Explore AORAKI MT COOK and TIMARU’S renowned hospitality

World of produce and eateries

GET SET FOR TIMARU

Timaru is celebrating its growers, producers and artisan creators with a new 10-day festival from 11 to 20 September, the South Canterbury Outstanding food festival (SCOFF).

Eateries are serving up new culinary experiences, highlighting local products and telling the story of the creation of their dish. Diners can win amazing prizes by uploading photos of their meals to social media with the hashtag #scoffsc.

An abundance of primary produce is grown in the district, and its flourishing port is home to a commercial fishing fleet. Locals enjoy the opportunity to savour the daily catches from the seafood market.

Timaru’s food producers are renowned for their innovation; from iconic brands like Barker’s of Geraldine to boutique artisan products that locals love, and visitors are finding out about.

Local produce features heavily across the district at eateries, and if you see Ship Hop Beer on tap you simply must try it!

The Timaru hospitality scene is thriving with new restaurants opening post-lockdown, and the sector reporting a positive bounce back.

Timaru is centrally located on the east coast of the South Island, about halfway between Christchurch and Dunedin. There are direct flights into Timaru Airport from Wellington, and it’s the closest airport to Aoraki Mt Cook.

You can choose to base yourself in Timaru or perhaps a scenic rural town, such as Geraldine, Temuka or Pleasant Point. If you really want to get away from it all, check out beautiful Peel Forest and the high country of Mesopotamia.

There is plenty of outstanding food, products and eateries to try while you’re in the district, here are a small selection to get you started: Barker’s Foodstore and Eatery, Geraldine This destination eatery has been designed so you can interact with their products, use them on your meals, and try before you buy. Cactus Fire, Timaru Timaru’s newest restaurant is a seriously good Mexican eatery, overlooking Caroline Bay on the Bay Hill. Austin92, Temuka Run by passionate hospitality legends, this is affordable fine dining with a twist in every classic dish. It is recommended that you book ahead. Green Man Café, Peel Forest The heart of Peel Forest is Green Man

Café, which is home to great food, craft beer and cocktails. If you time it right, you could be there on one of their awesome live music nights. Hector Black’s Lounge Bar, Timaru A stylish, quirky lounge bar with leather sofas to chill-out on, taxidermied animals, board games, antiques and the best cocktails. Denheath custard squares As Kiwi as alpine ranges, glacier-fed lakes and little men with hairy feet, according to their website. They have a fantastic range of fluffy mouth-watering varieties of the traditional custard square. Al’s hot sauce range This amazing hot sauce range is the aftermath of seven years of experimentation with fermentation. Al’s hot sauces are hand crafted in small batches. “Great for filling that massive (sauce based) void in your life.”

1. CAROLINEBAY

Caroline Bay is a beautiful recreational beach reserve right in the city, with plenty of parkland dedicated to biking and walking tracks. The beach is safe for swimming and is home to Little (blue)

Penguins from October to March. From the bay, you can head up The Piazza steps to the Bay Hill area for sunset drinks.

2. SHOPPING

Stafford Street is Timaru’s high street. The streetscape is Edwardian, look up and you’ll see some beautiful historic buildings. There’s a range of specialty stores offering boutique shopping, through to some of the nation’s best-known chain-stores. There is also an abundance of antique and second-hand stores throughout Timaru District.

3.MĀORIROCKART

Timaru is home to the most significant collection of ancient Māori Rock Art in

New Zealand. Learn about it at Te Ana Māori

Rock Art Centre. Te Ana are the kaitiaki (guardians) of eight tribal taonga (treasures), cut from their sites over a 100 years ago, and now returned home to the centre and their people.

4.DASHINGROCKSWALK

There are lots of scenic short walks in Timaru

City. A favourite with locals, given its coastal views and proximity to eateries and shopping, is the Dashing Rocks walk. It starts at

Caroline Bay, takes about an hour and requires just a moderate level of fitness.

5.DBBREWERYTOURS

DB Brewery Tours take you through the brewing process, giving you the chance to view the fresh raw ingredients and the brewery’s high speed bottling line. Tours take about an hour, with sampling at the end of course.

Escape to Timaru

For an urban escape with great shopping, fantastic eateries, and coastal walks - minus the big crowds... head to Timaru.