Trotters Gorge (sometimes rendered Trotter's Gorge) is a locality in the

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

region, in the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

of New Zealand. It is located 12 kilometres to the north of

Palmerston Palmerston may refer to: People * Christie Palmerston (c. 1851–1897), Australian explorer * Several prominent people have borne the title of Viscount Palmerston ** Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston (c. 1673–1757), Irish nobleman and ...

, inland from

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbere ...

. The gorge and the creek which runs through it (Trotters Creek, which runs to the Pacific Ocean near Kātiki) were named for the family of early settler W. S. Trotter. The area is a popular day trip for visitors from

Oamaru Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway ...

and

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

, with several walking tracks, a picnic area, and campsite, and the area around the gorge itself is noted for its geological and botanical features. The area is protected as a scenic reserve, and is reached by road via the inland route from Palmerston to Moeraki (the Horse Range Road). The scenic reserve is dominated by

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

cliffs through which the Trotters Creek has carved the gorge. The gorge itself is filled with native bush, including kōwhai, kanuka, and other species. Some of the plant and insect life is unique to the area, and birdlife is abundant. Tracks lead from the head of the reserve, one up the valley to a hut belonging to the University of Otago, which is available as accommodation for a small fee, and a nearby swimming hole. The other track loops through a smaller valley, past caves and up to the western edge of the scenic reserve to connect with the hut track. Each trip takes some 45 minutes each way, or they can be tackled together as a loop taking some 2–3 hours.Summer drives: Trotters Gorge offers ideal day trip
" ''Drivesouth'', 22 December 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2012. The reserve is a popular with visitors as it is sheltered from prevailing winds and therefore warm and calm in summer. Care needs to be taken, however, as weather can be changeable in the area, and the creek can rise rapidly. The reserve's campsite is closed during winter.

References

{{coord, -45.403, 170.781, display=title Waitaki District Canyons and gorges of Otago