Dansey’s Pass
Only 20km from Naseby is
Dansey’s Pass. While the Pass is most well-known for its popular hotel, the
Dansey’s Pass Coach Inn, and nearby camping ground, the area was once home
to about 2000 people. While it is an alternative route between the Maniototo
and Waitaki Valley, the narrow gravel road (which is sometimes closed by
snow) means Dansey’s Pass today is more a destination, than a route.
Rail Trail
The 150km
Rail Trail passes within 12km of Naseby, as
it runs through Ranfurly. Many rail trailers choose to stay in Naseby –
either as their overnight accommodation, or for a couple of nights, to break
the trail. Some of the accommodation are happy to collect bikers from the
trail, as part of their service.
Oteake Conservation Park
The 65,000-hectare Oteake
Conservation Park covers large sections of the St Bathans, Hawkdun, Ida and
St. Marys Ranges north of Naseby. It is open for tramping, mountain biking,
four-wheel driving, angling, backcountry skiing, horse-riding and hunting.
There is a very good DOC brochure – available at the Information Centre –
which outlines access and the many tracks through the park. It is generally
open Labour Weekend through until Easter.
The Otago Goldfields
Heritage Trail
An extensive brochure is
available for those who enjoy driving and want to follow all or part of
Otago’s goldfield’s history. The Trail
includes 24 points of interest, from Glenorchy to Lawrence and St Bathans and
along the Pig Root.
Oturehua/Patearoa/Waipiata
Oturehua is a former gold
town and still home to a tavern, the old Gilchrist shop, Golden Progress
Mine ruins and Hayes Engineering. At Patearoa, you will find a hotel, the
Sow Burn walk through old gold workings and a nine-hole golf course. And
Waipiata enjoys the cycle traffic of the Rail Trail, while also being close
to the Hamiltons gold workings and cemetery. Waipiata is home to the old
Tuberculosis
hospital – long-since closed and now in private ownership.