Gold dredging history, the historic Shaky Bridge and the Roxburgh Gorge Trail give Alexandra its distinct character. There is also a museum covering subjects from geology to winegrowing, as well as sporting and cultural activities. When planning your stay, consider whether it will be shaped mainly by mining history or instead by trails, events and wine.
Gold Mining, Technology and the Museum
The Earnscleugh Tailings lie near Alexandra on the right bank of the Clutha River, also known as Mata-au, and are open to the public via a walking track. The site is of outstanding historical, technological and archaeological significance. It illustrates the development of mining from the early 1860s through to the 1960s, particularly gold dredging and its technologies. This offers a view that extends beyond a single period to encompass developments over several decades.
The Central Stories William Bodkin Memorial Museum presents stories from Central Otago. Geology, early explorers and social history sit alongside gold, gold dredging, mining, agriculture, fruit growing and winegrowing. These subjects place gold history in a broader context: it can be viewed alongside the region’s geological and social stories. The museum is also home to two Otago skinks (Oligosoma otagense). Admission to the William Bodkin Memorial Museum Gallery is by donation; check the latest visitor information before you go.
Shaky Bridge and the River Landscape
The Alexandra Clock Walk starts in Alexandra township and leads to the prominent clock on the hillside. Along the way, it crosses the historic Shaky Bridge on Kerry Street over the Manuherekia River. The walk focuses on a riverside structure and a distinctive hillside destination; its described stops offer a different emphasis from the mining history of the Earnscleugh Tailings.
The Roxburgh Gorge Trail offers a different perspective on the river landscape. It runs between Alexandra and the Lake Roxburgh Hydro Dam alongside the Clutha Mata-au, passing eroded rock bluffs, old gold workings, willows, native shrubs and fragrant thyme. The section from Alexandra to Doctors Point is 10 km one way. This puts a local walk leading to a specific destination alongside a trail with river and gold-mining history as two different options.
Sport, Spring and Wine
The Fulton Hogan Community Cycle Park in Alexandra is free and has a training track and a BMX track. Golf enthusiasts will find an 18-hole course on the edge of Alexandra; visitors are welcome on club days and at open competitions. The two activities appeal to different interests and need not be part of a combined programme.
The Alexandra Blossom Festival is held annually to celebrate spring and lasts for three days. As the dates vary, check them before planning your trip. Wine also has a specific local connection: Perseverance Estate Wines is a family-run boutique winery. It produces handcrafted, single-vineyard wines, including award-winning Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosé and the dessert wine Pinot Cousins; the wines are produced and bottled in Alexandra. Wine tastings are by prior arrangement. Ask in advance about a possible appointment.
In the wider destination of Central Otago District
Looking beyond Alexandra, the Central Otago District offers other points of interest. The Bannockburn Sluicings are a scarred landscape shaped by a short-lived gold-mining era, which can be explored on foot or by bike along various tracks. The Otago Central Rail Trail offers the perspective of a longer route: it is 152 km long, graded 1 and suitable for trips of one to five days. It passes through mountainous, dry landscapes and river gorges, as well as tunnels, viaducts, historic homesteads and preserved gold-mining settlements. The trail can be ridden in either direction, with access at various points. These regional examples raise a different planning question: will you focus on Alexandra and its local attractions, or also consider a trail in the wider destination of Central Otago District?
Discover more destinations: Coal Creek Flat, Ranfurly, Queensbury, Tarras, Kokonga, Naseby, Kyeburn Diggings, Roxburgh.
For the wider travel overview: Central Otago District.
