- Est. Median Value
- $900K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $495/wk
- Safety Score
- 94/100
- Green Space
- 97%
- Current Weather
- 0.8°C
- Median Age
- 40 yrs
~31 crimes/1k/yr
scattered clouds
Living in Cromwell Gorge
The Cromwell Gorge is the spectacular throat through which the Clutha River once ran before the Clyde Dam submerged it under Lake Dunstan in 1993, and the locality that carries its name is now both the gorge walls above the waterline and the memory of what ran below. State Highway 8 threads the gorge on a road partly blasted from the schist cliffs, with the lake sitting where the river used to roar and the Cromwell Basin opening at the western end into the stone fruit and wine country that the dam's calm water made possible.
The gorge walls hold some of Central Otago's most dramatic scenery: bare schist bluffs rising hundreds of metres from the lake surface, with the colours running from iron-grey to russet to gold depending on the light, and the rock faces eroded into the organ-pipe columns and fractured slabs that Central Otago's geology produces when it's doing its best work.
The heritage record from the drowned gorge is preserved at the Clyde Dam visitor area and in the historical documentation of the towns and farms that disappeared under the lake, a loss that divided the district in the 1980s and that the tourism industry now navigates carefully. The Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail runs the gorge walls above the water on one of the route's most dramatic sections.
Clyde and Cromwell sit at the gorge's two ends, 20 minutes apart through the schist and the water.
Is Cromwell Gorge a good place to live?
Cromwell Gorge is home to roughly 3,024 people across 48.7 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Cromwell Gorge scores 58 out of 100, with a safety score of 94/100 and 97% green space.
Schools: Cromwell Gorge has 2 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.
Housing: The estimated median value is around $900K, and weekly rent typically sits around $495.
Lifestyle: The current temperature is 0.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Cromwell Gorge is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.
Map
Livability Breakdown
- Safety94
- Amenities22
- Schools74
- Housing Affordability42
- Green space100
- Community78
- Transport19
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $900K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $495/wk
- Median HH Income
- $101K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +18.0%
- Data Year
- 2023
Key Financial Indicators (NZD)
† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.
Nearby Suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is the Cromwell Gorge?
- The Cromwell Gorge runs between Cromwell and Clyde in Central Otago, now flooded by Lake Dunstan behind the Clyde Dam, with State Highway 8 clinging to the schist walls above the waterline.
- What happened to the Cromwell Gorge?
- The Cromwell Gorge was flooded when Lake Dunstan filled behind the Clyde Dam in 1993, submerging the original township of Cromwell's historic centre and several farms, with buildings relocated to higher ground beforehand.
- Can you cycle the Cromwell Gorge?
- Yes. The Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail follows the gorge walls above the lake between Cromwell and Clyde, one of Central Otago's most dramatic cycling sections, with schist cliff scenery throughout.
- What is the scenery like in the Cromwell Gorge?
- The gorge walls are bare schist bluffs rising hundreds of metres above Lake Dunstan, with the rock colouring ranging from grey to russet in different lights, among Central Otago's most dramatic inland scenery.
- How do I get from Cromwell to Clyde via the gorge?
- By car, around 20 minutes east on State Highway 8, following the lake through the gorge. By bike on the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail, around 2 to 3 hours.
- Which schools are in zone for Cromwell Gorge?
- Children living in Cromwell Gorge are in zone for Clyde School, Cromwell Primary School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
- How do I check my school zone in Cromwell Gorge?
- Use the School Zone Checker on this page. Enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.
Schools & Enrolment Zones in Cromwell Gorge
Schools in zone for Cromwell Gorge
Children living in Cromwell Gorge have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Clyde School
Full Primary · roll 172 · decile 9
Cromwell Primary School
Contributing · roll 399 · decile 9
Check your school zone
School Zone Checker
Enter your address to check your school zone in Cromwell Gorge. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.
Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.
Stay in Cromwell Gorge
Places to stay(1)
Champagne Gully
Cromwell Gorge Weather
Current conditions: 0.8°C, scattered clouds
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 23.88 | 12.21 | 2.42 | 11.81 |
| ☀️ Feb | 22.23 | 11.36 | 3.02 | 11.17 |
| 🍂 Mar | 19.79 | 9.55 | 2.17 | 9.76 |
| 🍂 Apr | 16.5 | 7.11 | 2.32 | 8.26 |
| 🍂 May | 11.97 | 4.52 | 1.89 | 6.51 |
| ❄️ Jun | 7.6 | 1.8 | 1.63 | 5.41 |
| ❄️ Jul | 7.32 | 0.72 | 2.46 | 5.41 |
| ❄️ Aug | 10.16 | 1.25 | 2.58 | 7.73 |
| 🌸 Sep | 13.27 | 3.4 | 4.04 | 8.63 |
| 🌸 Oct | 15.73 | 5.04 | 3.65 | 10.29 |
| 🌸 Nov | 18.59 | 8.31 | 2.1 | 11.33 |
| ☀️ Dec | 22.09 | 11.41 | 2.62 | 12.03 |
Cromwell Gorge Community
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