- Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the
New Zealand region ofOtago in theSouth Island . The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and theQueenstown-Lakes District to the west.The area is dominated by mountain ranges and the upper reaches of the
Clutha River and tributaries. The wide flat plateau of theManiototo which lies between the upper reaches of theTaieri River and the Clutha's northern tributary the Manuherikia is also usually considered part of Central Otago.Characterised by cold winters and hot, dry summers, the area is only lightly populated, although there has recently been considerable development around the tourist towns of Queenstown and
Wanaka . First significant European occupation came with the discovery ofgold atGabriel's Gully near Lawrence in 1861, which led to theCentral Otago goldrush . Other towns and villages include Albert Town, Alexandra,Arrowtown , Bannockburn, Clyde, Cromwell,Hawea , Millers Flat, Naseby,Oturehua , Ranfurly, Roxburgh, St. Bathans, and Wedderburn.Since the 19th century, most of the area's economic activity has centred on sheep,
stone fruit , and tourism. In recent years,deer farms andvineyard s have increased the region's economic diversification. Recently the cool climate varietiesRiesling andPinot Noir have been recognised as being especially suitable, and as the vines age Central Otago wines can be expected to improve even further, as the plantings are new and increasing rapidly. Central Otago is the world's southernmost commercial wine production region.Administration
The Central Otago District Council, based in Alexandra, controls territorial authority matters, while the
Otago Regional Council has overview of environmental matters such as clean air and water resources."Central"
The colloquial name for Central Otago is simply "Central". Residents from the surrounding regions may not talk about being "in" Central Otago or going "to" Central Otago - instead referring to being or going "up Central" (this usage is mainly limited to residents of Canterbury,
Otago and Southland). The formerOtago Central Railway , which ran through most of the major towns of Central Otago, was also referred to as 'the Central'.External links
* [http://www.codc.govt.nz/ Central Otago District Council]
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