Many people visit Arrowtown for the walking and cycle trails. The town is surrounded by unspoilt countryside, and it is a lot less crowded than nearby Queenstown. But I was here for the history. I wanted to walk the streets and imagine that I was back in the gold rush era of the late 19th century.
The Chinese Miners of Arrowtown
The Chinese Miners’ settlement was a good starting point. Here you can see the remains of the stone huts built by the miners themselves from rock hewed from the hillside (one hut was actually built into the hill). Their living conditions were cramped, with low doors and ceilings, and each miner had a small strip of land for growing vegetables. I wondered what it must have been like to spend the day digging for gold, and then spend the evening working your plot before collapsing exhausted into a tiny cabin.
Life was hard for the Chinese miners. The climate in Arrowtown was colder than they had been used to, and the locals were hostile. Although the Chinese had specifically been invited to New Zealand to work in the Otago goldfields, they faced prejudice and resentment from the Europeans. They kept themselves going with a strong sense of community, and by observing traditional festivals such as the Chinese New Year. They could socialise in Ah Lum’s store, where they could also buy small luxuries such as spices, tea and opium. And, of course, they dreamt of going home with enough money to start a new life in China. In the event, some of them never went home, but grew old and died in New Zealand.
Along the Historic Road
From the Chinese Settlement you can walk along the Historic Road to the other end of Arrowtown, where the European miners lived. Although their cottages have since been modernised, you can still see the contrast between their living conditions and those of the Chinese. The houses were modest, but adequate, and set along a wide, tree-lined, avenue.
This part of Arrowtown still has quite a colonial feel. There are several heritage buildings, including the old post office, shops and churches. The old Bank of New Zealand building is now the Lakes District Museum, with displays relating to the history of Arrowtown and its gold miners.
Gold Panning Then and Now
Gold was first discovered in Arrowtown in 1862 but it wasn’t long before the stocks were depleted and it became increasingly difficult to find worthwhile yields. However that doesn’t stop people from trying their luck even today. I saw an advert for gold panning lessons – “Success is guaranteed,” it said. However, I suspect the returns are insignificant. I watched people panning in the Arrow River and heard a woman tell her friends, “I found a gold nugget here in 1992”. Clearly not a common occurrence!
Further along the river was a monument – “X marks the spot” – showing where gold was first discovered. Below it was a time capsule to be opened in 2062. A neat way of bringing past and future together.
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6 thoughts on “Exploring the Gold Rush Era in Arrowtown, New Zealand”
I’ve not yet been to New Zealand, but would love to go– and include a visit to Arrowtown.
Arrowtown looks like an interesting place to visit. Sadly, the experience of the Chinese miners in the New Zealand gold rush sounds similar to that of the Chinese coming to Canada’s gold rush.
That’s interesting – I suppose it was a similar story wherever there was gold to be found.
We went to Arrowtown on our way out of the Lake Wanaka area and on our way to Glenorchy. We chose it over Queenstown because it is smaller, less crowded, and quaint. We had only a short time so we talked to the locals in the shops about the history. This expands on it quite a bit. If you haven’t been to Glenorchy, check out my post – https://adventurousretirement.com/blog/great-walk-routeburn-track-from-glenorchy. We chose Glenorchy over Queemstown also because it is smaller and less touristy.
We avoided Queenstown on the grounds that it would be crowded – I agree that Glenorchy looks a better alternative.
We stayed in Queenstown for a few days before and after our hike on the Milford Track. While there, we did a day trip to Arrowtown. It is interesting to visit a town near Queenstown that is not part of the summer/winter sports frenzy. My recollection is that we acquired most of our gifts for the folks back home there.