Balclutha Area Guide
The rural service town of Balclutha, 80 kilometres south west of Dunedin, is the biggest settlement in South Otago, located on green pastures beside the broad Clutha River.The town was named Balclutha after the Scottish city of Glasgow and its River Clyde, Clutha being an ancient name for the Clyde, and Balclutha meaning 'town of the Clyde'. Below Baclutha lies Inch Clutha, a 10-mile-long island formed as the river divides into the Matau and Koau channels.
Balclutha's northern entrance is dominated by the impressive solidly built six-arched concrete bridge which spans the Clutha River. The river is a popular place among fishermen with its year-round salmon and trout fishing.
The town has a rich agricultural and industrial heritage of farming, sawmilling, coal mining, flax milling, and ceramics production which can be explored at the South Otago Museum on Renfrew Street. The many historical buildings in the area include the Chicory Factory on Inch Clutha, built in 1881, to process chicory roots into a flavouring for coffee. The nearby settlement of Benhar also offers a fascinating glimpse into history, its 19th century kiln set up to produce ceramic ware from local clay. The kiln was later bought by the McSkimming family, who built their stately family home, Lesmahagow, here in 1914, and set up a feudal-style housing scheme to provide accommodation for their employees.
The area's main scenic attractions lie outside Balclutha, on the coastal route south to Invercargill, which passes through the Catlins, a beautiful region of isolated forests and rugged coastlines. Balclutha's Visitor Centre at 4 Clyde Street is a good place to stop for information before touring the Catlins coast, which stretches from Nugget Point in South Otago to Waipapa Point in Southland. The coast is home to fur seals, sea lions, dolphins and penguins, while the inland forest is a habitat for abundant bird life, including the melodious tui and bellbird and the playful fantail. Visit the 1869 lighthouse on the rugged coastline at Nugget Point, the impressive Cathedral Caves on Waipati Beach, and the 180-million-year-old petrified forest at Curio Bay. Nearby Slope Point is the southernmost point of the
South Island, and can be visited most of the year except during the lambing season in September and October, when the privately-owned farm is closed to visitors.