Don't leave home till you've seen the country | Heather Roy MP
By Heather Roy
My family, after talking about it for several years, is doing the Otago Central Rail Trail. The cycleway - which I assume will form part of the Nationwide cycleway - is built on the foundations of the Otago Central Railway. ...
Heather Roy MP - http://www.roy.org.nz/

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10613019

Otago: Riding the rails - Tourism & Leisure Industries - NZ Herald ...
Energetic baby boomers, and the not so athletic yet keen, are leaping on to two wheels and pedalling along the Otago Rail Trail. Wheels are much easier on ...

Wrong Turn on to the Central Otago Rail Trail by Richard and Elaine Bryant
After pledging to sharpen up and improve our fitness, and it wasn't even New Year, my good friend Val and I had rushed off and bought nice shiny bright red Mountain Bikes from an enthusiastic bike shop owner in the small lake side town of Cromwell, in Central Otago, New Zealand

YouTube Riding The Central Otago Rail Trail New Zealand
A four day cycle tour following an old railway track through the beautiful Central Otago countryside in New Zealand's South Island - One of my Top Ten best ...

On your bike or take a hike > New Zealand
On bike or on foot, the Otago Rail Trail is an unforgettable road-free adventure . Running between Middlemarch and Clyde, the Otago Rail Trail is a journey ...

Making tracks across the country
4:00AM Saturday Mar 28, 2009
By Phil Taylor
Not so long ago the Maniototo really was the back of beyond. Despite the endeavours of Grahame Sydney's paintbrush and Peter Jackson's camera, the beauty of the herb-scented, bronze, iron and purple-hued landscape remained a secret shared by a fortunate few.

Cycleway publicity boosts rail trail
Otago Daily Times - Dunedin,New Zealand
Bookings have been flooding in to Otago Central Rail Trail operators since ... A recent survey on the Otago Central Rail Trail revealed it attracted about ...

Central Otago Vineyard & Rail Trail Cycle Tour / Travelscoop / New ...
By Tish
Spend three days cycling the famed Otago Central Rail Trail from Clyde to Middlemarch, staying in historic gold mining towns plus plenty of side-trips to visit some of the hidden secrets off the trail. The tour ends with a sumptuous ...
Travelscoop - http://www.travelscoop.co.nz/

Free Travel Newsletter : June 2009, Winter Treats for Food and ...
Stonehenge Aotearoa; Central Otago Rail Trail; New Zealand Fast Facts ... The Central Otago Rail Trail is open to cyclists, walkers and riders and is free ...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/active/article5099075.ece

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/message.jspa?messageID=1551640

http://www.ballofdirt.com/entries/19878/271850.html

http://www.tailor-made.co.uk/holidays/new-zealand/south-island/dunedin-and-coastal-otago/central-otago-rail-trail.htm

http://home.jandklee.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=2

http://gordonknight.co.uk/wordpress/

http://www.railwayramblers.org.uk/links/links.ht

Bed in NZ!: *Central Otago Rail Trail*
By Gareth and Hannah Before arriving in NZ, we had signed Dad up for the *Central Otago Rail Trail* - a 4-day, 150-km cycle through the amazing, mountains and gorges of *Central Otago* (between Queenstown and Dunedin) going via the old viaducts and tunnels!

Roaming Down Under
Exploring roads less travelled in Australia and New Zealand

Google News Alert for: *otago central rail trail*

Sydney Morning Herald

Icicles on bicycles
Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney, catching up with old friends in the *Central Otago* town of Alexandra, inspires an urge to tackle the increasingly popular *Otago Central Rail Trail*. See all stories on this topic

Otago Rail Trail - 4 days on a bike - Clyde, New Zealand Travel Blog
Otago Rail Trail - 4 days on a bike: Read the story and see 25 photos of a visit to Clyde, New Zealand by TravelPod member marshallmatters.

Ahhhhh.......refreshment - and warmth!
By Caroline
The first leg of our *Otago Rail Trail* trip necessitated a stop at Chatto Creek for some liquid refreshment and a few hots chips!!
THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE -

Blogspot - Riding The Otago Rail Trail
Here we are back in Queenstown after a magnificent 4 day adventure riding the Otago Rail Trail, 150kms from Clyde to Middlemarch.

Blogspot – Blog of the Bland
No cars, busses or aeroplanes out here, only bikers and horseback riders.

