Lawrence
is a small town of some 550 inhabitants in Otago, in New Zealand's
South Island. It is located on the main route from Dunedin to the
inland towns of Queenstown and Alexandra, 35 kilometres to the
northwest of Milton, and close to the Tuapeka River, a tributary of the
Clutha. Lawrence's main claim to fame is of being the focal point
for Otago's 1860s gold rush, after the discovery of the metal at nearby
Gabriel's Gully by Gabriel Read. In mid 1862, it is estimated that
twice as many people lived around the banks of the Tuapeka River as did
in Dunedin iteself.
The town was named for Sir Henry Lawrence, hero of the Lucknow military
campaign of 1857, and is billed as "The Gateway To Central Otago".
Today the town is a vibrant community with numerous businesses that
have a high profile within the town and indeed New Zealand itself. An
example of this is Tuapeka Gold Print which is the towns main employer
providing a vast range of promotional products and pens.
As a consequence of these award winning businesses many other smaller
businesses catering for the visitor have grown, turning the town into a
vibrant and exciting place to stay where the visitor can enjoy the
tranquil and historical town together with first class places to stay,
visit and eat.
