This document summarizes the author's trip exploring the Cromwell region of Central Otago, New Zealand. They rented a car upon arriving in Cromwell and took a personal wine tour with Southern Lakes Limousines & Taxis, visiting several wineries including Mt Difficulty Wines where they had lunch. They also went on scenic helicopter and jet boat rides to experience the landscape from new perspectives. Additional activities included visiting a gold mining center and panning for gold. Day trips from Cromwell base included a farm tour on Lake Wakatipu and a nature cruise in Milford Sound, renowned for its natural beauty.

1. 32 December 2015 / January 2016, Travel Digest
C
romwell offers activities for the
whole family to enjoy, from
award-winning wineries serving the
world’s finest Central Otago Pinot
Noir and remnants of goldfields, to the
historic Cromwell Heritage Precinct with
boutique shops, art galleries, cosy cafes and
the famous Highland’s Motorsport Park. The
central location makes it an excellent base for
exploring the wider Central Otago area with
easy day trips to nearby Queenstown,
Arrowtown, Wanaka and Clyde.
After a short flight from Auckland, my
husband Craig and I arrive at Queenstown
Airport, ready to explore the Central Otago
region. We rent a car from local family-run
Cromwell business CR Motors who kindly
meet us at the airport thanks to their handy
pick up and drop off service. Having been in
business for over 21 years, they know the
region well and offer a range of superbly
maintained rental cars and vans. We hire
a fuel-efficient four-door hatchback – great
to get around and see all the Central
Otago sights.
Cromwell has a wonderful climate,
stunning scenery, peaceful surroundings,
friendly people, fine food, superb wines and
regional produce. What better way to discover
it all than with a personal chauffeur-driven
tour from Southern Lakes Limousines & Taxis.
Whether you’re a family, group of mates or a
couple looking for a romantic outing, you can
enjoy a tour of Cromwell’s extensive wining
and dining options.
Based in Cromwell, this small, family-
owned and operated business offers a
memorable experience. Owner / driver
Michael Miskin picks us up from our
accommodation in his luxury sedan to take
us on a wine tour through Cromwell,
Bannockburn, Alexandra and Gibbston Valley.
Michael’s more than happy to spend the day
showing us local sights, wineries, art galleries
and restaurants. As his wine tours are
personalised, you can choose your own
itinerary with start and finish times. Whether
you know exactly which wineries you want to
visit and have lunch at, or you’re happy to let
Michael make recommendations based on
your interests, you’ll enjoy a day sampling
Central Otago’s unique wines. He also offers
day trips to Milford Sound, Dunedin or
Christchurch, as well as luxury transport for
weddings in Otago and Southland.
During our wine tour, we stop at
Mt Difficulty Wines for wine tasting and lunch.
This vineyard was one of the first established
wineries in Central Otago and is famous for
its Bannockburn Estate and Single Vineyard
series Pinot Noirs, but it also has Pinot Gris,
Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and
In the heart of
Central Otago
in the Upper
Clutha Valley,
from rugged to
rolling hills, two
great rivers and
the sparkling
pristine waters
of Lake Dunstan,
SARAH WEEKS
relishes in the
natural beauty
of Cromwell.
Central Otago’s
Pipeclay Terrace golden vines.
PHOTO:TourismCentralOtago.
heart of gold

2. 33Travel Digest, December 2015 / January 2016
Chenin Blanc. Their Cellar Door offers an
interactive wine tasting catering to your
tastes and level of wine experience, while the
restaurant serves lunch daily. The venue has
dramatic views of rugged rock and thyme
landscapes, as well as superb wine and food.
We decide to share their famous Mt
Difficulty platter filled with a variety of
antipasti including a unique manuka smoked
green shell mussel pate and delicious fig and
Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir chutney. It’s no
surprise Pinot Noir features predominantly in
their dishes and all main meals come with
suggested wine matches. We opt for the
duck slow-cooked in Pinot Noir and Wild
Fiordland venison striploin in Pinot Noir
sauce – divine! It’s a fine day when we visit,
making the outdoor terrace the perfect spot
to take in the flavours in a relaxed
atmosphere, while enjoying uniquely Central
Otago views.
While it may be the silky smooth Pinot
Noir that impresses on the ground,
once you take to the sky in a helicopter with
Heliview Flights, you’ll be left speechless.
What better way to appreciate all that
Central Otago has to offer from the unique
vantage point of up high, as rich gold mining
history blends seamlessly with the liquid
gold of award-winning local vineyards. Their
Cromwell Basin flight and alpine landing best
showcases the region’s breathtaking
landscape, including a landing on Mount
Pisa. During our flight, we soar over the
mighty Clutha and Kawarau Rivers, Clyde
Dam, snow-dusted mountains, Lake Dunstan
and world-class Highlands Motorsport Park.