Blogspot – FilmsandMore
The Otago Central Rail Trail featured on Marcus Lush's TV series "Off the Rails" and inspired this adventure.

http://tezdenley.blogspot.com/2007/11/otago-rail-trail-bike-trip.html
http://341madras.blogspot.com/2007/10/central-otago-rail-trail.html
http://bicyclegeography.blogspot.com/2007/12/day-71-cromwell-to-alexandra.html
http://d-h.livejournal.com/82691.html
http://wanderingdodd.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!2564DF2D035F12C1!561.entry
http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2006/12/vid-from-windy-welly.html
http://blogs.smh.com.au/trampaboutnz/archives/012837.html
http://www.cyclingforums.com/showthread.php?p=3195876#post3195876
http://free-mountain-biketeam.blogspot.com/2008/02/crazy-winds.html
http://nzgreatoutdoors.blogspot.com/2006/10/otago-central-rail-trail-south-island.html
http://mercatornz.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!FBFA09A95B394D5D!205/
http://ultradistanceadventures.blogspot.com/2006/09/our-otago-central-rail-trail-trial.html
http://einisch-ims-ferielager.blogspot.com/2008/01/otago-central-rail-trail.html
http://peteinthepacific.blogspot.com/2006/01/otago-central-rail-trail-1.html
http://treadly.net/2007/01/05/rail-trail-economics/
http://loesdirk.blogspot.com/2007/12/otago-rail-trail.html

http://www.youtube.com/otagorailtrail
http://picasaweb.google.com/CentralOtagoRailTrail
http://delicious.com/TheRailTrailer
http://twitter.com/otagorailtrail

EMMAS Otago Central Rail Trail holiday May 2009
6 days riding the Otago Central Rail Trail New Zealand Also features side trips to St Bathans, Naesby
Click to view the YouTube video in a new window.

Fruit tree recovery program Ida Valley,Autumn 08
Bike ride on the central otago rail trail, autunm 08 to look at old fruit tree verities.
Click to view the YouTube video in a new pop up window.

From Peregrunak
We rode the Otago Central Rail Trail (New Zealand) in January of 2009. Music composed and played by Graham Young.
Click to view the YouTube video in a new pop up window.

Otago Rail Trail by Bike

New Videos from Tag: otago rail trail
Altitude Adventures - Central Otago Rail Trail - Getaway

You Tube - Rail Trail by bike

You Tube - Viva la Velocipede - A cycle trip in Central Otago.

You Tube - Otago Rail Trail - March 2007

You Tube - Otago Central Rail Trail on Horseback

You Tube - Taieri Gorge Railway

Two-year-old clocks up 5000km on bike
Otago Daily Times - Dunedin,New Zealand
The Central Otago Rail Trail, with its scenic views, was one of their favourite New Zealand attractions, Mr Berini said. "It was amazing. ...

Otago Central Rail Trail This is the story of the Otago Central
Otago Central Rail Trail This is the story of the Otago Central Rail Trail which wends its way from Clyde, in Central Otago, to Middlemarch in the Dunedin ...

Otago Central Rail Trail - Dunedin - Accommodation - Bed & Breakfast
Otago Central Rail Trail. Add to Travel Notepad View Travel Notepad Send to a friend ... Naseby Trail Lodge - Ph: 0508 627 329, www.nasebylodge.co.nz

Welcome to our wikizine called Otago Central Rail Trail
Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "*Otago Central Rail Trail*". Here you can find fresh voices and...

Rail trail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Central *Otago Rail Trail* The official website for the Otago Central Rail Trail. The 150km Otago Central Rail Trail thrusts deep into the heart of Central *...*

Alexandra - *Otago rail trail* - Vox
Alexandra - *Otago rail trail*. Mar 24, 2008 at 12:50 PM; Post a comment. Bron gettlng used to bike. Posted by ShoZu · Post a comment.

Wanaka hosts Trustpower awards
Southland Times - Queenstown,New Zealand
Previous Central Otago winners have been, among others, the Central *Otago Rail Trail* Trust, the Friends of Dunstan Hospital and the Roxburgh Entertainment *...*
See all stories on this topic
<http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4457602a6570.html>

Otago Central Rail Trail Photos

Chugging along the rail trail Stuff.co.nz - New Zealand
To begin, check out the official Central *Otago Rail Trail* website, which is full of information: www.centralotagorailtrail.co.nz. See all stories on this topic

Hitting the Rails for a Day By steve
Today, another use for the rail trip is to ferry cyclists as well up to the Central *Otago rail trail*, which is a multi-day riding trip over the areas of the railroad which have been torn up. I sort of wish I was doing it, but then agian *...*

Biking
Trains and Railroads
Otago Central Rail Trail Redeveloped for use by walkers, cyclists, and horse riders.

Zimbio People's Guide to the Otago Central Rail Trail
A wikizine about the Otago Central Rail Trail where you can read the latest News about the Rail Trail and blogs relating to other people's Rail Trail experiences. Plus see other people's videos and images of the Trail. You can also create a new topic for discussion or post a question that you have for the Zimbio community.

