Southern Lakes and Central Otago

Into the Land of the Rings: Fiordland to Central Otago

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On the way to Queenstown Photo - Queenstown, New Zealand

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Having given up on Milford Sound (reluctantly but in a fairly good humor, it's only now that I really regret not making more effort, it's strange how a mindset changes when traveling for a long time), we set off for this other South Island tourist Mecca, the skiing, partying and adventure capital of New Zealand, Queenstown. It's not far form Manapouri to Queenstown, a total of 170km which shouldn't take more than two, two and a half hours to drive, even allowing for toilet and cigarette stops. We take half a day: this is the beauty of this place, where a scenic spot follows a spectacular view with a regularity that borders on inane.The first part of the drive, though, is fairly...Read More

Having given up on Milford Sound (reluctantly but in a fairly good humor, it's only now that I really regret not making more effort, it's strange how a mindset changes when traveling for a long time), we set off for this other South Island tourist Mecca, the skiing, partying and adventure capital of New Zealand, Queenstown.

It's not far form Manapouri to Queenstown, a total of 170km which shouldn't take more than two, two and a half hours to drive, even allowing for toilet and cigarette stops. We take half a day: this is the beauty of this place, where a scenic spot follows a spectacular view with a regularity that borders on inane.

The first part of the drive, though, is fairly mundane. The weather is still mixed, and although there are some attractive patches on the road between Manapouri and Mossburn, with appealing rugged areas covered by red tussock grass (and no livestock for a change) it's only as we pass the Dome hills and drive into an area which feels distinctly colder, drier and higher that we start to oh and ah again.

This is, in addition to all the scenic beauties, Lord of the Rings land. Many of the sweeping panoramas of Peter Jackson's epic have been filmed (to be later computer-edited) in Central Otago and a lot of the time one has a feeling of faint memory, not quite a deja vu, but a recognition that goes beyond memory of tourist brochures.

We stop for lunch at an elevated rest area, with sweeping views of the Eyre Mountains. It's sunny, crisp and very cold. The mountains, and the fields below, are all around us, a perfect combination of pastoral and wild. One almost expects the band of the Fellowship to come galloping out of one of the valleys.

Soon we are nearing the Wakatipu Lake, a long and narrow, z-squiggle shaped mountain loch in the central part of which Queenstown spreads. We can't resist stopping every few miles (or maybe even more often) for a photo, for a look, for a view. Each view is different, each is breathtaking, each spectacular; dark crags crowned with shining snow raising from the water into the cobalt sky.

We manage to find our host, a fifty-something snowboarder, biker and a tour guide with a new agey streak. We get set up and then go back to the center of town: fish and chips, and a play park, and a view of the lake in the falling light, the steam excursion ship TSS Earnshaw returning to town's harbor.
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Aggy's Shack

Restaurant | "Awesome fish & chips"

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Aggys Shack is indeed a shack rather than a restaurant (though there are some seats outside), but the fish and chips that he sells are fantastic.

Not cheap by Kiwi standards (fish & chips are still a cheap food here normally) at 12 NZD per portion, but simply wonderful.

Nice fish, lovely, crisp, not too greasy batter and excellent chips with a great sauce tartare.

Huge portions, too, with one portion enough for two not too hungry people. I scoffed a whole one though.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 13, 2011

Aggy's Shack
Church Street and Marine Parade
Queenstown, South Island
(03) 4424076

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The road to Paradise

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Our second day in Queenstown and the weather couldn't be different from the crystal beauty of yesterday. It's raining, and the sky is thick with uniform darkness of grey clouds. The opposite shore of the lake is hardly visible. But we only have two days here, so we do need to get out and see things. This is, after all, travellers' duty: to go out and see things. Into the car it is, then, with our host waiting at home for the news of snow situation on the ski slopes, we set off for Glenorchy. 45 km from Queenstown, Glenorchy sits at the tip of the Wakatipu lake, near the borders of Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park. In the straight line, Glenor...Read More

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Queenstown to Clyde via Arrowtown

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Arrowtown Photo - Queenstown, New Zealand

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We leave Queenstown on a morning of my fortieth birthday, and head for Clyde, a small ex-mining village in Central Otago, about 60 miles away. Our plan is to take a day getting there (as it's going to be undoubtedly scenic, as everything is in this wonderland of hills, rocks and water) and to go via Arrowtown, a popular day-trip destination from Queenstown. Scenic it is indeed, and we take a while even to drive the twenty-odd kilometers to Arrowtown, passing through pretty valleys and nearby ski areas. Arrowtown is now something of a tourist trap, aka heritage town, known for its gold mining past. The town, which is the last of the major gold-rush towns in Otago, sits in a vall...Read More

We leave Queenstown on a morning of my fortieth birthday, and head for Clyde, a small ex-mining village in Central Otago, about 60 miles away. Our plan is to take a day getting there (as it's going to be undoubtedly scenic, as everything is in this wonderland of hills, rocks and water) and to go via Arrowtown, a popular day-trip destination from Queenstown.

