I am a beginner golfer so there was no way I was going to miss my weekly golf fix while I was in New Zealand and one of the most beautiful golf resorts in the world is Millbrook, situated close to the quaint Arrowtown.
We arrived at our accomodation, a spacious house, a great option if there are several people or a family group. Millbrook is huge and sits on 650 acres of rolling hills. It is a 5 – star lifestyle and golf resort which boasts several restaurants, gym, pool and spa plus that amazing world class golf course. You can hike the inviting grounds saying hello to ducks and bunnies along the way.
I appreciated the accessible shuttles which would take you to Queenstown and Arrowtown. On our first full evening we shuttled back to Queenstown for a dinner beside the roaring fire at Jervois Steakhouse. I enjoyed a delicious confit duck dish before the shuttle ferried us back to Millbrook at the reasonable hour of 9:30.
During the day we brunched at the nearby Mora Winery and Artisan Kitchen. Mora is a delightful garden space with the freshest of produce and great coffee. We spent the rest of the day shopping and exploring the historic Arrowtown. Must do’s are The Remarkables Sweet Shop, Angel Divine and Golden Fleece. There are art galleries, gift shops and bakeries to visit. When the rain forced us inside we headed to Dorothy Browns- cinema, bookstore and Gin Bar. I had a Hendricks gin with yuzu tonic and lime.
The next day was our coldest of the trip so I donned my sweats to walk the magnificent grounds of Millbrook in the crisp, clean air. The colours of Autumn were quickly changing around me and I could see why the Autumn Festival in Arrowtown was coming up on the weekend. Nature’s beauty is a balm for the soul and I sailed home refreshed and ready for a delicious brunch at the Hole in One Cafe.
In the afternoon we headed to the driving range where I enjoyed hitting a bucket of balls towards the spectacular mountain views. This was such a treat! As was the wonderful wine tasting in the Barrel Room at Ayrburn. We sampled five different wines with my favourite being the Chablis like Chardonnay.
Dinner was at the very popular new venue – The Woolshed where I savoured the flavours of Autumn. I enjoyed the lamb dish of lamb cutlet, lamb saddle, baby carrot , chickpea, dukkah, lamb jus and torched feta. Dessert was a Pinot noir poached pear. A lively atmosphere with a casual yet sophisticated menu was offered here in this restored and reimagined venue.
Our last day was spectacular and warm with a visit to The Bakehouse, Ayrburn for breakfast before a visit with our Queenstown friends. We had a light lunch at The Dishery in Arrowtown before a last stop at the Royalburn Farm Shop which blew me away with its array of fresh goodies, including New Zealand’s favourite fruit- feijoa’s.
Soon it was time to head to the airport where a short three and a half hour flight had us heading home to Brisbane and a magnificent Easter weekend ahead.
There are so many reasons for Australians to head to Queenstown in the Autumn -the cool temperatures and changing colours, the great food and wine, a cafe culture similar to Australia, adventure, hiking, walking, golfing and biking. It was the perfect place to spend a week exploring.
Haere rã New Zealand! Hopefully we’ll be back soon. Stay sparkly!
michellebeesley.com 