Webshots - Central Otago Bike Rail Trail 2

Webshots - Otago Central Rail Trail

Summer Programme

Buoyed by the success of last year, the Trust again ran its Summer Programme in January, but starting earlier in the month with more locations and presenters.

Day one saw Otago University geologist Dr Daphne Lee explaining the geology of the Rail Trail between Hyde and Tiroiti. In the afternoon Alexandra historian Cam Withington enthralled with his tales of early gold fields policing. Later in the week Brian Patrick, entomologist and director of Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery, introduced his audience to insects unique to Central Otago. Then in Clyde, historian and builder Chris Naylor shared his knowledge of a town that for a short time was once New Zealand's biggest.

The first day of the second week had Mon Flannery leading a tour of Matakanui, one of New Zealand's most original ghost towns. Later sheep station owner and Oturehua identity, Barry Becker brought history to life at the Golden Progress Mine. The final day was a 4WD drive trek to the Garibaldi Diggings guided by Trustee and farmer John Gibson. This was followed by a leisurely stroll through Naseby in the company of historian Kay Dundass.

With a second successful summer programme, the Trustees are keen for local communities to become involved. 'The summer programme doesn't just attract good size audiences, it brings people into communities that they may otherwise not bother to visit', said Trust chairperson Daphne Hull. “I saw for myself local businesses benefiting from sales of refreshments and souvenirs.'

Cargill’s Fun Weekend

Evaluating issues and hurdles that might stand in the way of access to all or parts of the Rail Trail by people with physical and mental disabilities is an ongoing project for the OCRT Trust.

Having decided in consultation with DOC to earmark the 6.5 kms between Tiroiti and Hyde as particularly accessible, the OCRT Trust approached Dunedin’s Cargill Enterprises with the concept of a Disabled Workers Rally. Cargill’s was so keen on the idea they brought to the table the Special Olympics and Sport Otago. Over a series of meetings it was decided to revue logistics by trialling the concept with only those who work for Cargill Enterprises. So it was on April 4 & 5 this year that a group of 40 Cargill’s employees, supervisors, management and caregivers bussed from Dunedin to Sutton Camp near Middlemarch to overnight in preparation for Cargill’s Fun Weekend on the Rail Trail. Thanks to the generosity of Cycle Surgery in Middlemarch shiny bright bicycles were waiting for cyclists among the group. Cycle Surgery also delivered the bikes to Tiroiti where owner Dave Thomson made final adjustments. The plan was for the cyclists to finish at the Rock & Pillar Station site, but refresher sessions given by Otago’s Development Officer, Shane Melrose really paid off with most feeling confident to ride all the way into Middlemarch, a total distance of 34km. When they rode into town there was no need to ask if they felt a sense of accomplishment. Ear-to-ear grins said it all. Among the many other highlights of the day was Robyn, a Cargill’s employee with both physical and mental disabilities who insisted on riding her ‘almost’ adult size three-wheel bicycle unassisted up the incline from Hyde. Not only did she get up the incline, Robyn rode most of the way to the Prices Creek Tunnel… and all the way back to Hyde. Bridget Meyer, Sport Otago, Sport Opportunity Advisor invited along a film crew for the TV One disabilities focussed programme ‘Attitude’. While it was disappointing filming concentrated on the show’s disabled presenter riding a hand cycle in the company of a Dunedin family with two children severely disabled by cerebral palsy, the exposure it brought for the Rail Trail was very positive. The show’s presenter gave her endorsement of the decision to replace the trailside toilet partway between Tiroiti and Hyde with a wheelchair accessible stall funded by the OCRT Trust. Aside from those already mentioned, others to be thanked are… Carol Melville and Special Olympics for event management and funding support Otago Youth Adventure Trust for making Sutton Camp available at a very favourable rate Strath Taieri Historical Society for catering on the Friday evening Middlemarch Lions and Swimming Club for providing lunch on Saturday.

It's all go at Tiroiti. The 'Atitude' TV programme film crew can been standing in front of the bus to the left of shot. Click image for a larger view Ready to hit the trail. Not everyone rode bikes, there was a good contingient of Cargill's walkers. Those on foot also put in training in preparation for their Rail Trail experience Click image for a larger view Carol Melville of Special Olympics stamps Official Rail Trail Passports Click image for a larger view Robyn has no trouble riding your trike through this Gibson Grate. Click image for a larger view It's goodbye rail trail from a group of very happy Cargill's people. Click image for a larger view

Topographical Panels

These concrete- mounted brass panels  identify ranges, peaks, townships, etc from the exact spot the viewer is standing are alongside the trail in the Maniototo near Raggedy Gangers’ Shed; overlooking the Ida Valley between Auripo Station site and Poolburn Viaduct (photo); and in the Manuherikia Valley beside Olrig Gangers’ Shed

Click image for a larger view