Chaslands: Scenic Reserve and Local History

Chaslands: Reserve and Local History

Chaslands offers two distinct starting points for planning a trip: Chaslands Scenic Reserve and a walk with a local history focus. The reserve is classified as a Scenic Reserve under § 19(1)(a) of New Zealand’s Reserves Act 1977 and covers 1,439.71 hectares. This puts a large natural area alongside a history walk with a clearly defined duration. Your choice may depend on whether you are more interested in the reserve or the history of the place.

A walk to the historic Heathfield Cemetery, now called Chaslands Cemetery, offers the chance to learn about the history of Chaslands. The walk to Chaslands Historic Cemetery, with historical interpretation, takes 30 minutes return. This makes it a short, easy-to-plan part of your stay.

Clutha District as a Wider Regional Setting

The broader destination of Clutha District offers a distinct regional perspective. Clutha District stretches along the coast between Dunedin and Invercargill and is an outstanding section of the Southern Scenic Route. Regional options complement the local points of interest in Chaslands with other travel interests, without being the same as the attractions there.

The Clutha Gold Trail is a 135-kilometre, easy Grade 1–2 trail; two to four days are suggested for the route. Compared with the 30-minute cemetery walk in Chaslands, it is a much longer, multi-day part of a trip in Clutha District. A 62-kilometre extension between Lawrence and Waihola opened on 25 August 2023. It connects the existing trail networks in Central Otago and Clutha and continues as a cycle trail towards the east coast.

The coast also offers its own attractions in Clutha District: the district has more than 200 kilometres of coastline and various surfable wave types, including beach breaks, river breaks and reef breaks. Kākā Point is a beach break with rocky points and is suitable for surfers from beginner to advanced level. Surf conditions vary with swell, tides and weather. This means that planning a day of surfing depends more on current conditions than scheduling the cemetery walk.

The regional offering also includes farm tours and hands-on encounters with animals as part of agritourism. Individual operators and schedules may change. Every spring, a daffodil show is held at Weatherston’s Brewery in Lawrence. If this seasonal event fits your travel plans, check the event dates in advance. Farm tours offer a different focus from the coastal and cycling options in Clutha District.

Discover more destinations: Tapanui, Milton, Clinton, Edievale, Kaka Point, Tarara, Owaka, Lawrence.

For the wider travel overview: Clutha District.