Ranfurly Hostel & Laundry

12/04/2026

We’ve put together a few simple guidelines to help you relax, stay comfortable, and enjoy the full benefits of the sauna 🌿

👉 Ready to relax? Book your session here: https://sauna.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

10/04/2026

Our infrared sauna at Ranfurly Hostel is now available for bookings! 🔥

If you haven’t tried one before, infrared saunas are a gentle, relaxing way to warm up from the inside out. People love them for helping to:
✨ relax muscles and ease tension
💓 improve circulation
🚴 support recovery after cycling or long days outdoors
😌 reduce stress and boost mood
💧 sweat out toxins
🌿 open pores and give you a natural glow
😴 promote better sleep and overall wellbeing

It’s not just about the heat — it’s about taking time to slow down, breathe, and properly unwind!

We’re offering 75-minute private sessions:
💛 $15 for 1 person
💛 $20 for 2 people

Towels and water included — just bring yourself. Payment via cash on arrival or bank transfer.

👉 Book your session here:
https://app.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

Perfect after a ride on the Rail Trail, a cold day, or just when you feel like treating yourself ✨

If you’ve got any questions, just send us a message — and we hope to see you in the sauna soon!

09/04/2026

Our infrared sauna has arrived! 🥳 This has been a long-time dream for Kamila, and she’s absolutely over the moon — she’s already used it twice!

A huge thank you to Sam & Anna for helping put it all together, Becky for gifting us her lush plants, and the kind fellas who helped carry those heavy boxes inside. You’re legends! 💪

We’re now thinking about opening the sauna to the public — and we’d love your thoughts.

The idea is simple: a relaxed, private 75-minute session where you can unwind, warm up, and take a proper break. Our introductory offer of $20 for two people or $15 for one, includes towels and water — just bring yourself.

It’s not just about the sauna though. You’d also have space to slow down a bit — stretch on a yoga mat, read a book, do a puzzle, or just enjoy some quiet time. Inside the sauna, you can connect your own music via Bluetooth, listen to the radio, or sit in silence, with different light settings to match your mood.

We’ll share more tomorrow about how to use an infrared sauna and why it’s so good for you.

💬 For now, we’d love to hear from you — would you come for a session?

26/03/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Only Fools and Horses Race is coming up on Saturday 11th of April, starting in Wedderburn—just 15km from us.

I’ve done a couple of Inch Events races before and they’re always so much fun. Whether you’re aiming to outrun the horses 🐎 or just soak up the stunning Maniototo scenery, it's well worth it. Highly recommend!

🔥 ONLY FOOLS & HORSES IS BACK 🔥
📍 Wedderburn, Maniototo, Otago
📅 Saturday, 11 April 2026

Runners, are you sick of losing to humans?
Why not get absolutely waaasted by two species instead? 🐎💨

This is the unhinged race where you line up against…
👉 Other humans
👉 And actual horses

Yes. Real ones. Fast ones. The kind that don’t care about your ego.

We need more Fools!

💥 $1000 prize if you somehow outrun a horse
💥 Questionable life choices encouraged
💥 Bragging rights (or excuses) guaranteed

If you:
• Reckon you’ve got legs like lightning
• Regularly sign up for things you regret
• Feel a mild thrill at the idea of being trampled…

Then step right up.

👉 Tag your most delusional mate
👉 Enter now
👉 Embrace the chaos

https://fools-and-horses.com/

16/02/2026

Tomorrow, the Maniototo Stadium Grounds will be buzzing with the excitement of the 125th Annual A&P Show! But what exactly is an A&P Show? 🚜

For those new to New Zealand, A&P stands for Agricultural and Pastoral. These iconic community events have been held across the country since 1842, originally created to celebrate farming, showcase rural skills, and bring local communities together. They are a cherished Kiwi tradition that blends competition, education, and family fun!

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:
🐴 Horse & Pony events to watch
🐑 Sheep and Wool competitions
🌻 Horticultural & Industrial displays (think prize-winning veggies and crafts!)
🎈 Fun activities for the kids

It’s the perfect way to spend a day and see the heart of our community. Come on down!

📍 Maniototo Stadium Grounds
📅 Tomorrow (18.02.2026)

12/02/2026

Just a stone’s throw from the Curling Rink in Naseby, the Sandpit Orienteering courses are calling. This network offers two distinct ways to play, with 15 control sites set across the terrain.

New to orienteering? It’s a navigation sport where you use a detailed map to find checkpoints out on the course. Each checkpoint is an orange and white plate attached to a sign or post, marked with its own two-letter code.

🚵‍♀️ MTBO Course: 15 checkpoints. Built specifically for mountain bikes, but fair warning—the trails here are mostly intermediate level.

🏃‍♂️ Run/Walk Course: 11 or 15 checkpoints. A fantastic option for those wanting to cover the ground on foot. Still a solid workout, just without the wheels.

Both courses are designed to take around 45 minutes to complete—perfect for a morning adventure or an afternoon challenge. Tackle the controls in a set order, or go Scorelauf-style and visit them in any sequence you like.

