Fairlie Location

Fairlie township (pop 700 approx) is nestled in the Fairlie Basin at the southern end of the Mackenzie district, just 2 hours drive from Christchurch. The township is at the intersection of S.H 79 ( Fairlie - Geraldine) and S.H 8 ( Timaru - Omarama), the half way point on the Christchurch - Queenstown tourist route.

Fairlie remains a typical New Zealand rural service town providing excellent facilities for the town dweller, those living in the surrounding rural areas and for visitors.

Visitors are attracted to Fairlie because of the tranquillity of the town, the beauty of the tree lined streets, the people and the proximity to both coastal and high country recreational and sporting activities.
 

Distances to popular destinations

Fairlie to Tekapo 30 minutes
Fairlie to Timaru 45 minutes
Fairlie to Geraldine 40 minutes
Fairlie to Mt Cook 1.5 hours
Fairlie to Christchurch 2 hours
Fairlie to Wanaka 3 hours

Weather Conditions

Because Fairlie sits in a protected basin between Timaru and Mt Cook the weather is often quite different to the coast and the mountains, enabling you to make the most of your days in the area by picking the best location for day trips depending on the weather forecast for the day.

The forecasts for Timaru and Mt Cook can be found by clicking on the links - Check the Mt Dobson Webcam for an indication of Fairlie conditions.