A town with a passionate community, Milton sits at the heart of the Bruce Ward in the Clutha District, and is the main entrance to North, South, and Central Otago. The town centre boasts a range of independent stores from a provincial antique shop and butchery museum to quirky second-hand stores.
Get a bird’s eye view of the town with a hike up McNally Track, approximately three hours return. Grab your binoculars and see if you can spot the gothic-inspired Tokomairiro Presbyterian Church, built in the 1880’s and boasting a category one Heritage New Zealand status.
Just nine kilometres from town is Lake Waihola, New Zealand’s most inland tidal lake. It’s home to ancient fossils at the Milburn Whale and Dolphin Fossils Lookout, which provides expansive views of the lake, famous for its glassy reflections.
The beautiful destinations of Chrystalls Beach, Bull Creek Scenic Reserve, and Toko Mouth and are all nearby and dotted along the Forgotten Coastal Highway.
Mount Stuart Reserve up the Manuka Gorge Highway (State Highway 8) was a popular meeting place for locals in the 1870’s and is still a lovely picnic spot with ancient trees to rest under. A favourite local activity is catching fish in the Tokomairiro River.
Learn more about this rural community here
