18 March 2025
Arrowtown is a living historic gold mining town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town was established in 1862, during the height of the Otago gold rush. The settlement grew quickly as pioneers constructed cottages, shops, hotels and churches, more than 60 of which can still be seen today.
Arrowtown is located 19.5 kilometres or 20 minutes drive from Queenstown. Many tourists visit this place as a day trip or half-day trip from Queenstown. For us, Arrowtown is a good pit stop during our drive from Wanaka to Te Anau. Although there are walking and hiking trails around the town, we planned a 2 hour stop for lunch and enjoy the ambience within the historic town.After an hour of driving through the Crown Range Road from Wanaka, we arrived at Arrowtown and parked at the Buckingham Street Car Park (location here). This car park has free unlimited parking and is located next to the historic Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown.
The first building we saw was the iconic historic wooden hut. Our car was actually parked right in front of it! This hut is one of Arrowtown’s most photographed buildings and is also the oldest surviving timber building in the town. It was constructed in 1863 as part of the Police Camp that offered some security for the gold miners and could even be used to store the gold before it was shipped out from Arrowtown.
Inside the hut, many boards provide information about the region and the protection of the region.
Our next stop was the historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement. This is a partially restored 1880s village of Chinese gold miners, with rustic huts & interpretive signs.
Interpretive sign providing information on NZ’s first Chinese immigrants.
According to the information, about 8000 Chinese came from 1860s to 1880s to work in the minefields. They are segregated and lived as a closed community in clamped huts with poor conditions. They came hoping to make money and returned home one day. Many did not make it home.
We went inside a hut that used to be Ah Lum’s store. The building was dark, clamped and had very low doors. The people in those days must be very malnourished and small in stature.
After an educational and informative visit to the Police Hut and the Chinese Settlement, we took a walk down Buckingham Street.
This street is so quaint and rustic, with many old wooden houses that now houses stores, restaurants, cafes plus functional buildings like post office and cinema. It was like a step back in time to the days of the cowboys.
Buckingham Street still serves as Arrowtown's main thoroughfare and had cars parked on the sidewalks.
The Post Office is also a gift shop.
It was slightly past noon time and we saw a long queue of hungry people outside the Arrowtown Bakery. We went to The Fork And Tap for lunch.
The trees in the hill behind Arrowtown are beginning to show the autumn colours. It would be even nicer in a month’s time.
Walking to the Fork And Tap restaurant for lunch. 
After lunch, we continued our stroll down Buckingham Street. There is a row of old miner’s cottages along a tree lined street that was so photogenic.
Many of the cottages had been repurposed into souvenir stores, boutique shops and cafes.
The trees in the background have already some autumn colours. This place would be even more beautiful and colourful in April.
We walked back to town along the village green. There is a public library in the middle. We saw a group of people taking wedding photos on the green. The poor bride must be freezing in her gown as the weather on this day was unusually cold compared to the days earlier and days after.
The trees along the avenue were planted in 1800s. 
Standing under a tree that was planted in 1867, the Mary Cotter tree.
We walked back along Buckingham Street. We had time to shop for souvenirs and even bought some OTC drugs from the pharmacy.
The Gold Nugget is a huge store with lots and lots of goodies from NZ.
Overall, we enjoyed our time in Arrowtown. This was a good place to have lunch, stretch our legs, buy some souvenirs and also soak up some of the old world charms in this rustic and historic town.
Garston Hunny Shop. This photo was actually taken on our way to Te Anau.
Interesting figure on a bike mounted on the roof of the Garston Hunny Shop.
Garston Hotel as viewed from the car park next to the honey shop.
View of Lake Wakatipu along Highway 6. The car park for the Devil's Staircase Lookout Point is just further down the road where the campervan is parked.
There is ample parking space right next to Lake Wakatipu. 
Picnic with epic views!
Wine, cheese, crackers and ham sandwich.
Enjoying our picnic lunch while soaking up the views and keeping an eye on the gull. 
This gull kept a respectful distance away from us and our food on the table.
Car parked next to the lake. 
On the trail to the lookout point. The car park can be seen in the background.
The shimmering expanse of Lake Wakatipu, framed by the majestic peaks of the Remarkables. 
Clear blue sky and clear blue lake. 
One of the best views on the Queenstown-Glenorchy Road. Mount Aspiring National Park in the distance.
Mount Earnslaw Glacier in the distance and Mount Aspiring National Park.
