Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealandi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Arrowtown | - not defined - |
| Queenstown-Lakes District | District |
| Otago Region | Region |
| New Zealand | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
44° 56' 18'' South , 168° 49' 54'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Arrowtown | 2,151 (2011) | 1.7km |
| Queenstown | 10,442 (2018) | 16.8km |
| Wanaka | 4,428 (2011) | 36.5km |
| Kingston | 2,460 (2018) | 44.8km |
| Clyde | 890 (2014) | 46.9km |
Credit for the discovery of gold at the Arrowtown site is Jack Tewa (or variously he was called Hatini White, Anthony White, Maori Jack according to the warden at the time Vincent Pyke). Jack was a shearer for a local pastoral station, who showed the station owner the gold he had found in August 1862. By September John McGregor and Thomas Low had arrived, then William (Bill) Fox and mate. The third party to arrive was headed by an American called West (surname). Gradually around thirty men arrived. The provincial government geologist Hector stumbled on the men quietly working away in the gorge, and another party arrived after seeing smoke from campfires.
Fox's partner Mellody (surname) left for Australia, and boasted of the find. Meanwhile Fox had to go to Cromwell for supplies, and was followed back to the diggings by a large group of men. A gold rush then ensued and soon 1500 miners were at the site. Fox, described as loud and forceful, claimed credit for the discovery, which has since been corrected, mainly by the writings of Pyke.
The only established European in the area was the pastoral station owner Rees. The miners had arrived with little provisions, and were destitute. Provisions were carted across Lake Wakatipu in his whale boat, with Rees said to be handing out flour in one hand, with a pistol in the other. He was also the custodian of the gold, the first escort amounting to 25 000 ounces of gold, worth $36 million dollars in todays money.
Miners gradually drifted away on hearing of greater prizes with the West Coast goldfields. Chinese miners took their place, and a Chinese village developed on the outskirts of town, the last leaving in 1928.
Today Arrowtown is a popular day trip from Queenstown, with a main street full of gold rush era wooden buildings, containing cafes and tourist shops. Get there early in the morning to avoid the tour buses, and preferably when it is pouring with rain which discourages everyone else. In autumn the town is ablaze with golden leaves. A short distance from the main street are various relics relating to the Chinese at Arrowtown including huts, with interpretative panels.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities2 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Gold Formula: Au Localities: Enterprise Mine, Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand Arrowtown public fossicking area, Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand Lucknow Mine, Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand Columbia Reef, Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand Criterion Mine, Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand Reference: Lake County Press (1910) The Enterprise Reef Discovery (to the Ed.), issue 2346, 13 October 1910 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Localities: Reference: Hutton F.W., Ulrich, G.H.F. (1875) Report on the Geology & Goldfields of Otago, with Appendices. Mills, Dick & Co. Dunedin, 245 pages. |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| O | Oxygen | |
|---|---|---|
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Gold | Au |
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Pyke, V. (1887) History of Early Gold Discoveries in Otago, pub. Otago Daily Times and Witness Newspapers Company Limited, Dunedin.
External Links
Localities in this Region
- Otago Region
- Queenstown-Lakes District
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
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Arrowtown, Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, New Zealand