the buildings of ophir
Daniel O’Connell Bridge (1880)
The predominantly Irish population of Ophir named the bridge after the Irish patriot Daniel O’Connell. Crossing the Manuherikia River, it is one of the last surviving suspension bridges in Central Otago. The single-lane wooden bridge was designed by Vincent County engineer L.D. Macgeorge. A whole roasted bullock and a hogshead (238 litres) of ale was consumed to celebrate its opening. It was rebuilt with steel in 1905.
Peace Memorial Hall (1926)
The hall was build in 1926 by local builder John McKnight after a number of community fund raising events. It was officially opened on 25 May 1926 by Mr J. Horn. The ceremony was followed by a bazaar and dance – the floor was / is excellent for dancing, with boards only 5cm wide. From 1928 movies were shown, and in 1929 the supper room was built, along with the installation of electric lighting. In the last few years new improvements have been made – a renovated kitchen, new toilet blocks, heat pumps and new sound and cinema equipment. The hall maintains its place as the centre of the community, with live music, dances and events still happening. A small library, open to locals, sits in the front room.
Ophir Post Office (1886)
The Ophir Post Office is the oldest continuously operating Post Office in New Zealand and one of the most photographed buildings in Central Otago. Purchased by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 1975, it is a Category I Listed historic building. Owned today by Heritage New Zealand, it continues to operate as a Postal Agency, where locals collect their mail and exchange gossip, and where postcards can be purchased and ‘franked’. The Post Office was constructed using local schist slabs by Leslie Arthur and Company of Cromwell for 323 pounds 6/9d.
Open from 9-12 weekdays and some public holidays.
for more information on the post office, go here
The Lockup
Just behind the Post Office is the Lockup. A Lockup was known to exist in Ophir from 1863 in various forms, until this Lockup was built around 1900. Most likely the Lockup was situated between the Courthouse and Police house, with the early version known as “The Logs”, consisting of a tent with a stake and chain attached, to which prisoners were fastened.
The Lockup differs from a goal or jail, in that it was mostly used as a short-term holding cell for felons who had committed minor crimes such as petty theft, drunk and disorderly, and vandalism. They were generally convicted, fined and discharged the next day. More serious cases were relocated to Dunedin or Clyde for trial and sentencing in larger, more secure gaols.
OPEN ALL YEAR, free entry
Geek moment: A lot of the buildings in Ophir are made of schist. Greyshist is the most common material, and is made of metamorphosed mudstone and sandstone. Greenschist, which is derived from metamorphosed volcanic rocks (old sea-floor lava flows), occurs mainly in thin bands. It contains the green mineral chlorite.
Blacks School
The original school house was a corrugated tin building on the hill above the current site and built in 1867. In 1882 it was replaced by a stone school house (also demolished – in 1956).
Now only the pool remains, and is maintained by the community and open through summer – an ideal place to cool off after a day on the trail or in the garden.
Pitches Store (1883)
Records show that in 1874 the land the building was built on was registered to John Pitches and his brother Samuel Pitches. In 1863 the brothers established a store and hotel in one building. John Pitches and his wife raised their family here. In 1862 fire destroyed the wooden building. In 1883 the new building was built with schist.
The building has had a varied life, in the 1960s it was a service station.
The business was run as a General Store and a butchery was added to the far end of the building. In-between the two businesses there was family accommodation. There were also two lean-to extensions built at the rear of the building, maybe shop storage and certainly family accommodation.
Restored as boutique accommodation and a café / restaurant, the building reopened in 2012. Open from 10am – late Thursday – Monday, and 7 days a week in peak summer. Closed winter.
pitches-store.co.nz
The Bank of New South Wales (1886)
Ophir originally had two banks, and both are now gone, the most recent loss being the old Bank of New South Wales, destroyed by fire in September 2021. It was extensively modified during its life, it’s final days were as a private home and accommodation. It was on the site right next to Pitches Store, divided the day by a small lane. This photo is from 1891.
