“Step back in time to the gold rush and explore heritage buildings located on the shore of beautiful Lake Dunstan.”
Construction of the hydro dam at Clyde and the subsequent creation of Lake Dunstan involved the destruction of an integral piece of Central Otago history – the original main street of Cromwell. Early in 1985 a group of local residents decided to save some of these original buildings and preserve this heritage for future generations.
The concept of Old Cromwell Town today is based on terms of ‘believable’ town planning. That is, the Board has reconstructed a commercial, residential and rural zone where land is divided into distinct sections. This has been done to retain the authenticity of ‘street life’, industries and activities taking place side by side, as opposed to an open plan ‘theme’ type layout. The heritage precinct is a combination of “museum-style” buildings which are open on a daily basis to the public to walk through and enjoy, while other buildings are tenanted by artisan style businesses.
People can now enjoy this delightful asset, a visual reminder of ‘how it used to be’ during the gold era of 1860-1900.
Reviews
One of the best historical areas I’ve visited. There’s no entry fee and there’s so much to see, some great recreations and fantastic information for each building.
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Cromwell Heritage Precinct
Hours
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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