Clark's Flourmill is New Zealand's only surviving water-powered flourmill with early machinery still substantially intact. It provides a tangible link to one of New Zealand's most important agricultural industries.
The mill was built around 1865 as part of the Totara Estate, which belonged to early settlers Matthew Holmes and Henry Campbell. Part of the mill was created with limestone cut from the hill behind the mill. The heavy machinery was brought to New Zealand by sailing ship from the United Kingdom, Australia and United States in the 1860s and 1870s. Wheat and oats were ground using horizontal grinding stones, which were powered by an 'undershot' waterwheel.
After Totara Estate was sold to the New Zealand and Australian Land Company in 1866, the mill was leased to several different millers. During the 1880s the way in which the mill worked was altered; the wheat was ground by roller machinery powered by water turbines, rather than by grinding stones.
In 1901 the mill was sold to the Clark family, who operated it for the next 75 years, and it is now best known as Clark's Mill. Electric power was added in the 1930s. The New Zealand Historic Places Trust purchased Clark's Mill in 1977, and it is now open to the public by arrangement or on Sundays between 1 and 3pm from October to April
Also on site is the base of the North Otago Vintage Farm Machinery Group. The building, which houses 40 restored farm machines can be viewed like the mill between 1 and 3pm on Sundays over the period October to April.
The cache which is a pill container. The site can be accessed during daylight hours 7 days a week. Care when going to GZ as the local farmer often has a portable electric fence in the area.