Attraction
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
At Bush Creek are restored stone cabins and a late 19th-century Chinese gold miners' shop. Information boards explain their lives and exclusion. The walk is freely accessible and takes about 30 minutes.
Village
Arrowtown
Founded in 1862 during the gold rush on the Arrow River, Arrowtown has largely preserved its main street with wooden and stone houses from that era.
Founded in 1862 during the gold rush on the Arrow River, Arrowtown has largely preserved its main street with wooden and stone houses from that era. The restored Chinese Settlement commemorates the Chinese gold miners, and in autumn, the valley's deciduous trees turn a brilliant yellow. Queenstown is located about 20 kilometers away.
Sights in Arrowtown
Discover the most important sights and attractions
Lakes District Museum
The museum on Buckingham Street covers the history of the Gold Rush and settlers in the Wakatipu Basin. Here you can also rent gold pans for the Arrow River.
Restaurants in Arrowtown
Indian restaurant on Arrow Lane featuring upscale cuisine, local ingredients, and Central Otago wines.
Italian restaurant on Buckingham Street featuring pasta, antipasti, and Italian as well as New Zealand wines.
Fergburger Group's Deli & Café at town entrance, with sandwiches, pies and coffee, good for an Arrow River picnic.
Gold Rush and Chinese Heritage
Gold Rush and Chinese HeritageIn 1862, gold was discovered in the Arrow River, and within months, over a thousand gold miners lived here. From the mid-1860s, Otago actively recruited Chinese gold miners, who often worked already exploited claims and suffered from exclusion. Their restored huts at Bush Creek are among the most important testaments to this immigration in New Zealand.Buckingham Street, with its low timber and stone buildings, old trees, and small shops, has preserved its 19th-century character. In autumn, the town celebrates its Autumn Festival, when the deciduous trees in the valley glow yellow and red.
Arrival and Orientation
Getting There and AroundThe town is small enough to explore on foot. From Queenstown, the Orbus takes around 30 to 45 minutes, while by car it's about 20 minutes. You can also reach Arrowtown by bike via the Queenstown Trail.
Day Trips from Arrowtown
Arrow River Walk
Riverside paths lead from the village edge upstream, on the way you can try gold panning pans, borrowed from the museum.
Macetown
The abandoned gold mining settlement lies about 15 kilometers upstream. The trail crosses numerous fords and can be done on foot, by mountain bike, or in a guided 4x4.
Gibbston Valley
The wineries on the Kawarau River are a 15-minute drive away and can be reached by bike via the Queenstown Trail.
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