Ryan’s Cottage
Named after Robert Ryan, who ran a hotel on the property from 1873-1890 (the ruins on the side are possibly the old stables), Ryan’s has had a colourful past, being once a dressmakers shop run by Mrs Peacok, a cobblers and a brothel. It is now available for holiday accommodation.
Link here.
The Bakery Cottages (1880s)
The original owner was local baker, Bryan Flannery. However, it’s his wife who gets the most press, having chopped down the nearby rugby goal posts because of either a dislike for the noise or men in shorts.
Restored in 2004 and now available for holiday accommodation.
Link here.
St Andrews Presbyterian Church (1897)
Also called the Union Church, this 1897 building served as a church and then a Sunday School when the vestry was added in 1931. Originally clad in timber, it was plaster cast in more recent memory and is now holiday accommodation, called Ophir Thyme Accomodation.
Blacks Hotel (1937)
Blacks is art deco local institution, and sits on land once occupied by local legend Micky Moran’s stone cottage. This is the second version of Blacks, the original stone building was in the main street but was demolished xxxxx
Blacks is open from 4pm most weekdays, earlier in the weekends and offers cold beer in summer, whiskey in winter and food and accommodation (and of course other liquids) all year round.
Rev Don’s Bungalow (1926)
At number 31 Swindon Street is a bungalow built by John McKnight, who also built the Ophir Hall. The house’s most notable resident was the Reverend Alexander Don, a pastor linked with the Chinese gold miners.
The Courthouse
Built in 1884, the old courthouse heard mainly smaller claims related to mining and water rights and land titles. The building reflects the optimism of the time that Ophir would remain a substantial town, long after the gold ran out. Now a private house and not open to the public.
Old Drapery Store
Now a private residence, the original proprietor was Mrs Ellen Craig. The rocks on the roofing iron are a testament to the local wind called the Matakanui Express, or Thompson’s Knife which kicks up at about the same time as the start of the Rail Trail season.
BNZ Bank (demolished)
The old Bank of New Zealand occupied the site opposite the Post Office, but was demolished to make way for the house that now sits on the site.
Shamrock Hotel (ruins)
There were between 3 and 5 pubs in Ophir at one time, the Shamrock lasted longer than most, but is now sadly only ruins.
Blacks No. 1, Otago. William Hart; photographer; 1877. Te Papa Collection
above: mcknights blacksmiths. right: the old bank of new zealand. the post office is opposite.
The original Blacks Hotel
The original Blacks Hotel was in the main street, but the business moved to its current site in 1937 when the road and bridge were opened to Omakau and the Ida Valley. A smart financial move.
McTavishes Hut
On the way up Blacks Hill on the way to the Ida Valley is an old hut. Restored in the 1980s, this miners hut was originally built in the 1860s on land owned by Lockhart McTavish. Privately owned and not open to the public.
Daniel O’Connell Bridge (no.1)
This photo is from 30 May 1891, and shows the bridge with its original wooden sides, before they were replaced by steel in 1905.
For more information, head here.
First Ophir Bridge
The first bridge across the Manuherikia River was just downstream from the Daniel O’Connell bridge. Only its footings remain.
For more information, head here.
Flannery’s Store (destroyed)
Likely sited next to what is now the Bakery cottages.
Booth Road Observatories
Graham Long was another extraordinary engineer, who built his own telescopes and observatories on Booth Road, just out of Ophir township. Sadly they’ve all but gone now
for more information, go here
Mill
On the corner of State Highway 85 and Ophir Bridge Road was the town’s flour mill. Little remains.
Catholic Church (1880)
Now a private residence, the former St Peter’s Catholic church was ‘in service’ until the larger St Peters was build in Omakau in 1929. The photo above is the last service in Ophir. It was bought by local butcher and farmer Bob Craig, who converted it into a house. More recently it was the home of engineer and car enthusiast Bob Turnbull.