Tinwald Domain

So, I'm at Tinwald Domain right now, which is a recreation reserve in Tinwald, a suburb of Ashburton. It's just west of the main part of Tinwald and north of State Highway 1. You'll find it with road frontages on Maronan Road and Frasers Road.

The whole area, including the golf course, is a Recreation Reserve, managed by the Tinwald Reserve Board and the Ashburton District Council. It's pretty big, almost 100 hectares, or about 250 acres. But when people say "Tinwald Domain," they usually mean the southern part with the lake and picnic spots.

Speaking of the lake, it's really nice! There are picnic areas, a campground, and even the Plains Historic Village here. Plus, some community organizations have buildings here. The lake itself was actually built back in 1878. The Ashburton County Council asked for a reserve, and when they got it, it was much bigger than they asked for—97 hectares! They started fencing it in 1879, and that’s when they made the ornamental lake and an island. They used a horse-drawn dredge to dig it out, and it’s fed by the Mt Somers Willoughby stock water race. By 1891, it had iron gates, a fence around it, and lots of shrubs and trees planted.

There's also the Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum, which is pretty cool. It's a heritage railway and a recreated historic village. They use about 3 km of the old Mount Somers Branch railway line. They even operate restored locomotives and rolling stock, and the village shows what life was like in New Zealand's pioneering past.

And if you're into golf, there's an 18-hole course for the Tinwald Golf Club, which was established in 1967. It's north of the railway line that runs through the domain.

It seems like this place has been used for sports for a long time. Horse racing started here in 1889, and they even built a grandstand. Tennis was played from 1906, swimming from 1912, and rugby and hockey too. So, there's a lot to do and see here!