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"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.
Buckingham Street
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.
Arrowtown Library on Buckingham Street
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
That's a really lovely place. The mountains are an impressive backdrop to the town.
Hello Amber, thank you so much for reading and for your nice comment. I like how this town is lost in nature surrounded by beautiful peaks and time seems to slow down and so rich with history. Have a nice day!
Wow! Such beautiful quaint buildings. Looks like a quiet town.
Hi Camille, I love how peaceful it is and every street corner is picture-perfect. We were there in the summer. I saw some images and it's even prettier in Autumn with all the orange foliage.
I bet it was! I can picture it:)
I really envy you for having been in New Zealand and with how much you travel in general! I love the suburban areas, nice and quiet and a little bit of fresh air, maybe a good company of tourists but not too much to dull the place with people.
Hello Aaron, I'm grateful, to be honest, I had no idea I'd be able to see them looking back at my humble beginnings but the desire was so strong then. There were events that happened in my childhood and teens that made me swear, I'd spend my 20s and 30s even until my last breath traveling. Opportunities somehow gradually presented themselves.
oh It's really a great place. I have a thirst for New zealand land for so long. You made me more thirsty.
Hello @sants1311, thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment. Speaking of thirst, my husband sent me postcards every day while he was on his solo travels in NZ in 2001. I badly wanted to go and seven years later it happened. While sitting in a hostel in Christchurch, my thirst was further quenched by New Zealand beer. I didn't like beer before but NZ changed all that. 😀
Hello, it's a beautiful city, very charming and with a lot of history. Thank you for giving us this virtual tour and for the recommendations. Greetings
Thank you @cryptoxicate, it's always a pleasure to receive lovely comments like yours.
Arrowtown looks like a beautiful village frozen in time and I’m amazed with the preservation efforts of their original buildings. The historical landmarks look brand new and seem like they were just recently constructed. Thank you for showing us around this golden haven of miners and for sharing your experiences here! 😊
Hello Erne, they're so well-kept and quaint. It was charming walking down the main streets, it felt like being in an old film. I think it would make a great film location as well. 😊
Grateful for your support @ackhoo and @curator team, thank you so much. 😊
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One day we will make it to NZ one day :)
Definitely worth the long travel while you're in the Philippines. The NZ beers alone are worth flying for. 😁
haha think it won't happen this run
One day! I'll be able to visit New Zealand! One day! I'm claiming it!
Amen to that! It will happen. I am visualizing you there.
Manifest! Manifest! Manifest!
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