Arrowtown travel guide

Arrowtown provides some respite from the stress and adrenaline highs of Queenstown. Yet another former gold mining settlement, its pleasant tree-lined streets with their old historic buildings lie nestled below the foothills of the Crown Range – an apt name given their once rich reserves of gold. The origins of Arrowtown go back to 1862 when prospector William Fox made the first rich strike in the Arrow River Valley – a find that soon brought over 7000 other hopefuls to the area. The first few weeks of mining produced 90 kg alone. Although first called Fox’s, once the settlement was firmly established it was renamed Arrowtown after the river that revealed its riches. Once the gold was exhausted, the town’s economy was centred first on agriculture and, in more recent years, the more lucrative resource of tourism. Looking down its quaint but almost Hollywood-style main street, one hopes this modern form of gold will not destroy its true aesthetic wealth and soul. Autumn (end of March) sees the village at its most colourful both in scenery and spirit when the hugely popular Arrowtown Autumn Festival takes place.