check current event dates before travelling.

Choose the right focus for your accommodation search

Shape your search around which of these experiences defines your trip.

Discover more destinations: Edievale, Balclutha, Clinton, Kaitangata, Tapanui, Kaka Point, Larnachs Castle, Lawrence.

For the broader travel overview: Clutha District.