In the earliest days of New Zealand there were no permanent inhabitants of Middlemarch. Despite the Taieri River being able to supply fish, and the swampy valley Moas. The natural vegetation, consisting of mainly tussock could not provide a consistent food supply. The many signs of activity from those early days are indicated by the number of Maori camp sites and archeological finds. Some of which can be seen on display at the local museum.

First real development of the area began when parsturalists who entered the valley in the mid 1800s. Next came gold miners who would travel through the area during the Central Otago Gold rush. Later on some areas around Middlemarch were also mined.

The next major development came with the construction of the Otago Central Railway line. Most of the line is now removed, but the line from Middlemarch to Dunedin is still operated by Taieri Gorge Limited.

The largest industry in the area today is farming. The land is used mainly for sheep, cattle and dear farming. With high country sheep farming occurs on the upper slopes of the Rock and Pillar range.

Despite being a relatively small township there are many things to do in the area. You can walk, horse ride or cycle all or parts of the Central Otago Rail Trail. The Rail Trail begins in Middlemarch and runs through to clyde. For something a bit different you can visit the Sutton Salt Lake. The lake evaporates in dry periods and is 30cm deep at its highest.

For the more experienced tramper the Rock and Pillar Range extends 1450 metres above sea level. The Department of Conservation is currently planning and setting up a public access way to enable easier access to the mountain.

There are also many more things to do like visit the local museum, take one of the many tours available, play golf at the local golf course, fish the river or visit a local craft shop.