Panorama taken on the 8 Highway just past Lawrence on the way to Beaumont. Here the road had just passed through a narrow gorge and descended into a beautiful valley.

Highway 8 Near Bowlers Creek - Central Otago visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Highway 8 Near Bowlers Creek' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Otago.

The 8 Highway is the main route into the heart Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. The road strikes out northwest from Milton a little south of Dunedin. The whole of this region was opened up by Europeans in the 1860's looking for gold. Many of the settlements on the route owe their origins to gold mining. Today however, much of the economy relies on tourism, from trekking and tramping through to water sports on the great lakes and skiing in the winter.

As you drive north through this part of Otago you will pass numerous historic towns. These include Lawrence where there is a 3266,Goldfields Museum]]. North of Beaumont the road follows the path of the Clutha River past Roxburgh Dam and then round Flat Top Hill Conservation Area to Alexandra. Then the 8 continues past Clyde Dam and along Cromwell Gorge to Cromwell and up the eastern side of Lake Dunstan before looping over to Lake Pukaki and then back east to Timaru on the eastern coast in Canterbury.

Road: Lawrence is on the main route 8 Highway, 92km from Dunedin and 35 kilometres northwest of Milton. Further north are Beaumont (20km) and Alexandra (100km).