Lindis Pass & Taras

The McKenzie Basin and Central Otago are separated by Lindis Pass. Here's a view from the top of the pass, looking north, back toward McKenzie country. In the winter this area is typically covered with snow and occasionally the pass has to be closed. You can see how dry it gets in summer.

Not far from the southern side of Lindis Pass is Taras. It is tiny, boasting only a petrol station, café and wool shop. Taras was briefly famous for being the home of a wiley old sheep nicknamed Shrek. The café in Taras is cozy, giving travellers the perfect place to stop for a break. This is the view you'll get if you sit out front in the summertime. Kirwin chowed down on pancakes with bacon, bananas and maple syrup, while I sipped away on a latte.

Next to the café is a shop full of wool and woollen clothing. It's a great place to pick up last minute woollies if you're on the way to the skifields around Queenstown and Wanaka. Merino is the specialty of nearby Bendigo Station. This type of wool is very fine and in great demand with suit makers. There's also a blend of wool and possum fur (often branded as Merino Mink) which is soft, plush, and a bit more expensive than plain wool.

Kirwin first traversed the Lindis Pass and stopped in Taras for brunch on 17-Dec-2008.