from Arrowtown to Haast

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Arrowtown -

Just 19 km from Queenstown it is a very pleasant drive. The famous gold mining rivers are along the drive. Really enjoy this town to visit. Great parking right in town along the river. Plenty of room and right next to the historic Chinese Mining Village. New Zealand's only living historic gold mining town. A stroll along Buckingham Street is a step back in town. Great shops, cafes and restaurants. You have to go up a side street and an unmarked stairs to the best coffee shop (Joe's Garage). I'll let you hunt for that one! Be sure to see Dorothy Browns Cinema. A very good Holiday Park in the town within walking distance of the main centre. I have found, due to the crowded parking conditions in Queenstown, we prefer to go to Arrowtown and park and catch the "Arrowtown Bus Tours" bus to Queenstown ($18 return per). Sure worth it for the hassle. You walk around Queenstown anyway.

Two roads out of Arrowtown north to Wanaka -

One over the Crown Range to the left just out of town, a switch-back road that will test your engine and your nerve on the way up. An interesting back road route(good road) that takes you by the Cardrona Ski Fields and the historic Cardrona Pub that automatically invites you to stop for a beer after the long haul up. The other route is continuing on Route Six through the Kawarau Gorge one of the most spectacular drives in New Zealand. This is my favourite way. Not too far along on the right you see the Chard Farm Winery somehow hanging on the side of the cliffs. Still find it an awesome (sorry the word seemed to fit this time) sight. Next on the left is the world famous beginning of AJ Hackett's bungy empire where adrenaline junkies throw themselves 43 metres off the Kawarau bridge. A lot different than when I first was there in 1989 and their headquarters was an old hippie bus. Now it is a multi-million dollar complex not to be missed even if you don't want to jump off the suspension bridge. The interior of the building is an architectural wonder alone and they will be soon offering bungy tours to have an up close encounter behind the scenes. After the excitement of the bungy palace just a few kms down the road on the right in the area's winery district is the Gibbston Winery where for $5 you get to taste four of the finest wines in the world. They also offer a restaurant that serves food to compliment their exquisite wines. In the complex also is a cheesery that I defy you not to find a taste you cannot resist.

The rest of the drive through the Gorge will have you spell-bound for the natural wonder of it all. The raw beauty of the area along with the old stone miner's huts still visible makes one wonder the tenacity of Th. early settlers. To me one of the most rugged areas I have ever seen. Lots of places to pull off for photos and the Old Gold Field area where you can see how it was in the early gold mining days.

From the Arrowtown Junction on Route 6 to Cromwell is 40 kms -

This is New Zealand's fruit basket so there are a lot of stands along the road where you can stop for the freshest in season. The whole area is fast becoming one vineyard after another on both sides of the road. Not a bad thing. The wines from here are receiving rave reviews. Just before Cromwell there is a place called The Big Picture you must have a look for it has truly different experiences offered. Essential wine adventures as they state and truly so. The brainstorm of Phil Parker and his talented artist partner Cath. They have produced an exciting way to learn wines and also provide top quality dining. Just the place to stop in summer for that mid-day lunch and a glass of the local wine. Have a look at a few photos taken there and at their website to learn about the room where you learn about the smell of wine. Wine Adventures at the Big Picture, Cromwell

Now let's slip off the beaten path and take Route 8 outside of Cromwell to Clyde and Alexandra. The short trip will be more than worth it. More about it later. The Courthouse Cafe for top eating and coffee. We rate it right on top in New Zealand. At Clyde you can stop and see the dam that created Lake Dunstan.

Lots of places to pull off the road and also stopping spots with toilets along the road by Lake Dunstan from Cromwell north. Very scenic area.

Retrace your steps from Alexandra to Route 6 turning north to Wanaka -

The area toward Wanaka turns from the rolling farmland and soon the mountains in the distance become a closer reality. You are entering the mountain ranges. The holiday home area of Shania Twain where she has purchased a large tract of land for her get-away place. As you will note coming into Wanaka it seems as if it is all up for sale. More real estate signs than properties. When you get to Wanaka you will see why so many people flock here.

Just before Wanaka are two very interesting places to stop for everyone especially families, the famous Warbirds over Wanaka display of vintage fighter planes along with a Transport and Toy Museum. Every Easter there is an air show where over 50 of these vintage aircraft take to the air. At the same place you can also experience the Wanaka Beerworks with tours and tasting daily. You can also book air flights and skydiving.

