Our 6 days in Wanaka had finally come to an end, and we left town in the early morning heading south.
We arrived at Arrowtown, our destination for the day around lunchtime and went for a stroll along it’s picturesque tree lined main avenue. This pretty town was formed more or less overnight in 1862 when gold was discovered in the Arrow River. As word spread a bustling population of miners moved in, followed by a community that serviced their needs. Today over 60 of the original wood and stone buildings remain.
Our walk along the main street took us down to the river, where in the 1860s a vibrant population of Chinese men resided in small huts. Discriminated by the European settlers they kept themselves to themselves and worked hard at finding gold, which they saved to send home to China.
Today the Chinese Miners Settlement has been restored, and the stories of the men that once lived here are told on picture boards. It is sad to learn that the majority of these men, who made up 40% of the population of gold miners left to return to their homes in the Guangdong province in Southern China after the gold started to ‘run out’.
We visited the Lakes District Museum, which had fascinating displays on the history of the region, and the people that settled here. The sheer amount of antique relics was amazing!
Part of the museum was in the old bank, and the bank stables were also restored and within the complex. Nicola loved all of the old photos, and posters…and the huge collection of old tobacco/cigarette cartons that were found nailed to a beam in a shearer’s shed!
Ben especially liked the below sales board, which had its main headquarters in Auckland, Sydney and Manchester!
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