A trip out to Patearoa - Central Otago

David and Catherine took us out for a short tour north of Clyde.  We drove alongside the Rail Trail, through Omakau and Ranfurly, before turning off the road towards Patearoa.   

We bypassed the turnoff to St Bathans, where there are small blue lagoons and a pub, complete with ghosts.  An old gold mining town, now mostly in ruins.  We had visited it a few years earlier.  We also bypassed Naseby, another charming town we had visited, which is home to a large curling rink.

The scenery was spectacular, with mountains surrounding us, as we drove over hills and through valley after valley.  

 

As it was spring the hills and valleys were very green.

There was still a little patch of snow on the mountains.

Roads rolled on, seemingly forever.

Now I am not sure why we visited Patearoa.   David did not know either, he just thought it would be a good place to visit, or he liked the name of the place.   The name certainly rolled off the tongue.

Well I can assure anyone reading this blog, that there is nothing at Patearoa now. However I think it might have been a busy and thriving town in gold mining days.  The remains of such a town were still visible plus a few gullies and hills where much digging had been done.

The place was deserted on the day we visited, the school closed in 2004, even the pub was closed.   A ghost town.

The war memorial, with one name on the WWI plaque, and about four names on the WWII plaque.   But well cared for, all the same.

The old store, now a house perhaps,

with a very fancy side gate.   A little incongruous, in such a setting.  Grand ideas, or rescued from a building, long gone.

The church, also a house, I think.

The hall looked as if it was used regularly, with a sports field in front.   And it was being mowed, all ready for the coming cricket season, perhaps.  A little bit of life there.

Aah, a bowling club.  It looked a little forlorn though.   Weekend bowlers?   Perhaps this was a weekend place, a haven from the hustle and bustle of city living.

The old bridge over a lovely little stream.  There was much evidence of gold mining here, with little hills and the remains of an old settlement.

So we drove a little further, into a huge dairy property.   Multi owners, probably overseas investors.   Just a trifle bizarre really.

The pieces of machinery were huge as was the milking shed, complete with a huge outdoor area with oversized lights.   What do they do with those cows?

So we left Patearoa, with many unanswered questions and returned to the more civilised Ranfurly.

Perhaps there might be something on Google about Patearoa.  And there is.  Used to be known as Sowburn, good golf course too, great for fishing, good for cyclists as it is not far from the Rail Trail and plenty of mud brick buildings.  That is amazing.