Country
New Zealand
Reviews
No reviews yet
Family friendly
Yes
Season
Summer (December to March); indoor pool and sauna allow visits in cooler months
About The Orchard Naturist Club
The Orchard is a members' naturist club owned by the Orchard Naturist Club Inc. and affiliated with the New Zealand Naturist Federation. It began in Dunedin and moved inland after the 1979 Abbotsford landslide to its present ground at 20 Sutton Street in Sutton, a hamlet in the Strath Taieri a few kilometres south of Middlemarch. The park covers about 7 acres of gently rolling grassland with schist outcrops and tors, pines, fruit trees, native plantings and garden corners, so there are places to sit in sun or shelter. Accommodation is a five-bedroom house that sleeps up to 19 in shared arrangements or can be booked by the room, a separate suite, and tent, caravan and campervan sites, eight of them powered. A social hall, gas-heated ablutions and shared kitchens with barbecue, ovens and microwaves serve campers. Recreation is unusually good for a small club: an indoor swimming pool, a hot tub and a sauna, a nine-hole golf course, a miniten and pickleball court, a petanque piste and kubb. Central Otago summers bring many hot, sunny days, and the club is close to the Otago Central Rail Trail, Lake Sutton and walks in the Rock and Pillar Range.
Legal context & local rules
Nudity is lawful on the club's private grounds; New Zealand has no general ban on non-offensive nudity.
New Zealand has no specific law prohibiting public nudity on beaches; however, individuals can be prosecuted under the Summary Offences Act 1981, Section 4, which criminalises "indecent exposure" when nudity is deemed obscene or indecent. The law specifies: "Every person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $2,000 who, in or within view of any public place, intentionally and obscenely exposes any part of his person." Court decisions have generally distinguished between non-sexual social nudity and indecent exposure, with naturism increasingly recognized as legitimate.
What’s here
Getting there and visiting
From Dunedin take SH87 through Mosgiel and Outram to Sutton (about an hour); turn south into Bolton Street, then left into Sutton Street, where an Orchard sign marks the gate. Middlemarch, about 5-7 km away, has a hotel, cafe, groceries, fuel (card only) and a motorhome dump station. Visitors book through the club's online visit form or by phone (+64 27 443 6127). The club publishes its fees as an image for the 2023/24 season, so confirm current prices when booking. The club notes a new committee and asks visitors to check its website for updates.
Before you go
- 1 Check the current local rules and access conditions before travelling.
- 2 Bring a towel and sit on it when using shared seating.
- 3 Never take photographs of other people without clear consent.
- 4 Respect the venue’s clothing, privacy, and behaviour rules.
Location
⌖View this place on the map
-45.5661, 170.1255
Frequently asked questions
Can non-members visit The Orchard?
Yes. Visitors book through the club's online visit form or by phone, and can stay in the house, the suite or on a campsite.
Is there a pool?
Yes. There is an indoor swimming pool, plus a hot tub and a sauna.
Where exactly is it?
At 20 Sutton Street in Sutton, a few kilometres south of Middlemarch and about an hour's drive from Dunedin on SH87.
How much does it cost?
The club's online fee schedule is labelled for the 2023/24 season, so ask for current rates when you book.
Sources
- NZ Naturist Federation - The Orchard Naturist Club Official
- Orchard Naturist Park (official site)
- Orchard Naturist Park - Fees
Researched 25 October 2026 ; confirmed against an official source 25 October 2026.
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