The discovery of gold in the Arrow River in 1862 led to the birth of Arrowtown, or the Town of Foxes as it was known then. It was home to over 7000 people at its peak, local stone was used to build many of the buildings and over 100 years later, several of those buildings remain standing.

In 1869 a large number of Chinese came to Arrowtown and established a small community at the western end of the main street. They were hard workers and as well as mining, they helped build the local Presbyterian Church. As the level of mining declined, many Chinese stayed in the area setting up market gardens or commerce. The settlement was excavated in the early 1980s and is now under the care of the Department of Conservation, well worth a visit.

Arrowtown is a popular holiday destination and the area is renowned for its scenic beauty. The population stands at around 2,200 people and strict regulations have been established to protect the authenticity of the buildings and to ensure new construction fits in with the historic nature of the town.

There are plenty of activities to keep you busy in Arrowtown and it's proximity to Cardrona makes it an ideal destination for day trips. Take it easy or get active with some of these activities:

• Four wheel driving
• Golf
• Gold panning
• Fishing
• Horse riding
• Shopping
• Hot air ballooning
• Vineyards
• Rafting
• Hiking/Walking
• Lunch at an old pub
• Visit the Chinese Settlement

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