Discover Coal Creek Flat

A specific seasonal highlight in Coal Creek Flat is cherry picking at Coal Creek Gardens. While the pick-your-own operation is open, you can pick from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm; cherries are available from 26 December to early January. At Stone House Gardens, picking your own cherries is also part of the summer offering. At the Coal Creek Gardens stand, you can also get pickles, jams and syrups—a different side of the garden offering from the harvest itself.

Orchards and harvest season

The season also matters in Central Otago. Berryland is four kilometres north of Roxburgh. At the roadside fruit stand, depending on the season, you can try raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes, among other things. Berryland grows berries, stone fruit and vegetables for direct sale to visitors passing by. Orchards around Roxburgh and Cromwell offer tours or pick-your-own experiences; which option suits your travel dates depends on the individual orchard and harvest period.

Landscapes and trails in the Central Otago District

The Bannockburn Sluicings are a scarred landscape shaped by a short-lived gold-rush era. Various trails explore the area on foot or by bike. The Roxburgh Gorge Trail offers another perspective on gold-mining history: it follows the Clutha Mata-au River past eroded rock faces and old gold-mining sites. The route can be walked or cycled in either direction and combines a 21-kilometre bike ride with a 13-kilometre boat trip. It is graded 2–3 and designed as a day trip.

The Clutha Gold Trail offers a different timeframe: the 135-kilometre route runs between Roxburgh Dam in Central Otago and Waihola in the Clutha region. This easy cycling and walking trail is graded 1–2 and designed for a two-to-four-day trip. The stated trip duration for the Otago Central Rail Trail ranges from one to five days: it is 152 kilometres long, graded 1, and suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Its scenery shifts between dry hill country, river gorges, tunnels, viaducts, historic homes and preserved gold-mining settlements. The trail can be ridden in either direction, with access points at various locations.

The Lake Dunstan Trail follows the shores of Lake Dunstan between Cromwell and Clyde, passing through the wine-growing areas of Bannockburn, Cornish Point and Cromwell Gorge. There are opportunities for swimming, boating and other water sports along much of the route. The trail also connects modern, pioneer and Māori stories; some of these are shared at the Clyde and Cromwell Historical Precinct.

Culture and travel planning

Art and history also offer practical starting points for exploring the Central Otago District. The Central Otago Arts Trail leads to galleries and artist studios, where visitors can meet artists. Each sculpture and mural along the Arts Trail has its own story. The Otago Goldfields Heritage Trail includes more than 20 historic sites, accessible on foot, by bike or by car. Examples include Mitchell’s Cottage, Earnscleugh Dredge Tailings and Bald Hill Flat.

To get to Central Otago, you can fly into Queenstown or Dunedin, then hire a car, take the bus or book a guided tour. If you’re planning a trail trip, it’s worth first deciding on the type of route you want and the time you have available.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tarras, Ranfurly, Lindis Valley, Earnscleugh, Lauder, Naseby, Waipiata, Omakau.

Go to the main travel overview: Central Otago District.