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Historic site · Arrowtown, Otago
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
Restored group of Chinese miners' cottages from the gold era, beside Bush Creek, featuring the old Ah Lum shop. It recalls the contribution of Chinese people to Otago's mining.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
When the first gold rush began to fade in the 1860s, the Otago government invited Chinese miners to work in areas that European miners had abandoned. Many settled in Arrowtown, in a separate village on the banks of Bush Creek, in small stone, mud and timber houses.
Arrowtown’s Chinese settlement was excavated and restored and is now a historic site managed by the Department of Conservation. Several miners’ cottages have been rebuilt and can be visited, and panels describe residents’ lives, the hardships and the prejudice they faced. Ah Lum’s shop, which served as a grocery, bank and meeting place, is the best-known building.
The site is a few minutes’ walk from Buckingham Street, shaded by trees, and is one of the places that help explain the region’s history beyond the image of the European miners’ village.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
During the day, at any time of year. In autumn the surrounding trees turn golden.
How to get there
It is at the western end of Buckingham Street, beside Bush Creek, a few minutes' walk from central Arrowtown.
Tip
There is no admission fee. Combine it with the Lakes District Museum, which has a section dedicated to the Chinese miners.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
What is the Chinese settlement of Arrowtown?
It is the restored group of cottages where Chinese miners lived during the gold era, beside Bush Creek; today it is a historic site.
Is there a fee to visit the Chinese settlement in Arrowtown?
No admission is charged. It’s an open site with interpretive panels.
Why were there Chinese people in Arrowtown?
Chinese miners were invited to work in Otago’s goldfields from the 1860s and formed settlements such as Arrowtown.