Too cool for the shadows
I’m surrounded by mountains on the edge of a stunning lake, and find myself in close proximity to ski fields, loads of great food, luxury accommodation, wineries, and adventure activities.
It sounds like I could be in Queenstown or Wa¯naka, but I’m in a little town that is exploding in popularity: Cromwell.
Before Covid-19, there was bubbling resentment that Queenstown, and even Wa¯naka, had got too busy, and many longed for simpler times.
Well, I may have found it in Cromwell. Here’s why I think it’s New Zealand’s next big mountain town.
Nature’s lollies
There is a new kind of gold rush in town, and this one involves red (edible) nuggets.
Cromwell is New Zealand’s stone fruit Garden of Eden, in particular for cherries. If you love fresh fruit, summer is the time to visit.
Some growers have long been unhappy with the price they end up getting for export fruit and, combined with Covid-19 labour shortages, have decided to let customers have direct access – opening their orchards for a ‘‘pick your own’’ experience.
One of the most popular orchards for this is Cheeki Cherries, which has about 2000 trees full of export-grade cherries to pick from. Grab a yellow bucket and head out on a safari for the taste buds. There are 20 varieties, and you’re able to taste the odd one as you make your way around.
Prices are from $16 a kilo, which is a steal when you consider much of the fruit is export quality and can retail overseas for more than $2 a cherry. Don’t leave without trying a fresh cherry icecream.
The cherry on top is that Cromwell is home to many more types of fruit, such as apricots, nectarines, plums, peaches, and apples. While some farms allow pick-your-own, there is no shortage of places to buy on the side of the road. Once you’ve tasted a fresh, juicy Central Otago apricot, you won’t look at supermarket fruit the same.
Fun on the mountains
Cromwell is within driving distance of five ski fields, but you don’t need snow to have fun on these mountains.
Cardrona, which is less than an hour’s drive from Cromwell, is home to New Zealand’s only mountain carting course.
In summer, the ski trails melt away to become offroad tracks, which you ride on three-wheeled buggies.
Hook your cart to a ski lift for a ride to the top of the mountain, before tearing down a series of tracks with stunning scenery, some more than two kilometres long. It’s the most fun you can have on three wheels.
Mountain carts were invented in Germany, and Cardrona is the only place in the southern hemisphere you can do it.
A cycling hub
Cromwell is home to one of 2021’s biggest tourism openings: the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail, which will form a new section of the Otago Central Rail Trail.
This spectacular day ride starts in Cromwell and ends in Clyde (or vice versa), following the remarkably steep Cromwell Gorge.
I’ve had a preview of the track, and it is sensational. It will surely be named New Zealand’s best day ride.
The breathtaking route follows the side of the lake along dramatic cliffs. Parts of the gorge look like an impossible place to put a cycle trail, but engineers have got around that by building impressive cantilevered platforms hanging from sheer rock.
There’s also a massive new suspension bridge as part of the trail, and pundits are already saying it will be the best section of the Otago Central Rail Trail. A firm opening date is yet to be set, but track builders are hoping for late summer.
In the meantime, a large portion of the Lake Dunstan trail is already open, taking you past wineries and idyllic little lakeside communities. It’s a great appetiser for what will open later in the year.
Adrenaline junkies
The top-rated attraction in Cromwell is the Highlands Motorsport Park, offering a multitude of heart-racing activities. One of the more popular is
the Supercar Fast Dash, which sees you in a Ferrari 488 GTB alongside a professional driver, reaching 100kmh in just three seconds. Or, if you feel like driving yourself, take to the wheel of a Radical SR3 race car or V8 muscle car to complete seven laps under the expert guidance of an instructor.
If money is no object, Highlands is home to a $4.2 million Aston Martin Vulcan, one of only 24 in the world. For $5000, you get a hot lap you’ll never forget – the Vulcan can reach speeds of up to 320kmh.
On the other end of the spectrum, the go-kart track, which is lined with a protective barrier of 4830 tyres, is fun for the whole family. The Germanbuilt karts can reach more than 50kmh, and cost $49 for a 10-minute session in either a single or tandem cart.
A historic township
Central Otago is full of picturesque tiny towns, which are remnants of the gold rush when prospectors explored the region’s harsh hinterland.
One of those historic communities was in Cromwell. After the Clyde Dam was finished in the early 1990s – forming Lake Dunstan – the old town was flooded and some heritage buildings were moved to a new lakefront location, known as the Cromwell Precinct.
Today, the heritage village is home to cafes, artisans and art galleries.
The Central Otago Farmers & Craft Market is held in the village every Sunday until Easter, where you can pick up a multitude of fresh fruit alongside cheese, olive oils, and even local lamb.
Overwater bliss
The creation of Lake Dunstan, by damming the Clutha River, was controversial at the time, but now you’ll find few objectors. The dam has created a picturesque lake and a township that thrives alongside it.
Unlike Queenstown or Wa¯naka, Cromwell’s lake features an overwater resort on its own little lagoon.
The boat shed-style villas at Heritage Collection Lake Resort are split into two levels.
The top floor is designed for couples, with a deck and view over the lagoon.
The lower levels are the premium suites, with a large lounge, deck, access to the water, and a private spa.
If you have a boat, you can even launch it on the lake and tie it to your private jetty.
Due to Covid-19 border restrictions, we can’t quite travel to overwater resorts in Fiji or Bora Bora at the moment, so an overwater retreat in the mountains might just be the next best thing.
Wine in the deep south
The arid hills around Cromwell are flush with vineyards. It’s the epicentre of the Central Otago wine region, the southernmost commercial wine region in the world.
And it’s also at the forefront of organics, with about 25 per cent of the region’s vines farmed using organic or biodynamic practices.
While there is no shortage of cellar doors to choose from, one of the best ways to get a taste for the region is on foot. The 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail is an eight-kilometre loop that takes in four exceptional wineries: Misha’s Vineyard, Aurum Wines, Scott Base and Wooing Tree Vineyard. The loop should take you at least four hours, depending on your thirst.
The writer’s trip was supported by Tourism Central Otago.
Brook Sabin and Radha Engling are travelling the length of New Zealand on a Stuff Travel nationwide road trip in a new Hyundai Kona Electric. The vehicle has 449km of real-world range on a single charge. For more information, see hyundai.co.nz/kona-electric.