Clarks Mill is located 13.5kms from Ōamaru.

By public transport

Clarks Mill is not accessible via public transport.

Cycling

Access to Clarks Mill is off State Highway 1. Cyclists are welcome although there is no designated cycle track.

By road

From Ōamaru head south on State Highway 1 for 12kms. Turn left at the sign posted entrance and follow the driveway until you reach the mill.  

From Dunedin head north on State Highway 1 (100kms, approximately 1.15 minutes) and turn right at the signposted entrance just past Maheno.

Parking

There is free parking available at Clarks Mill for cars, buses and campervans.

The mill

Clarks Mill is a four-storey building, with steps for entry. The upper floors may not be suitable for those with mobility issues due to the steep and narrow staircases.  Unfortunately, the mill has limited wheelchair accessible areas, with only the basement available. Wheelchair access to the basement is from outside the mill.

If you have mobility issues and find the upper floors inaccessible, our visitor hosts can share the history of our site with you while enjoying the first floor and basement, including a DVD screening, introduction to the machinery and machinery viewing.

Miller’s house

The miller’s house is a one-storey building with steps for entry. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access to the miller’s house.

Smokey Joe’s

Smokey Joe’s is a one-storey building with steps for entry. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access to Smokey Joe’s.

Grounds

The grounds and miller’s house garden are accessible and ready for you to enjoy.

Please note the grounds have grass and dirt throughout and limited paths. This can make it difficult for some wheelchairs to navigate.

Children and whānau

Both inside and out, there are things for kids to do. Inside, discover the inner workings behind the mill, and learn how the flour that goes into your favourite sandwich bread used to be made. Can you find where the miller toasted his oats? Outside, there is plenty of room to stretch little legs and a garden to explore.

Things to remember

Clarks Mill is more than 150 years old and originally used as an industrial site. Please take care on uneven surfaces, stairs and remain behind safety barriers when machinery is operating. We’ve installed directional arrows and safety barriers to help you navigate safely. 

We care for some important taonga (treasures) in our collection and our heritage buildings have lived a long life, so some rooms or items may be off limits at times for conservation and maintenance.

Some spaces may be dimly lit and cold depending on the weather and time of year.