Ophir

About

Once gold was discovered here in 1863 Ophir, formerly “Blackton”, was destined for big things. Numbers swelled to 1000 and a new monika was adopted, named after the location where King Solomon reputedly obtained his gold to adorn the Temple of Jerusalem. Sadly the gold dwindled, the railway bypassed Ophir, and now it’s more famous for appearing on weather maps as the hottest or coldest place in the country, but there are still nuggets to be had here. On approach the stone-pillared suspension bridge, with the road on the other side cut into the rock, makes for an impressive entrance. The former store and butchers, still in it’s simple elegant stone building, is now a charming and pleasant cafe, while opposite the old cottage hospital is adorned with beautiful roses. The real gem is the handsome post office, lovingly restored in 1976, where letters have been sent from since 1886.