4WD Excursion to Gold Mining Settlement Macetown, Queenstown (NZ)

Explore a historic gold mining town with this half-day 4WD adventure to Macetown, a 19th-century settlement and protected reserve. In the morning, you'll be picked up at your accommodation and whisked north into the hills of the Southern Lakes region, crossing the Arrow River, streams, and creeks along the way to Macetown. There, you'll explore relics of this preserved town, such as its historic structures like a bakery and cottage, and you'll get to try your hand at gold panning in the Arrow River before returning to Queenstown.

This half-day excursion begins with a pickup at your accommodation in the morning. You'll meet your guide and get settled into the 4WD that will take you on an offroad adventure. You'll head about an hour north to Macetown, a gold mining town established in 1862, when gold was discovered in the Arrow River. The settlement experienced a boom of miners but was deserted by the start of the 20th century, leaving behind a handful of buildings still standing today, which you'll see on this trip.

As you leave Queenstown, you'll head into the Southern Lakes countryside, crossing the Arrow River and various streams and creeks. "The Lord of the Rings" fans may recognize some landscapes from the films, and your guide will tell you the history and details of the region as you traverse it. Once you arrive in Macetown, you'll be able to imagine firsthand life in this mining town, as you visit a handful of restored 19th-century structures like a battery, bakery, and a cottage. After seeing the town and learning about its history, you'll get to do some panning in the Arrow River and get a taste of what life was like in the late 1800s in this part of the country.