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Where the mighty Clutha (Mata - Au) meets the Manuherikia, appropriately named Ka Moana Haehae – the split waters – by Maori, Otago’s early settlers laid the foundations for a town that before being officially named Alexandra was known as Lower Dunstan (being down the river from the then larger township of Dunstan – now Clyde).

Surveyor J.A.Connell arrived at the township in 1863 and decided that naming it Alexandra was a fitting way to celebrate the marriage of Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia Princess, eldest daughter of King Christian 1X of Denmark, to Edward Prince of Wales on March 10th 1863. The much-loved Danish princess became Queen consort in 1901 when the Prince of Wales was crowned King Edward V11.

Alexandra came into its own with the dredging boom of the 1890s and early 1900s. Fruit-growing was also established around that time and remains to this day the economic cornerstone for the Alexandra district. With fruit growing comes one of the most uplifting sights in nature. Blossoms! Alexandra is the home of New Zealand’s most famous blossom festival. In 2006 the township celebrated the 50th year of the ‘Alexandra Blossom Festival’. Aside from pip and stone fruit another blossom important to Alexandra is on grape vines. Wine tasting is a pleasant way to spend time in ‘Alex’.

A favourite summer holiday destination for South Islanders, Alexandra caters to visitors with a good choice of restaurants and cafes, a wide variety of accommodation options and a fairly substantial shopping area where a number of well-known national retail chains have outlets. The Alexandra community is justifiably proud of its museum and art gallery housed in a striking schist-clad and purpose built complex on Centennial Ave that also houses an i-SITE. For more about Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery click www.centralstories.com

Alexandra has an enviable climate of long hot summer days with crisp, cool temperatures at night. Rainfall averages just 300mm annually. Alexandra is also rated the least windy place in New Zealand.

Alexandra - Galloway

• 7km separates Alexandra from Galloway.
• Over this section the trail traverses the base of Tucker Hill, providing good views of Alexandra and Old Man Range looming over the town.
• At the Alexandra end of Galloway Straight you may have the energy for a relatively short side trip to the Lower Manorburn Dam. If winters are cold enough this dam is a favourite with Alexandra locals for ice skating.

Alexandra – Clyde

• 8km separates Alexandra from Clyde.
• The trail runs through a flat, semi-rural landscape of orchards, vineyards and lifestyle blocks.
• A feature of this section is the Muttontown Viaduct, one of only two wooden trestle bridges on the trail. The name goes back to when a local sheep owner supplied mutton to a nearby miners’ camp. On the Alexandra side of the viaduct is one of the last standing train signals.
• Between Alexandra and Clyde is the only part of the Rail Trail accessible to dogs, and then they must be on leads.

Alexandra in autumn. The river in the foreground is the Manukerikia flowing into the Clutha (Mata--Au). Less than 20km shorter than the Waikato, New Zealand’s longest river, the Clutha has almost twice the volume of water. Photo: Matthew Sole	Earnscleugh No. 3 gold dredge works the Clutha near Alexandra in the early 1900s Photo: Central Stories
Alexandra’s hillside clock has overlooked the town since 1968 Photo: Matthew Sole

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