Cross posted from Biking in Dunedin
Also, a pretty cool now 10yo video on the same:
Excellent report by Benje, supporting the the no-brainer extension from Middlemarch to Dunedin linking Dunedin the the “new central Otago Goldrush”(cycling) just as Dunedin was formerly enriched due to its status as “Gateway to the Otago goldfields”. Dunedin is letting millions of $$$$$ slip thru its fingers by not joining the central Otago cycle trail party 
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…Or you can sell $3 cups of tea on the Taieri Gorge railway to ship based visitors who incidentally are currently dumping their wallets into Dunedin due to the Taieri train not running. Cycle trail - win win win for everyone including ratepayers.