Lauderdale - Central Otago

Lauderdale is a unique wedding and event venue in Central Otago, 90 minutes drive from Queenstown, 30 minutes from Alexandra and two hours from Dunedin. wedding_ceremony_at_ruins_resized

In the middle of the South Island of New Zealand lies an area which boasts the hottest, the coldest and the driest weather in the country.  Central Otago is also home to one of the world's great gold rushes in the 1860s, big beautiful panoramas, lovely mountains, ripe streams, and beautiful semi-arid high country stations.  We are in the middle of that remote, unpopulated area, .

Lauderdale is a private and remote 60-acre estate (originally a 'home block' of Lauder Station) comprising authentic stone and mud brick historic buildings, the historic Becks church, some very beautiful ruins, and a 1.5km river frontage.  This is a unique wedding and event venue, and also includes a modern function centre capable of seating 80-120 people comfortably indoors.

At this moment we are upgrading our accommodation and are not taking any bookings for accommodation, except in conjunction with events.  We continue to operate for niche events and weddings.

Lauderdale serves as a point from which to explore Central Otago.  There are remote walks; remote fly fishing; cycling on the Central Rail Trail; offroad safaris; mountain biking; hunting; ice skating; curling and of course touring.  The seasons we experience make Lauderdale a true year-round destination, with winter having as much to offer as summer, autumn as spring.  There is also a fair amount of bed & breakfast accommodation in the area which can accommodate wedding parties - we are more than happy to recommend some to you.  

With our luxury travel design company, Ahipara, we have been recognised as having the most innovative activities in the country and are bringing this expertise to Lauderdale as we continue to develop some truly special options.  

We look forward to welcoming you to our sanctuary and helping you discover our area.  If you would like to see many more photos - please visit our Facebook site - click on the link below.


  • A service in the Church
  • The church fits a good 70-80 people all seated and more if we remove some pews
  • The croquet lawn with the ruins as a backdrop makes a good setting for a photo of all the guests
  • The smithy in the snow.....
  • The bridal couple sharing a moment by the Church, after the reception
  • Ruins in Autumn
  • Set up for a wedding....
  • The Apple House
  • The new homestead
  • The old stone buildings...
  • A hoar frost is a magical thing...
A service in the Church

A service in the Church