Guest Information Pack

At He Wahi Ra you will find a modern north facing holiday home built for enjoying your time in Naseby.

Per night rate includes

A two-bedroom house that sleeps up to six people
One king-sized bed, one queen-sized bed and a set of bunks
Linen and towels provided
A log burner, fire wood supplied
Pantry basics such as tea, coffee, sugar
The house is cleaned for you after your departure
Telephone

House amenities include

TV, Denon CD/DVD stereo with ipod connector, electronic safe, espresso machine, fully equipped kitchen and laundry, built in gas hood barbeque, outdoor furniture.

House rules

No smoking in the house, no pets.

The bach rental does not include any party or reception facilities. It is not to be used as a "venue". Our resource consent covers only accommodation, not additional guest hosting.

Communications

The telephone can be used for locals and incoming calls. The number is +64 03 4822553. Unfortunately the local exchange technology is not able to identify guest calls.

For national of international calls Compass pre-paid calling cards can be purchased from the local convenience store and used from our phone.

Cell phone coverage is patchy – sometimes you can get a Telecom signal out on the corner of the deck or in the driveway area, but the cemetery is always a reliable spot. There is a Vodafone aerial at the bottom pub. There is a phone box down by the information centre on the main street.

There is email access available at the Royal Hotel.

Services

At Naseby there is a convenience store, two hotels and a café/restaurant. In nearby Ranfurly there are more services including a service station, doctor, and supermarket.

About Naseby

Place

The idyllic small town of Naseby was born in 1863 soon after gold was discovered in the area. After the glory of the gold days, Naseby was forgotten for a time. Without the pressures of growth and thanks to the preservative nature of the climate, many of the original buildings remain today.

Naseby town rests against the foothills of the Mt Ida Range on the edge of the stunning Maniototo Plain, 2000 ft above sea level. It is cocooned by a dark green Oregon forest and bordered by the Hawkden Mountains to the northwest and the Kakanui Mountains to the east.

The magical beauty of the Maniototo is a common subject for artists and is captured beautifully in the paintings of Graeme Sinclair (www.grahamesydney.com)

In summer, Naseby enjoys baking temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius (?? degrees Fahrenheit). While winter delivers glorious snowfalls and sparkling white frosts. The township is sheltered from the wind and its clear sky lends itself to beautiful clear starry nights.

People

Naseby only has a permanent population of approximately 240 and attracts people that want to escape the hustle and bustle of more populated areas. In many ways, life in Naseby is less complicated and people value the special charm of the place. Naseby has undergone a renaissance in recent years and the locals are thriving on the influx of visitors. The people are genuine and overtly friendly and welcoming.

If you are traveling by car and you pass a complete stranger on the road don’t be surprised to receive a big friendly wave.

Activities

The main sport in Naseby is “curling”. A pastime that is similar to lawn bowls but played on ice using a “stone”. Once a year – if conditions are right a Bonspiel – is held nearby at neighboring village Oturehua. The event involves teams from throughout New Zealand and is a spectacular sight to behold.

In winter, you may want to join some of the local farmers for a “curl”. This activity used to be restricted to a short period when natural ice was available but this inconvenience has now been solved by the construction of a multi-million dollar indoor curling facility. There is also an outdoor artificial rink for other ice sports and skating.

The other great passions in Naseby are walking and mountain biking. The Naseby forest can be enjoyed all year round. You may want to walk to one of the small dams, following the Mt Ida water race through the forest, or just walk in your own time and pace around the various forest tracks.

Mountain bikes and equipment can be hired in town. And guides are available to help you get the most out of you time in Naseby.

The town is about 11km away from the hugely popular Central Otago central rail trail (www.otagocentralrailtrail.co.nz), which can be cycled or walked. It runs for 150km through some extraordinary country.

There are also public tennis courts, a bowling green and a nine-hole golf course on offer in Naseby.

And at the end of the day, choose between one of two pubs and a café/restaurant offering outside dinning and good coffee.