Scenic it is indeed, and we take a while even to drive the twenty-odd kilometers to Arrowtown, passing through pretty valleys and nearby ski areas. Arrowtown is now something of a tourist trap, aka heritage town, known for its gold mining past.

The town, which is the last of the major gold-rush towns in Otago, sits in a valley at the confluence of the Arrow River and Bush Creek. Gold was discovered here in 1860's and the small river had a reputation of being the richest for its size in the world. This wealth drew scores of prospectors, including a sizable community of Chinese gold seekers (of whom now a museum-village remains on the banks of the river).

There are several good walks nearby, towards the Remarkables and along the Arrow River (the full Arrowtown-Macetown circuit is 32km/almost 20miles long), but it's pleasant enough just to stroll along the river itself, surrounded by willows and poplars. You can buy a (plastic) dish for a couple of dollars and try panning for gold yourself or just poke about, imagining the gold rush days.

Modern Arrowtown is a pretty place, with old, restored cottages and stores lining up the main street. Tourist-trade dominates, and there are numerous gift shops, jewellery and greenstone stores and other purveyors of normal tourist merchandise. We are here in low season though, and the place has a sleepy feeling of an out-of-season resort, recognizable the world round. A look in the estate agent windows shows that it's not just tourist trade that followed gold, as property prices in the area are astronomical. The natural beauty, relative isolation and skiing seemingly draw those attracted by the idea of living the rural dream on their own acreage.

We look into several shops, buy some fudge (which is better than American counterpart but still not a match for a good Devonshire clotted cream product, or, for that matter, even Polish "krowka"). The jewellery shops are more interesting and (as it is, after all, my 40th birthday) I receive a rather lovely greenstone and gold pendant from the Other Adult (as well as a felt beret and assorted gifts form the Older and Younger Child).

After that, it's a lunch of pies and we get going on the way to Clyde.

The road soon joins the highway 6 and we are on the Gibbston Highway, passing through the Central Otago wine growing area. It's the world's most southerly wine-producing region and commercial cultivation only started in the 1980's. The climate and soil conditions make the production quite expensive, which means that the resulting wines are quite expensive boutique products (prices start at around 20 NZD, or 10 GBP, and are usually quite a bit more) but the quality often justifies that. We buy a bottle of a fine Pinot Noir to take to our next host at Gibbston Valley shop and it is (it better be, at that price) one of the best reds I have tried, tight, fragrant and deeply satisfying.

Not far from Gibbston Valley is the site of the original bungy jump, where those in search of a risk-free thrill pay 180 NZD for a five-second, 43m jump off the historic Kawarau Bridge. The concept appeals, but the charge appears as over the top as the original idea must have seem. Watching is free, though, and we spent an enjoyable half hour observing two people leaping (or being nudged) off the bridge strapped to latex ropes.

The Kawarau River gorge cuts through bleak but dramatic scenery of the surrounding mountains, and soon we are in Central Otago proper, approaching Cromwell. Much of Cromwell's old centre is now under water due to construction of the Clyde dam and the Dunstan Lake, and the town is nothing but a service centre for the local area, known for fruit growing and goldfileds related tourism.

The last stretch of the route takes us along the Dunstan lake, a high and open road cut from the rocky hillside. Artificial lakes often look bleak and industrial; it takes many years to create a more natural and appealing shore which vegetation, animals and people can enjoy.

Wet flurry of snow fills the air and we are glad to arrive at our hosts' house; the last couch-surfing experience of our trip and one of the nicest. There is a traditional Kiwi salt-beef meal ready, and even a hand made card and a present for yours truly – such are the beauties of CouchSurfing. Read Less

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The Jade and Opal Factory

Attraction | "Great choice of greenstone jewellery"

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Arrowtown Jade and Opal Factory has a great selection of New Zealand as well as source-uncertain greenstone (this unattributed stone apparently usually originates in the Canadian province of British Columbia).

They do some cutting, carving and polishing on-site (and we have a look at the workshop) and the pieces on sale vary from traditional Maori designs to more modern, sleeker gems st in gold and silver.

There are also, as the name states, opals, as well as paua shell, but it's the greenstone that's the highlight.

The prices of pieces vary a lot, but I would say that the more expensive ones are worth it.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 13, 2011

The Jade and Opal Factory
30 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown
South Island, New Zealand 9302
(03) 442 1654

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Best pies in Otago

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Arrowtown Bakery Photo - Queenstown, New Zealand

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Kiwis, just like Aussies, are very fond of, not to say obsessed, by meat pies. Arrowtown Bakery is famous (possibly world-famous) for its pies and justifiably so: they have a good selection of hot pies, all juicy, flavoursome and fresh.

There are tables outside (in a courtyard shared with other cafes and shops) as well as inside, and it's a great place for a budget (but hot) lunch.

We tried venison, chicken and beef and all were very good, in lovely flaky pastry.

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