Guidebook for Saint Arnaud
Food Scene
Great for evening drinks, lunch or dinner. Full menu available. We love the delicious pizzas, best served hot at the Lodge, but also available for takeaway.
Sunday afternoons from 5pm summer BBQ's at the Lodge are a great place to mingle with visitors and locals alike.
Alpine Lodge
75 Main Rd St ArnaudGreat for evening drinks, lunch or dinner. Full menu available. We love the delicious pizzas, best served hot at the Lodge, but also available for takeaway.
Sunday afternoons from 5pm summer BBQ's at the Lodge are a great place to mingle with visitors and locals alike.
Delicious fresh fish n chips and burgers in the heart of the mountains. Open Friday and Saturday nights only, from 5pm, and at certain times of the year only open Friday nights.
Local tip - order your fish n chips for a set time, then head over to the Lodge for drink while you wait, OR place a phone order and zip down to pick them up before dining back at Morepork Heights, admiring the view!
St Arnard Fish and Chips
Delicious fresh fish n chips and burgers in the heart of the mountains. Open Friday and Saturday nights only, from 5pm, and at certain times of the year only open Friday nights.
Local tip - order your fish n chips for a set time, then head over to the Lodge for drink while you wait, OR place a phone order and zip down to pick them up before dining back at Morepork Heights, admiring the view!
For a nice coffee, a sweet treat, brunch or lunch, The Clinker Cafe (the big red roof below in the village) prides itself on all food being made on site. For families, there is a selection of baby toys, high chairs, and large rocks and a playground outside where kids like to climb while you have a coffee in the sun at a picnic table on the deck. For groups of 10 or more, dinner bookings can also be made with two days notice. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Open Thursdays-Mondays 9-4pm.
Dine Hard
15 Beechnest DriveFor a nice coffee, a sweet treat, brunch or lunch, The Clinker Cafe (the big red roof below in the village) prides itself on all food being made on site. For families, there is a selection of baby toys, high chairs, and large rocks and a playground outside where kids like to climb while you have a coffee in the sun at a picnic table on the deck. For groups of 10 or more, dinner bookings can also be made with two days notice. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Open Thursdays-Mondays 9-4pm.
Sightseeing
Classic photo opportunity on the jetty with the stunning lake and mountains behind. See the incredibly large eels the lake is famous for, along with the local ducks and black swans.
For the more adventurous, contact the Rotoiti Water Taxi company and get Hamish to drop you off, or pick you up from the head of the lake. Both the Lakehead Hut and Coldwater Hut are worth a look, and Whisky Falls is worth a stop in too. Hamish also rents out kayaks if you are keen for a short paddle too.
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Lake Rotoiti
Classic photo opportunity on the jetty with the stunning lake and mountains behind. See the incredibly large eels the lake is famous for, along with the local ducks and black swans.
For the more adventurous, contact the Rotoiti Water Taxi company and get Hamish to drop you off, or pick you up from the head of the lake. Both the Lakehead Hut and Coldwater Hut are worth a look, and Whisky Falls is worth a stop in too. Hamish also rents out kayaks if you are keen for a short paddle too.
Parks & Nature
The view from the carpark is absolutely stunning, even on a rainy day. Take a short walk from the bottom of the carpark to a 360 degrees lookout, or start a serious tramp to Lake Angeles, or do the Mt Robert circuit.
Local tip - ALWAYS check the weather conditions and check in at the DOC visitor centre to lodge your intentions if you are planning a tramp; St Arnaud is 600m above sea level and weather conditions can change rapidly.
Mount Robert Carpark
The view from the carpark is absolutely stunning, even on a rainy day. Take a short walk from the bottom of the carpark to a 360 degrees lookout, or start a serious tramp to Lake Angeles, or do the Mt Robert circuit.
Local tip - ALWAYS check the weather conditions and check in at the DOC visitor centre to lodge your intentions if you are planning a tramp; St Arnaud is 600m above sea level and weather conditions can change rapidly.
With a well maintained set of mountain bike trails, the Teetotal area is great for mountain biking and walking. Access is either by road heading west out of the village, on the right, OR you can walk (25 mins) or bike (10 mins) there via the track at the end of Beechnest Drive (out of Morepork Heights turn right down Glacial Terrace and turn right again). The zig zag track leads you up into beautiful beech and manuka forest. This track is great for walking, bikes, and is baby-buggy accessible.
Teetotal DOC Campsite
With a well maintained set of mountain bike trails, the Teetotal area is great for mountain biking and walking. Access is either by road heading west out of the village, on the right, OR you can walk (25 mins) or bike (10 mins) there via the track at the end of Beechnest Drive (out of Morepork Heights turn right down Glacial Terrace and turn right again). The zig zag track leads you up into beautiful beech and manuka forest. This track is great for walking, bikes, and is baby-buggy accessible.
There are a few village based trails you may be interested in that cater for all levels of fitness and motivation.
Bellbird Walk
Starting at the car park next to the camp ground area/water taxi jetty. A simple little trail, great for little ones who want to potter about and explore without being too far away from the car. Baby buggy friendly. 15 mins
Honey Dew Track
An extension of the Bellbird Track, which loops up and around, with some large glacial rock formations and a view of the lake. Baby buggy friendly. 30-45 mins
Brunner Peninsula
Starting at the visitor centre, this loop follows the edge of the lake, looping around to return to the visitor centre. Baby buggy friendly. 1 hour
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Saint Arnaud
There are a few village based trails you may be interested in that cater for all levels of fitness and motivation.
Bellbird Walk
Starting at the car park next to the camp ground area/water taxi jetty. A simple little trail, great for little ones who want to potter about and explore without being too far away from the car. Baby buggy friendly. 15 mins
Honey Dew Track
An extension of the Bellbird Track, which loops up and around, with some large glacial rock formations and a view of the lake. Baby buggy friendly. 30-45 mins
Brunner Peninsula
Starting at the visitor centre, this loop follows the edge of the lake, looping around to return to the visitor centre. Baby buggy friendly. 1 hour
Entertainment & Activities
From the top, this great little field overlooks the lake, and down onto the village, but takes about an hour to drive to around the Saint Arnaud Range. The field has ski and snowboard hire, as well as private and group lessons. There is a small shop to buy hats, gloves and goggles etc... and a great club-field cafe for a warm lunch, refreshments and to sit inside out of the cold. A shuttle service is available from the base of the mountain if you do not have your own snow chains.
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Rainbow Ski Area
From the top, this great little field overlooks the lake, and down onto the village, but takes about an hour to drive to around the Saint Arnaud Range. The field has ski and snowboard hire, as well as private and group lessons. There is a small shop to buy hats, gloves and goggles etc... and a great club-field cafe for a warm lunch, refreshments and to sit inside out of the cold. A shuttle service is available from the base of the mountain if you do not have your own snow chains.
Arts & Culture
For a small fee boat enthusiasts can step back in time to the world of 1950s plywood speed boats and the glamorous days of the early fibreglass boats. Admire the restoration skills and craftsmanship of local boatbuilders. The village hosts an annual Classic Boat Show on the first weekend of March.
Boat Museum
For a small fee boat enthusiasts can step back in time to the world of 1950s plywood speed boats and the glamorous days of the early fibreglass boats. Admire the restoration skills and craftsmanship of local boatbuilders. The village hosts an annual Classic Boat Show on the first weekend of March.