Yoy can almost taste the confidence when driving around Milton these days.
Big money has poured into the town in recent years and the signs ahead look good.
The number of new businesses and upgraded businesses in Milton would be well into double figures in the past two years alone.
Milton is a town on the way up and not looking back.
What prompted this growth?It depends who you talk to, but the construction of the Otago Corrections Facility up the road at Milburn clearly played a part.
That $218 million project, spanning more than two years through to March 2007, brought in hundreds of workers who brought their wallets into the town and gave businesses and retailers confidence to invest in the town's future.
Milton also has geography on its side.
It is flat, the main trunk line runs down its western side and there are forests everywhere on either side.
Much of the countryside is prime dairying land.
The land between the north end of Milton and stretching all the way to Waihola is regarded as prime industrial property, and construction giant Calder Stewart has been quick to realise that, buying up big parcels of land in recent years.
There are hopes for a major industrial park north of Milton, while business investors who previously ignored Milton in their calculations are banging down the door.
Yes, the clouds of tougher economic times are gathering, but businesses in Milton are confident and there for the long haul.
Some have invested too much to walk away, while most are confident the lull is temporary.
Some even go as far to say the town is taking some gloss off Balclutha as the main service centre of the district.
Milton, to many, is the capital of Clutha.
The south end of the town, the area worst hit by two major floods in the space of 15 months, is where a lot of the money has been spent.
Within 20m are the town's new Subway restaurant, expanded Night 'N Day Foodstore and Cleverleys car yard, while just a stone's throw south is a newly opened building franchise company in the shape of Lockwood-Initial Homes.
Night 'N Day manager Tony Nicol says the former Southern Milk Bar more than doubled in size when it officially reopened last Christmas Eve.
"It was an opportunity for us to promote the Night 'N Day brand and our way of convenience retailing," he says.
The business carefully studied Milton but was convinced the high traffic volumes more than justified the decision to invest "a significant amount" in the town.
The store opens at 5am daily and stays open until 11pm.
They are long hours, Mr Nicol says, but the store is constantly busy, even early in the morning.
"We get truck drivers and other traffic through the door. There are a lot of people out and about at that hour."
A lot of customers are from Invercargill, Dunedin and Central Otago, passing through the town.
After making do without a car sales yard for several years, one opened in the town last year and the man behind it could not be happier.
Steve Cleverley Autos Ltd, established 31 years ago, is based in Balclutha and once had a Dunedin branch.
Managing director and company founder Steve Cleverley says the main reason for opening the Milton branch - known as Cleverleys - was the enthusiasm and passion of his staff, who were convinced it was a great idea.
"I was driven by the staff here [in Balclutha] more than anything.
"They were committed to it and believed it was a good idea.
"It was a natural step for us. . . the more stock you have on your shelves, the better it is for business."
The yard's location, at the southern end of the town on State Highway 1, attracts hundreds of passing motorists.
While it is still too early to say if the Milton investment is a solid one, Mr Cleverley says sales volumes are up across both branches, which are run as one operation.
"It may be a bit soon to tell if it has been a good move but the business has definitely lifted since we opened in Milton."
Across the road, a prominent food chain franchise arrived in late April and the hungry crowds have sniffed it out.
Subway Milton manager Mary-Jo Nardone says the franchisee, who operates eight other Subway restaurants, is always looking carefully at sites for new branches.
Milton was chosen because of its high traffic numbers, growing population and central location on the way to other destinations.
And the decision has also proved the right one, with the Milton operation constantly in the top 10 for sales of all New Zealand Subway restaurants in its five weeks.
"We were even bigger than the one at Auckland International Airport," Ms Nardone says.
It has approached Milton schools and now offers lunches to pupils through the week, while the restaurant has become something of a "social gathering spot" for many residents.
The doors originally opened at 5.30am but now, with winter, 6am is when the first "footlong" can be served.
The Clutha Licensing Trust spent more than $1 million upgrading its flagship Milton establishment, the White Horse Inn, about two years ago.
While chief executive David Kenny says the improvements, part of its overall maintenance policy, and would have happened anyway, but it is definitely money well spent in Milton.
There have been benefits for the trust by Milton having a stronger profile lately.
Increased traffic volumes between Dunedin, Invercargill and Central Otago and Milton's central proximity to all three centres means businesses like the hotel are doing better.
Milton Area Promotions secretary Mary-Rose Mallon agrees the town is growing and it has made the group constantly re-evaluate its role.
"There is certainly growth in the town all right. Milton is changing," she says.
Milton facts
Population: 1884 (2006 Census).
Location: 24km north of Balclutha and 55km south of Dunedin on State Highway 1.
Facilities: Community gymnasium, secondary school, three primary schools (including Tokoiti on its southeast border), numerous businesses including pharmacy, bank, veterinary association, antiques store, second-hand store, pizza parlour, boat-builders, construction company, property development company, town hall, two parks, youth centre, three full-time police staff with backup from Balclutha, primary medical health centre with two GPs and lots more.
Famous for: Its kink in the road halfway through the town on State Highway 1.
Famous people: Clutha's Mayor for the past 10 years, Juno Hayes, is a Miltonite, while former Otago rugby lock Richard Knight, who played more than 170 games for his province, still lives and works in the town.
