The Keep Alexandra Clyde Beautiful group volunteers have planted 20 heritage fruit trees on the site of an historic orchard in Alexandra, next to the old Alexandra Railway Station site.
The orchard is between Ngapara and Station Sts, on land next to the Otago Central Rail Trail, and is part of a long-term project by the group to beautify sections of the trail.
"We're hoping that locals and rail trailers will come along and enjoy the reserve and taste some of the old varieties of fruit," group member Karin Bowen said.
Apples, pears, plums and quinces have been planted next to two old almond trees, which were believed to be from an earlier orchard on the site, Mrs Bowen said.
"It's nice to think we're returning the use of the land to how it used to be."
The original orchard was owned by the late George Campbell, who was mayor of Alexandra from 1953 to 1956.
He grew a block of cherry trees in that area.
The rail trail follows the former Otago Central railway line and the harvested fruit used to be transported by rail.
Mrs Bowen said the heritage fruit included Monty's Surprise and Peasgood Nonsuch apples, Red Bartlett and Beurre Hardy pears, greengages and shiro plums.
"Because these varieties are highly disease-resistant they'll need minimal intervention, apart from pruning and shaping," she said.
The group had also included some fruit trees on its first section of rail trail landscaping, near Tarbert St.
They included walnut, fig and mulberry trees.
"We hope people will get pleasure from finding fruit trees in these reserves with fruit and nuts available to anyone. Hopefully, they'll enjoy having a taste of fruit and leaving some for others."
"Also, we imagine people doing the rail trail will be pleasantly surprised to come across the free fruit."
The Alexandra Lions Club hopes to build a replica of the former railway station near its original site.
The station building was pulled down in 1992 after being badly vandalised.
