A Trip To Arrowtown

The weather was fine again after raining non-stop the day before. It was a perfect day for a trip to Arrowtown, the so-called Must-See place if you are in Queenstown.
I like everything about Arrowtown except for the fact that every tourist also likes Arrowtown. I wish I could explore the town in privacy and take all the photographs I want without having to wait for the crowd to clear away at the few places that interest me. That sounds a little selfish but in actuality I dislike crowds or crowded places. In Arrowtown however, I keep bumping into them.

The Journey To Arrowtown
There are two routes to get to Arrowtown which is just 20km away from Queenstown. We wanted to see Arthurs Point so we chose the route using Gorge Road.

Arthurs Point is a suburb of Queenstown on a hilly terrain near Queenstown Hill. It is one of the most scenic places that we saw while driving around.

The Shotover River meanders through the area. The shimmering turquoise river  against the backdrop of the luxuriant hills and lush vegetation is a very refreshing sight to behold.

The Edith Cavell Bridge over Shotover River is a heritage bridge being opened in 1919. 

Arthurs Point is home to  Shotover Jet Company that operates thrilling jet rides on the waters of Shotover River. This ride is meant to make your adrenaline 'hit the roof'.  We were not participants of the ride but were in time to watch the jet in action. 

The jet ride is not cheap costing NZ$145/adult. Even watching it is exciting.

Driving along Arthurs Point Road, you'll see a long row of post boxes. Rows of post boxes along rural NZ roads is a common sight. The job of a postman is certainly made easier as he does not need to deliver the letters to individual homes. Instead the owners of the post boxes will have to come out to the main road to collect the letters themselves.

Arrowtown

I have been to Arrowtown many years ago. I remember it was raining then and the souvenir shop I entered was really beautiful. And that was about all I could recall so I was really looking forward to visit it again.

It is easy to navigate the town on foot as there are only a few streets with commercial activities. 

Arrowtown Photo Gallery

Arrowtown is quite a unique town and we went around capturing its charms in these snapshots. Do take a virtual tour here.

I find the exterior of Nadene Milne Gallery at Buckingham Street most beautiful and spent a lot of time admiring its pretty flowers and plants. 

Arrowtown Chinese Settlement

The main attraction of Arrowtown is its historic Chinese Settlement. Arrowtown once thrived as a gold mining village during which time it attracted a big group of gold seekers from China who had travelled thousands of miles from their homeland in search of this yellow treasure. 

Gold mining centred around Arrow River which meandered close to the edge of the town. 340 kgs of gold were panned in January 1863. This load alone was worth $18 million at today’s price. Gold has long run out and the miners have long left this settlement. What remains today are some miners' huts which remain as exhibits for visiting tourists.

This biggest remaining premise was Ah Lum's Store which once served as an informal bank and a community meeting place where the gold seekers could smoke, gamble and chat among friends. This store also stocked a wide variety of European and imported goods including Chinese tea, rice, opium, medicine, etc.

Arrowtown's Churches.

Before leaving Arrowtown we went to have a look at two churches which dated back to the 19th century.  St. Patricks Catholic Church was built in 1874.

St. John's Presbyterian Church is 135 years old.

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2. Queenstown To Glenorchy Scenic Drive

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5. Lake Hayes

6.A Trip To Cromwell

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11.New Zealand's Southermost Town: Bluff
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13.A Trip To Arrowtown

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16. Things To Do In Queenstown: Walk The Town
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