Across the road is something very new and a real experience with Wayne Palmer's "Have a Shot". He provides a golf driving range, claybird shooting, rifle ranges, archery ranges and an outdoor battlefield. (check this one out! Nine cannons mounted in their own fortress that fire rubber tennis balls.) If you want to try your luck trout fishing in this region's world famous trout rivers and lakes here is where you can book with the Riversong Guides. Ask for Jacob Berry.

Head north from Wanaka on Route Six through the breath-taking drive along Lake Hawera and Lake Wanaka on to the Haast Pass. Stop by the town of Lake Hawera and visit the pub at the Lake Hawea Motor Inn for real Kiwi hospitality. Ask for Fred and tell him Ron the traveling bus man sent you. You are in the mountains and driving along the lakes with every turn a photo opportunity. Plenty of pull offs for that on the way to Makaroa. Three good rest stops along the way plus a top DoC Camp at Boundary creek 12 kms from Lake Hawea.

There are cafes and fuel in Makaroa and an Information Site. From Makaroa through to Haast is what I consider one of the most startling drives in the country up to Haast Pass and down the other side to Haast and the Tasman Sea. You are driving through the Mount Aspiring National Park.

I am fascinated with the giant moss covered native forest you drive through following the path of the Haast River. It is a land of deep gorges and waterfalls everywhere during most of the season especially early in September and October. Lots of walks in the area plus some short stops to places like the Blue Pools a thirty minute walk about 10 kms past Makaroa. A DoC Camp at Cameron Flats just past the Blue Pools and about 10 kms from Haast Pass. From here it is downhill into Westland and on to the West Coast. A few pull off spots along the way until reaching the big descent. it is one of those special experiences the first time over this route. Cross the bridge and stop at the parking area to take the time to see the magnificent river rapids.

Just past the bridge a very short distance it is worth another stop to see Thunder Creek Falls. From here the road soon levels out to flats along the Haast River. Coming from the West Coast I recommend stopping at the Pleasant Flat DoC Camp if you are running into evening or tired from the long haul before going into the Haast Pass drive.

Just by chance we had stopped along the road to take a photo of three massive waterfalls all very near to one another. A man stepped out of the bushes and commented jokingly who introduced himself as Warren, "That will be $20 please." We struck up a conversation as he was joined by his wife Fiona. They had just purchased one of the rare pieces of land not belonging to Mt Aspiring Park and spent their weekends here from their home in Queenstown. Fiona is a watercolourist see website. This will be a great place to stop when they complete their plans. Watch this space. It is a long way from anywhere else in the heart of paradise as they call it.

The end of this drive through the mountains brings you to Haast after the 145 kms drive from Wanaka. The best place to stop after your drive whether it is from the north or the south is McGuire's Lodge right on Route Six. Great food and fabulous coffee at their cafe, restaurant and bar and accommodation if you need it. The only place we stop and rest before going on. Sometime if we are running late we will take the next road left by the bridge and go to Haast Beach and spend the night freedom camping. We do go on to Jackson Bay, time permitting, where a feed of crayfish is a must. More later on this side trip. Here also is a must stop at the Haast Visitor Information Centre just down the road from McGuires so you can see what all is going on in this region that is internationally recognised as a World Heritage Area.

At McGuires enquire about HeliVentures. If you want to truly experience the tops in scenic helicopter flights this is the one. It is owned and operated by a pioneer in the business ( a true legend) Dave Saxton and his son Morgan who have over 40 years combined flying experience. The tales Dave can tell alone are worth the visit to see them. Not only scenic flights to the Lost Valley, the glaciers, Mt. Aspiring, Mt. Cook, Milford Sound, they also provide fishing and hunting trips. What a way to really experience this wild country of the West Coast and south to the Sounds. Areas one could never dream of seeing otherwise and from a perspective that illustrates the massive depth and dimension. Sometimes the crowds at Franz Josef and at Queenstown overwhelm the time allowed for everyone to take a flight from there. One of the ways not to get bogged down with too many people and no place to park as in some of the higher trafficked areas is to go to Haast. From here at Haast with Heliventures it is easy. If you are planning any kind of helicopter flights check this one out. Paula had positive experiences with Dave Saxton in the pioneer days when he used to fly her and her partner in to remote areas to gold mine.

from here we go up the world famous West Coast of New Zealand  next-

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