When Ophir’s current Postal Manager, Val Butcher, was appointed in 2002, she continued an unbroken tradition that goes back to 1 October 1863 and Ophir’s first Postmaster, James Swanson, who also operated a general store where the Post Office was located. Ophir Post Office is now...

Tiger Hill is, at 435m elevation, one of the highest points on the Otago Rail Trail, and certainly the steepest climb. Back when trains were the only traffic on the trail, Tiger Hill was a favourite spot for train spotters to capture the trains as...

There's still gold to be unearthed in Ophir, but its mainly remnants of the past that are being discovered, and not the shiny stuff. While Pitches Store was being restored, numerous relics were unearthed which are now on display within the floor of the cafe....

In 1864, just as Otago’s easy deposits of alluvial gold had been picked over, news broke of gold being found on the West Coast, which led to New Zealand’s second gold rush. Thousands of prospectors from Otago and Victoria (Australia) headed to the coast to...

Ophir is a village which ranks alongside St Bathans and Clyde as one of the country's most authentic and significant settlements from early gold mining days (1860s – 1900s). The town sprang into life almost overnight when gold was found on Charles Black's farm in April...

During the early days of the Ophir gold rush, the Manuherikia River was a dangerous and hazardous barrier; many people and horses drowned while attempting a crossing. The need for a bridge became critical. After intense lobbying by locals, the Vincent County Council commissioned County Engineer,...