New Zealand State Highway 83

New Zealand State Highway 83

State Highway 83 NZ.svg

State Highway 83
Route information
Maintained by New Zealand Transport Agency
Length: 109.4 km (68.0 mi)
Major junctions
From: Omarama Avenue State Highway 8 NZ.svg at Omarama
To: Hilderthorpe Pukeuri Road/Pukeuri Oamaru Road State Highway 1 NZ.svg at Pukeuri
Location
Primary
destinations:
Otematata, Kurow, Duntroon.
Highway system

New Zealand State Highways
Motorways and Expressways • List • Unused

SH 80 SH 83

State Highway 83 is a South Island State Highway in New Zealand running up the Waitaki Valley between the settlements of Pukeuri and Omarama. It forms part of the southernmost of the east-west roads crossing the South Island (via Haast Pass).

Route

Since designation, this is the route SH 83 takes.

As Chain Hills Highway, it begins in Omarama and passes through most of the settlement in an easterly direction. Leaving Omarama, the road changes name to Omarama Otematata Road. The road then runs along the banks of the Ahuriri Arm of Lake Benmore and descends into the township of Otematata (turnoff for the Benmore Dam). After Otematata, the road then passes along the southern banks of Lakes Aviemore and Waitaki as well as their respective dams.

The road emerges on the upper Waitaki River floodplain and enters the township of Kurow. Beyond Kurow, the road is all but flat and runs along the southern flanks of the floodplains as well as through Duntroon and Georgetown before crossing a low saddle to descend into Pukeuri.