- NZ Road Trip – South Island Day 19 & 20
- Milford Sound – Arrowtown – Cardrona – Wanaka – Haast
- Thursday 12th – Friday 13th March 2026
After leaving Milford Sound, we made our way to the beautiful little town of Arrowtown and honestly, it felt like stepping onto a movie set.
The main street is absolutely dreamy, lined with historic buildings that look like theyโve barely changed over the years.
It has that old-world charm that instantly makes you slow down and just wander.
We explored the fascinating Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, learning a bit about the Chinese gold miners who once lived and worked here, and also spotted the tiny historic Arrowtown Police Camp, which adds even more character to the town.
Of course no wander is complete without a snack, so we treated ourselves to a proper steak and cheese pie, which somehow tasted even better in a place like this.
Arrowtown really did feel like one of those hidden gems you stumble across on a road trip. Although when we arrived it was very busy!
From Arrowtown we continued on to the historic gold mining town of Cardrona for a quick stop and wow those buildings.
The place feels frozen in time, with its weathered wooden structures and old frontier character giving it that classic gold rush feel.
Not far from there we stopped at the famous Bradrona, better known as the โbra fenceโ. What started as a quirky roadside attraction has grown into something a bit more meaningful, too, with many of the bras left there helping raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer charities.
Unfortunately I couldnโt add one of my ownโฆ mainly because I packed so little for this trip that Iโd have left myself seriously short for the rest of the journey!
After that, we made our way back to Wฤnaka for one last stop before continuing on to Haast, where we stayed for the night.
Weโre slowly making our way up the west coast now, heading towards New Zealandโs famous glacier country and seeing as much as we possibly can along the way.
Mary's Outdoor Adventure's 