Athol: Cycle Bridges and Memorial Sites

Athol lies on the Southern Scenic Route. Local points of interest range from two cycling suspension bridges over the Mataura River to the Athol–Kingston section of the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail and the memorial sites of the Athol District. If you are looking for a hotel in Athol, these themes can help you decide whether cycling, local history, or both will shape your stay.

Cycling between a river crossing and the trail

The two cycling suspension bridges over the Mataura River, known as “Athol’s Golden Gates,” are 67 and 92 metres long, respectively. The nearby Mataura River is 190 kilometres long in total and is known for brown trout. The bridge measurements describe the structures, while the kilometre figure describes the river’s total length; together, they present specific river crossings alongside a broader geographic scale.

The Around the Mountains Cycle Trail covers 186 kilometres in total and passes through historic settlements and rural farmland. Its Athol–Kingston section is 30 kilometres long and rated Grade 2, or easy. A disused railway line was converted into the next section of the trail. The two distance figures therefore refer to different scales: 30 kilometres for Athol–Kingston, and 186 kilometres for the trail as a whole. The converted railway line gives this section a distinct historical connection in addition to its length and grade.

The Brown Trout Café is a place to eat in Athol. The Lodge and Holiday Park serves as a rest stop for cyclists on the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail. Together, these two places point to different practical aspects of trip planning: a place to eat in Athol and a rest stop for people cycling the route.

Memorial sites in Athol

The Athol District Memorial Hall houses an honour roll commemorating those who died and those who were honoured in the First World War. Athol Hall also contains a wall-mounted memorial to those who served in the First World War. It was apparently moved there from the Presbyterian Church in June 1958. The honour roll and the wall memorial have different emphases: the roll commemorates the dead and those honoured, while the wall memorial’s former location is also part of its history.

In the wider Southland District

The wider Southland District also offers other landscape and history themes. The Hump Ridge Track is a three-day loop across subalpine heights and along a rugged coast. On 25 October 2024, the track opened as New Zealand’s 11th Great Walk; along the route, a short interpretive walk includes the historic Port Craig sawmill site. The Southland District also has around ten museums about the history of Southland Province and its residents. Their collections range from historic machinery to whaling artefacts. Compared with Athol’s memorial hall, which relates to the First World War, the museums cover a broader regional history.

Discover more destinations: Stewart Island, Mossburn, Papatotara, Lumsden, Otautau, The Key, Te Anau, Milford Sound

For the wider travel overview: Southland District.