Cromwell: A Reflection of the Past, A Destination for the Future - Ryan Morton

Cromwell is located deep in the heart of Central Otago, New Zealand. The town is surrounded by a mass of broad basins, fertile valleys, snow capped mountain ranges and pristine bodies of water; it is these features that make Central Otago an outstanding mass of land and a landscape that is timeless in the South Island of New Zealand. 

Cromwell has had an ever changing history, from gold mining to the loss of the town due to damming the lake to the rapid growth of stone fruit and wine from the area.

The township of Cromwell holds a lot of potential and opportunities which are awaiting to be developed, which will in turn enhance the down centre, bring the lost history back into the current modern town and eventually turn into a destination which people will want to stop and enjoy what the Central Otago region has to offer.

Vision: Focusing on Cromwell's waterfront that is bordered by the large mass of water called Lake Dunstan, the waterfront has much potential but currently is not being utilized.

By 2040 Cromwell will be known as the "Heart of the Central Otago' with many connections and linkages starting and ending right on the waterfront. This space provides Cromwell with the opportunity to become a 'destination' on the map. Currently State Highway 8b acts as a divider between communities want water which will need to be mitigated to make Cromwell a 'town of the future'.

With it being a main feeder for resident to Queenstown and Wanaka, there is need to increase the density of the northern section beside the lake from Low to Medium density to cater for the double in population growth. This will be achieved through the use of including the residents and locals to the south in the new proposal, as it still needs to function for locals also rather that solely tourism based activities.