Duntroon and the surrounding area is home to a mixture of natural, historical and cultural attractions that are unlike anything else. Beginning in Duntroon at the Vanished World Centre, you can learn about our fascinating local geology, the ancient creatures, such as shark tooth dolphins and penguins which stood 1.3m high, that used to call this area home. Â
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Explore a bit further out from Duntroon and you will be rewarded with ancient Maori rock art, Elephant Rocks and Anatini where
an ancient Baleen Fossil waits. Â
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Duntroon has also preserved some of its more recent past with old gaol (jail) and Nicol’s Blacksmith -which on select days has a working blacksmith on site. Â
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Then wander through the Duntroon Wetlands, where hard-working volunteers have created a lovely network of pathways that meander
around springs and waterways.Â
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New Zealand’s longest and most spectacular cycle trail – this is a trail not to be missed. The name says it all; start at Aoraki Mt Cook in the heart of the stunning Southern Alps or the equally beautiful Lake Tekapo Village and wind your way round mountains, deep-blue lakes and canals, then rolling farmland before meeting the Pacific Ocean on the edge of Oamaru Harbour.
A beautiful gorge set in a working farm with remnants of an ancient seafloor that at one time stretch much further inland than the present-day coastline at Oamaru.
Enter the Duntroon Wetlands either through the ancient Maori rock art on Harris St or behind the village map beside the old gaol on SH83. This accessway is shared with the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail, so please do keep an eye out for and give way to cyclists.
Intriguing name, intriguing fossils and house-sized rocks. Earthquakes was given its name when it was thought the house-size rocks were dislodged by earthquakes. Instead, the boulders were split away due to the land slumping many years ago.
60 million years in the making – just for your enjoyment. The large hummocky rock formations that look a lot like Elephants were created after fossil-rich limestone deposited millions of years ago eroded, leaving behind an incredible boulder-field which towers above your head.
Walter Yardly became a blacksmith in Duntroon in 1896, after selling the business in 1904 to Nicol S. Muirden who retired in the 1960’s, and the smithy lay empty for 10 years. It was due for demolition in 1974 but was saved in 1975 by four local farmers; Burns Pollock, John Hore, the late Bill Simpson and the late Jim Harvey.
Follow in the footsteps of our Maori forefathers who navigated the length of the Waitaki River and sheltered under limestone cliffs by visiting an ancient Takiroa Maori Rock Art site.
The Centre has interpretive displays including unique world-class fossils – whales, dolphins, penguins, sharks and many shellfish while the trail introduces some key geological localities in North Otago.
Explore the hidden depths of time throughout North Otago, with a glimpse into lands and seas long before our time.
This self-guided Trail spans coastal localities from Moeraki to Oamaru and extends inland through the Waitaki Valley.