THE IDEAL MOTORING HOLIDAY

Southland Times, Issue 23695, 19 December 1938, Page 14

THE IDEAL MOTORING HOLIDAY

Take the Lake Road to Queenstown Return through Sunny Central Otago

SHEN the road between Kingston and Queenstown was formed it o route which has captured the admiration of every motorist who has; trav over it—the sunshine route through the Lakes District of Central . is a route which must appeal to everyone. Those who follow it see ■ ™aj peaks towering above the unplumbed depths of Lake Wakatipu, distant v of snow-capped ranges, the leafy lanes and quiet happiness of , the rugged splendour of Central Otago with its cavernous.cliffs, its outcropping : rocks Ju ting from the hillsides in mighty buttresses, and precipitous gorges with their tales hidden gold. No greater variety of scenic attractions is to be found on any, other■ i o in New Zealand; no other route can offer such a wide appeal to those who seek tn perfect holiday. » . . To drive from Kingston to Queenstown is a delightful experience will be as charmed with their drive along the east shore of far- ame p will be satisfied with the safety and good surface of the road. Queenstown, nestling in a sunny, bay of the lake and appearing a gem in one of nature’s finest settings, is on the border of roman ic g SI • It was not far from here that Fox and his party worked for months in a hidden vaffey up the Arrow, accumulating unheard of quantities of gold from the liver g Arrow nocturnal excursions to replenish his stores, until one day he was o o -tnries eauallv became a gold miners’ Mecca. The country round here is thei scene of other stories,equ y as romantic. Those who find pleasure in delving into the past will be amply satisfied by what inquiries into Arrowtown’s past will reveal. From Queenstown, the motorist travels along the tree-girt flank of Lake an from there the road runs parallel for miles with the Kawarau^ Awards its wealth from the prying hands of man. On either side craggy cliff tower and strange rock figures on the skyline reveal nature as a sculptor with fanciful ideas. • ‘ Cromwell the living heart of Central Otago, is an illustration of the successful application of scientific irrigation to what was before ba ™ c °u nt ry and is m its fertility by Alexandra and the surrounding districts. Between Clyde and Alexandra a new dredee is operating with gratifying success to the company that owns it, while another dredge below Alexandra is also winning gold from the bed of the Molyneux. Once again the bank at Alexandra is handling gold in quantities that compare with the amount that flowed into the township during the dredging boom early this century. The road to Roxburgh follows a general course, and eight miles from Alexandra lies the rich farming district of Fruitlands Glimpses of the Molyneux gorge revive more memories of early gold-mining days, notably the exploits of Hartley and Reilly. Roxburgh, another rich fruit-growing centre, Millers Flat, and Raes Junction complete the Central trip and at Raes Junction the motorist begins his homeward run f Invercargill after passing through a district in which the past and present are blended to make an interesting study for all who care to see. *