For the thousands of gold prospectors in the 1860s trekking the arduous Dunstan Trail, reaching Galloway Flat meant they had finally conquered the last of four ranges separating Dunedin from Dunstan(Clyde).

A sealed road runs parallel to the Otago Central Rail Trail as it crosses Galloway Flat. This leads to part of the Dunstan Trail that took gold prospectors from the Ida Valley over Crawford Hills (part of Raggedy Range) down into Galloway. Following this road is a way to reach Moa Creek in the Ida Valley and from there travel to the Poolburn Dam, Rohan in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy; more a four-wheel drive adventure than cycling excursion.

Inside the ladies waiting room at the Galloway Railway Station site is an interesting and informative display of petrified wood. Apart from this building, there’s nothing to show this was a busy station. Sidings, stockyards and Railways Department houses are long gone.

At the Alexandra end of Galloway Flat you may have the energy for a relatively short pedal or walk to the Lower Manorburn Dam. If winters are cold enough this dam is a favourite with Alexandra ice-skaters.

Galloway – Chatto Creek

• 10 km separates Galloway from Chatto Creek.
• Olrig Gangers’ Shed… inside this red painted corrugated iron shed you’ll find the first or last (depending on which way you’re travelling the Rail Trail) of a series of information panels installed by the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust in 12 gangers’ sheds along the Trail. Sheds housing information panels are identified with an ‘i’ on the map in the Official Rail Trail Passport.
• Manuherikia Bridge, a great place for spotting trout and viewing the remains of one of Central Otago’s earliest gold dredges.
• The trail runs through what could be described as typical schist and wild thyme country. You’ll soon work out which land is irrigated and which is not.

Galloway - Alexandra

• 7km separates Galloway from Alexandra.
• Over this section the trail traverses the base of Tucker Hill, providing good views of Alexandra and Old Man Range looming over the town.

Winter 2006 -- Hoar frost on the Rail Trail at the Tucker Hill end of the Galloway Flat straight	One of the memories you’re sure to take away of Galloway Flat is viewing from the Rail Trail the beautifully original Galloway Station Homestead. It and its historic stacked stone farm buildings date from the 1860s
The Galloway Station site with snow-capped Old Man Range in the background

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