🎯 Maps: Waterproof copies are available for a nominal fee from the Naseby Shop and Information Centre. You can also print a copy yourself directly from the website. Link below! 👇
https://www.dunedinorienteering.org/about-orienteering/permanent-courses/naseby-sandpit

11/02/2026

📢 Laundry Service Update – this weekend

Please note we will be away from Friday, February 13th until Wednesday, February 18th.

👉 Laundry dropped off from now on will be ready from Thursday, February 19th, at the earliest.

Thanks for your understanding! We look forward to helping with your laundry needs after our break.

09/02/2026

Today we headed out to Danseys Pass Lavender Farm to help with the lavender harvest, and what a beautiful day it was! We learnt something new and had a great time surrounded by buzzing bees and that amazing, calming scent 💜

The harvesting continues tomorrow, and you’re very welcome to join in!
Our tips if you go:
✔️ Bring your own scissors or secateurs.
✔️ A container for your bunch – a cardboard box works perfectly.
✔️ Gloves if you think you’ll need them.
✔️ Your camera – the place is absolutely picturesque!

Check out our photos below! 📸

28/01/2026

Following your great feedback on our Pateaora trip, here’s another fantastic local itinerary!

🚗 Head East from Ranfurly to Macraes.

⛏️ Visit the Gold Mine Viewing Area – The enormous Macraes gold mine is a spectacular sight. The scale of the operation and the massive vehicles is incredible. This lucrative mine still produces about 450,000 ounces of gold annually! Check out the viewing platform and info hut overlooking the Frasers Open Pit.

🌿 Stretch your legs on the Macraes Wetland Heritage Walkway. Follow the peaceful boardwalk (allow 30 mins) through protected headwaters, a vital habitat for native birds and insects. Don't miss the stunning 7-metre-wide stainless steel sculpture of the extinct Haast's Eagle!

🍻 Reward yourself on the way home. Pop into the historic Stanley's Hotel in Macraes for a classic pub meal, or stop in Hyde at the famous Hyde Café for a brilliant coffee.

A perfect mix of industrial history, native beauty, and local flavour – all less than an hour from your base at Ranfurly Hostel!

26/01/2026

Who doesn't know Kevin?!

If you've stayed at or passed through the Ranfurly Hostel this past month, you’ve definitely met our friend Kevin. His plans for a short visit turned into a whole month after falling in love with Ranfurly (can we blame him? 😉).

Now, as he prepares to leave this Thursday, we want to give him a proper send-off!

Join us for a Potluck Farewell Dinner this Wednesday at 7:30 PM in the hostel living room.

Bring a dish to share if you can, or just bring yourself. Let's fill the evening with good food, great stories, and even better company as we wish Kevin all the best on his next adventure.

Everyone is welcome – the more, the merrier! ❤️

22/01/2026

If you’re staying with us and looking for a lovely half-day adventure nearby, Patearoa is probably our favourite spot to recommend. It’s peaceful, scenic, and full of small Central Otago gems.

💜 Bunny Lane Lavender
A must-stop when visiting Patearoa! This small lavender farm is located opposite the Trading Post.
Here you’ll find beautiful natural lavender products, all handmade on the farm — perfect for gifts or a little treat for yourself. The garden is also a gorgeous spot for photos, especially in January, which is the best time to visit before the lavender is harvested.

🚶‍♀️ Sowburn Walkway (our favourite walk in the area!)
The Sowburn Walkway is an easy 5km loop (about 1 hour, plus extra time for exploring) that follows the gentle Sowburn River. The track is rich with local history, passing by remnants of a Chinese mining camp and the historic Tom Lewis's Shelter. The walk culminates at the serene Dyke's Dam, a perfect swimming spot on a hot day! We recommend doing it as a loop—walk up the sunny Westside track and return via the slightly shadier Eastside track.

🍽️ Food stop on the way back
For the ultimate on-the-go classic, seek out the famous Waipiata Pies at 12C Nugget Lane, Patearoa (opening hours TBC – locals, please help!).
On your return to Ranfurly, we recommend stopping at the Waipiata Pub for lunch or dinner — great food, friendly atmosphere, and a classic Central Otago pub experience.

If you’d like directions or tips, just ask us — we’re always happy to help you plan your day 😊

20/01/2026

***Update on the Taiari Wai River Festival: Unfortunately, with an even worse forecast than two weeks ago, the 2026 event has been cancelled.***

The Taiari Wai River Festival has been rescheduled and is now planned for this Saturday, 24 January at Patearoa.

The weather forecast isn’t looking great at the moment 🌧️, but we’re all hoping it will hold and that the festival can go ahead as planned — after already being postponed once.

This will be the third annual Taiari Wai River Festival, and it promises:
🎵 top live bands
🗣️ inspiring guest speakers
🪁 kids’ activities
🍔 food, drinks & good company

🎟️ Koha entry
🪑 Please bring your own chairs and/or seating if you can

More than just a music festival, the Taiari Wai River Festival has a meaningful purpose — bringing the Otago community together to learn about, celebrate, and protect the Taiari River and its unique freshwater ecosystems.

The long-term vision is to connect communities from Dunedin to Alexandra and beyond, growing into a boutique festival that draws music lovers from near and far.

If you’re staying with us this weekend, keep an eye on updates and fingers crossed 🤞 — it’s a lovely local event and well worth attending!