Beaumont
Beautiful Beaumont is framed by the Blue Mountains and the mighty Clutha Mata-au River located in inland Otago. The small town offers excellent fishing, hunting, biking, and hiking. The famous historic bridge is the longest and oldest single span structure in the Southern Hemisphere, and is set to be replaced with a new two lane bridge, due to open late 2023.
Up the Beaumont Gorge you will find the lonely graves which are a poignant reminder of Otago's gold rush era. Nearby in the picturesque Rongahere Gorge is Birch Island, which has retained its rare mix of ancient beech forest. This 12,000-year-old section along the Clutha River is known as an ecological Noah’s Ark.
A trip to Beaumont would not be complete without feeling the power of the mighty Clutha Mata-au River up close at the Tuapeka Mouth. The free ferry crosses the river daily, using only the flow of the mighty river. It is the only remaining public punt in New Zealand and is among nine other highlights in our top 10 must-do’s in Clutha.