"The most beautiful small town in New Zealand... "
Well, almost.
Arrowtown is a charming and historic Gold Rush village in the Otago region on the south island of New Zealand. It is part of Tohu Whenua, New Zealand's historical landmarks that shaped the country.
Arrowtown has been nominated and selected to be a part of the 2020 Beautiful Awards due to its initiatives towards sustainability, community enhancement, and beautification.
Arrowtown
Day 24: On our way to Twizel, via Highway 6, we took a lovely detour to Arrowtown.
Queenstown is a short 20 minutes drive away roughly around 22 kilometers road distance.
Gold was spotted by Jack Tewa, a Maori shearer in the Arrow River in 1862 and the township swelled with 1,000 miners shortly afterward.
In the 1950s, it transformed into a summer holiday destination. Hence, all efforts focused on preserving its original buildings.
Gibbston Valley
It is an ideal hiking and biking destination that is linked to Queenstown through Queenstown Trail's easy access. The track leads to Gibbston Valley, Lake Hayes, and Queenstown.
Gold Panning
The gold rush drew many entrepreneurs to cater to the sudden growth of the township. The gold days are long gone but as a fun recreational "short -visit" activity, it is still possible to pan gold nuggets in the river with a shovel and a pan.
At the Lakes District Museum on Buckingham Street, you could hire a gold pan for $3 and $10 cash deposit, and they'll show you how to do it. Gold panning is done in the Arrow River, 2 minutes away from Arrowtown.
Golf Destination
Arrowtown is also perfect for golf lovers. There are three nearby golf courses; namely the Arrowtown Golf Course, The Hills Course, and Millbrook Resort that is home to New Zealand Open, offering a 27-hole championship course.
Chinese Village
The Chinese settlers that belong to the Chinese mining community were isolated and forced to live in huts along the banks of Bush Creek on the fringes of the town. The Chinese Village is a 5-minute walk from the main streets of Arrowtown and it is free to visit. The most significant structure was Ah Lum's Store which served as a shop, a bank owned by Ah Lum who was the respected leader of the community at the time as well as an interpreter.
European Miners' Village
The well-preserved cottages of old European miners on Buckingham Street could be visited. It is also an important part of Tohu Whenua.
The visitors would be able to compare both villages with the Chinese settlement being much rougher compared to the European Miners' living conditions.
My Take-away
Taking a nice stroll through the main streets of Arrowtown takes one back through time with lots of stories to tell. It has well-preserved heritage and architecture that attracts visitors throughout different seasons to appreciate the various colors, picturesque landscape, and scenery this town offers.
Arrowtown has become a world-class destination with art galleries, fine clothing stores, restaurants, cafés, boutique hotels, traditional pubs, and bars. It is best visited during autumn between April and May with its golden hues.
We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch of french cuisine at a French family-owned Restaurant called Bonjour in Arrowtown. Sadly, they've closed down and relocated to Nestledowns in Arrowtown.
Having said and seen all that, I highly recommend it.
Thank you for reading. Do catch my next post on Christchurch. To be continued...
References:
Arrowtown Wikipedia
Arrowtown: A Treasured Tohu Whenua