Landing on top of Pisa Range is the highlight
of the flight and offers uninterrupted
360-degree views across the region.
To keep the adrenaline flowing, we head
to Goldfields Jet, a spectacular jet boat ride
on the mighty Kawarau River, speeding
through the heart of this historic gold mining
region. Their specifically designed jet boats
and highly trained drivers take you on an
unforgettable 40-minute ride through the
Kawarau Gorge. Based at Goldfields Mining
Centre, the trip heads south down the river
into the shallow braided waters of the
Bannockburn Arm. We then head up the river
into the spectacular Kawarau Gorge where
the river narrows and rapids begin to form
– that’s when the fun starts with 360-degree
spins. Along the way we enjoy extensive
commentary on the history of the area and
other points of interest from our driver and
guide. Don’t worry about getting too wet
though, as they provide full length, protective
spray jackets and life jackets.
We next visit the Goldfields Mining Centre
for a fascinating insight into New Zealand’s
early gold mining history. Take a step back in
time to visit this historic reserve to see where
early miners toiled in search of elusive gold.
The Goldfields Experience is a one-hour fully
guided tour visiting sites of ground sluicing,
the Chinese village and early mine shafts and
tunnels. From up high, you can gain a full
appreciation of the work done by early
miners using water brought on site by miles
of water-races in the surrounding hillsides.
A highlight of the tour is seeing the
extraordinary stamper battery operated to
show how mined rocks were crushed to
extract gold and the awesome power of the
water-powered California sluice gun, both
still working today. At the end of the tour we
get to experience the thrill of finding gold by
learning how to pan. It’s finders’ keepers, so
this is your chance to strike it rich – after a
few tries we call it a day.
Day trip to
Queenstown and
Milford Sound
Cromwell’s a great base for exploring the
wider Central Otago area with easy day trips
to nearby Queenstown and Milford Sound.
Southern Discoveries offer scenic cruises and
private charters on Lake Wakatipu.
Their Spirit of Queenstown launched in
December 2013 takes you on a short scenic
cruise from the bustling heart of Queenstown
to Mt Nicholas High Country Farm on the
western shores of Lake Wakatipu. This
merino sheep farm is one of New Zealand’s
most historic, family-run farms with over
100,000 acres to explore.
Their Mt Nicholas 4WD Wilderness
Experience takes you deep into the heart of
this high country in a 4WD bus, to discover a
remote and rugged part of the country rarely
seen by locals or visitors. From towering
mountain peaks, alpine hideaways, glistening
lakes, expansive tussock plains, beautiful
river valleys and native forest, Mt Nicholas
has it all. Our experienced guide tells us
what high country farming life is like as we
follow in the footsteps of early pioneers. We
travel into the heart of the Von River Valley to
enjoy short walks, clear river crossings,
towering mountains, beautiful lakes and
stunning views that simply take our breath
away. Our tour ends at the top of Mt
Nicholas High Country Farm, with
spectacular views up the lake to Glenorchy
and the Southern Alps, followed by an
afternoon tea of homemade pikelets back at
the station.
CROMWELL
Getting there: Fly to
Queenstown Airport and drive
45 minutes west.
Best time to go: Cromwell
has four very distinct seasons
with very little rainfall. Their
southern location means it’s
cooler in winter, though mostly
dry and sunny all year, so you’re
able to enjoy the outdoors
anytime of year.
Major upcoming
events: Lake Dunstan Triathlon
/ Duathlon – 2 January 2016.
Cromwell Cherry Festival
– 3 January 2016.
Lake Dunstan Cycle Challenge
– 10 January 2016.
River Range Music Fest– 30
January 2016.
FACT FILE
✈
As the oldest and most well-established
company in Milford Sound, Southern
Discoveries have a full range of vessels and
cruises to suit every budget, timeframe and
interest. Their fleet includes a small monohull
boat for their Encounter Nature Cruise where
you can get up close and personal with this
pristine environment. The cruise lets you
literally reach out and touch sheer rock cliffs
and drink pure glacial water straight from the
towering waterfalls. They also have rain jackets
on-board, if you’re feeling brave enough to
stand directly under Stirling Falls – a refreshing
experience! On the cruise you’ll also see seals
sunning themselves on the rocks and if you’re
lucky enough, dolphins riding the bow wave
and rare Fiordland crested penguins when
win season.
With no tour groups on this small boat,
there are fewer passengers, so you’ll enjoy an
intimate Milford Sound experience, which
is interactive and personal with a fun and
friendly atmosphere. Their large, outdoor
viewing deck with covered seating allows for
close-up photos of seals, dolphins or penguins
and their specialist nature guides are on hand
to share their local knowledge.
Complimentary tea and coffee is served
on board and there’s also a range of pre-
ordered lunch options. In sunshine or teeming
rain, Milford Sound is simply breathtaking with
spectacular beauty and is definitely a highlight
of the trip.