Owaka: Museum, Art and Golf

Owaka offers several reasons to explore the town: the museum focuses on the heritage of the Catlins region and its natural history, while the Community Gallery showcases work by local artists. A stainless-steel canoe sculpture commemorates the town’s 150th anniversary; the Ōwaka Golf Club, in turn, offers a sporting focus. If you’re looking for accommodation, consider which of these interests matters most to your travel plans.

Museum, natural history and local art

The Owaka Museum preserves and presents the heritage of the Catlins region on New Zealand’s South Island. Interactive exhibits are part of the visit, along with rare photographs and documents. The region’s natural history is also featured. In this way, the museum brings together different perspectives: personal discoveries among the exhibits sit alongside historical images and documents, while natural history directs attention to the landscape and its past.

The Community Gallery showcases works by local artists and craftspeople throughout the year. It complements the museum’s themes with an ongoing presentation of regional art. The museum is open daily except Christmas Day. Check the latest opening information before you travel.

A memorial and a golf course

The stainless-steel canoe sculpture commemorates Owaka’s 150th anniversary. Its subject and material create a different focus from the museum exhibits: here, the town’s anniversary takes centre stage. If you’d like to combine culture and art with a sporting activity when choosing where to stay, Owaka is also home to the Ōwaka Golf Club.

The course has nine holes, is par 70 and lies on the banks of the Ōwaka River. These specific features give a clear impression of the golf on offer, without assuming a particular playing time. The museum, gallery, sculpture and golf course appeal to different interests that may factor into your choice of a hotel in Owaka.

Owaka and the wider Clutha District destination

The wider Clutha District destination extends beyond Owaka. The district stretches along the coast between Dunedin and Invercargill and includes part of the Southern Scenic Route. When planning your trip, it’s therefore worth distinguishing Owaka’s offerings from the other experiences in the Clutha District.

The Clutha Gold Trail is a multi-day cycling and walking option in the Clutha District: it is 135 kilometres long, classified as an easy Grade 1–2 trail, and described as taking 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. These route details describe a different kind of trip planning from a visit to the Owaka Museum or golf course. Check the latest trail information before setting out.

The coast also offers its own range of experiences in the Clutha District: the district has more than 200 kilometres of coastline and a variety of surfable wave types, including 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 there depend on swell, tides and weather. For planning purposes, coastal and surfing interests are an additional regional focus, but are distinct from what Owaka has to offer.

Seasonal and rural experiences in the Clutha District include the daffodil show in Lawrence. It takes place every spring on the grounds of Weatherston’s Brewery; check the dates before travelling. Farm tours and hands-on encounters with animals are also offered in the district. Operators and schedules may change, so it’s worth checking the respective offerings in advance.

If you’d like to focus your stay on other parts of the Clutha District, also consider the longer trail sections, coastal and surfing options, or seasonal events.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Larnachs Castle, Milton, Tarara, Kaka Point, Lawrence, Tapanui, Edievale, Chaslands.

For the wider travel overview: Clutha District.