OVER THE DANSEYS PASS

So, I set to work establishing how to bring this idea to life. A good amount of research can be done over the internet and phone, but the really good intel. or intelligence comes from getting on the ground and physically covering the route while meeting and getting to know the people who own or operate the accommodations, experiences, and destinations. 

So off we went…

With husband Tim in tow, we took off to Dunedin. I was very happy to have my puffer jacket handy as it was a prickly 2 degrees when we arrived and picked up our hire car. After a whistle stop visit to catchup with friends and a night at the Scenic Circle Southern Cross hotel we rose early and hit the road for Oamaru. We stopped at Signal Hill to view the cold but clear vistas over the city before making our way to Port Chalmers and onwards to Moeraki Boulders. We are always considering our travellers when we put a tour together, and I made note that the small walk and descent to the Moeraki Beach could be a little hazardous for some (if done slowly and with care and the assistance of a guide then all will be fine). The giant marble like boulders themselves were still as round as they were 30 years ago (or 3 million years ago) and the extensive Moeraki beach with its golden sand set the scene for a beautiful outlook. The Moeraki area has certainly grown and become more popular with homes and luxury baches cropping up on the hill above and with uninterrupted views out to the ocean I can see why. 

We then continued to Oamaru and on arrival, we ducked our heads into our shortlist of accommodations to establish the perfect base for the start of the tour. Local Kiwi entrepreneurs, Debbie and Ross Ward of the Mariner Suites have recently built a fabulous motel complex where all the rooms face out towards the harbour and Victorian precinct and a short walk to view the penguins and wander around town. If this wasn’t enough of a compelling reason to stay there, I then discovered that they put a chocolate fish from the local confectionary company in each of the rooms for their guests! 

Oamaru has the best collection of Victorian Buildings in New Zealand and these neo classical white stone buildings that once housed many grain stores, banks, post offices, exchange stores etc are now home to unique businesses, boutique stores, galleries, cafes, and restaurants. With an abundance of history surrounding us, it was evident that it would be of interest to engage a local historian to impart some of their knowledge with our future travel group. So along comes Mike Gray! This obliging gentleman has since got onboard to help fine tune our tour and who will later regale our travellers with the history of Oamaru and its surrounding areas.

Oamaru is also home to the world’s smallest penguins and after a busy days’ fishing, these little fellows like to return en masse when it’s dark, to feed their young. This is super cute to watch and the town has since set up private viewings and a small grandstand to observe them without imposing on their natural environment. Whilst you can often see them randomly hopping around town, we won’t leave it to chance and will include this experience as part of the tour.

Whitestone, whitestone, whitestone… it’s a theme to the town of Oamaru. Famously marked by the iconic stone that is quarried locally and shipped around the country. 

To hero this, Tim and I did a tour and tasting of Whitestone Cheese, a delicious experience that left me wondering how farmers milk sheep… (a concept that also baffled our guide). That aside, the Berry family has made waves around the country and their cheese has won several awards so certainly a tasty and fascinating inclusion for our tour. 

And for a firmer experience (and not one of the culinary kind) we were then given a heads up by friends who live in Oamaru that a tour into the Parkside Limestone Quarry is one not to be missed. Their parents and visitors to Oamaru have been back to the quarry a few times over for this experience, and with that accolade alone, it qualified a visit. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do the tour ourselves, but we met Judy who takes the tours (5th generation family member to be involved with the quarry) and she confidently talked us through the experience. Seeing the stone in the ground, the process it goes through and finally seeing it propping up so much architecture is quite remarkable. 

This architecture includes the very unusual and quirky building of Riverstone Castle. I’m not sure what to think about this architectural giant that dominates the rural landscape of Oamaru… Tim was as perplexed as I was, and with the old adage ‘it needs to be seen to be believed’ we decided to investigate further and step inside the halls of the castle… and holy moly were we surprised?! The interior is something else, and the attention to detail phenomenal… tiles, pressed ceilings, wallpapers, furniture… all as opulent as you could possibly imagine and yes it certainly does need to be seen to be believed! 

In amongst our research of Oamaru, we found a few other gems which will also be included in March, but we need to keep some surprises tucked up our sleeves for those who decide to join us.

The next leg of research took us up and over the Danseys Pass. The full extent of this road is quite magnificent with its spectacular landscapes. Brown and baren, elevated and extensive. I’m not sure you can see further across the Northern Otago plains from the top of the pass than on this road. It certainly is a highlight.

Having run tours to the Central Otago previously, I consider myself reasonably familiar with the landscape and people. So instead, Tim and I indulged ourselves with a night at the Danseys Pass Hotel. We met the new Manager Matty Hawkes. Matty has run hotels in other unique parts of New Zealand, including Arthurs Pass and I am sure he will make his mark here and delight our travellers with his fabulous hospitality going forward.

We met our local superstar and guide George Lindsey for a coffee in Naseby the following morning and discussed our plans for this section of the tour. His knowledge and experience of the central Otago is outstanding and visits to St Bathans, Ophir, Omaukau, Naseby, the Ida Valley and the Maniototo will all be included on this tour. We’ll learn a few things about farming, gold mining and take an adventure offroad with the 4WD team. 

It was zero degrees in Naseby and somehow it was getting colder the later the morning got. So we farewelled George and made tracks for Middlemarch. We weren’t on the road for long before the dramatic landscapes became frozen in time with a hoar frost. My camera was leaping all over the place and I couldn’t get enough of the icy brilliance this frost delivered. 

We then arrived in Middlemarch and set upon the local Kissing Gate Café for a hot cuppa and delectable sweet treat to establish who and what might be hiding under the google radars of interesting visits. Vennetta the super friendly and talented chef, charmed us with her knowledge and passed on a few local contacts which saw us quickly set for a busy couple of hours. We met Dawn who runs the local museum and with teeth chattering she opened the museum up and walked us through the beautifully chronicled history of Middlemarch. I was very impressed with their collection of memorabilia and historical artifacts… it was quite possibly one of the better small town museums I have visited. We then visited Frances Howell (mother of the café owner) and we walked around the crunchy grounds of her extensive country garden. We had to use our imagination to convert the icy trees and empty flower beds to visualise how the cherries, roses, peonies, and perennials would look in the Summer – I am sure it will be quite astonishing. This visit, along with some catering supplied from her daughter would make the perfect picnic stop for the planned tour. 

Tim and I then hit the road back to Dunedin with the intention to stop at Hindon Railway Station to establish where the Taireri Gorge train stops and returns back to Dunedin (hopefully the last leg of the March tour). Google Maps took us out over private property, through a stunning gorge and into the middle of nowhere where we finally arrived at nothing! With not a lot of time left on the clock and a nervous husband, we had to high tail it back to Dunedin Airport for our flights. This part of our research will have to wait for another day. What we do know is that this train service has been severely disrupted over the last few years and whilst we are still awaiting news of their summer 2024 service, it is looking likely for this to happen. And if not, then Tim and myself can hand on heart say that the drive is beautiful regardless.

This tour will be set to run in early March 2024. If this story has piqued your interest and you would like to see the full itinerary when available, then contact: nikki@seemoretours.co.nz or phone: 021 990 141.