Tarras is a small farming settlement in Central Otago

Central Otago

Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....

, in the South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It is located on the slopes above the upper reaches of the Clutha Valley

Clutha River

The Clutha River / Mata-Au is the second longest river in New Zealand flowing south-southeast through Central and South Otago from Lake Wanaka in the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, south west of Dunedin. It is the highest volume river in New Zealand, and the swiftest, with a catchment of ,...

, on State Highway 8 not far from the southern end of the Lindis Pass

Lindis Pass

Lindis Pass is located in the South Island of New Zealand.It lies between the towns of Cromwell in Central Otago and Omarama in North Otago, on the main inland route to the Mackenzie Basin in Canterbury....

. Most farms in the Tarras district run sheep, principally merino sheep farmed for their super-fine wool. Other forms of agriculture (other sheep breeds, beef cattle, deer) are also practiced, and in recent years a number of vineyards have been established in the region (mainly pinot noir and riesling). The definitive history of the Tarras region is called "Sheep May Safely Graze" which was written by Geoff Duff, retired headmaster of the Tarras School.