Saint Arnaud is nestled at the northern end of Lake Rotoiti at 640 metres above sea level, on the edge of Nelson Lakes National Park in the South Island. There are cafes, a grocery shop, accommodation options and water taxi services around the lake. The small town is the gateway to the national park and is ideal for outdoor recreational activities.
Nelson Lakes National Park covers over 100,000 hectares at the northern end of the Southern Alps, with mountain ranges, Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa, beech forests, and an extensive network of tracks and huts. European settlers began arriving in the 1840s, clearing ht forest and establishing farms in the valley and lowlands. In the early 1900s, the area became popular with tourists and the National Park was eventually established in 1956.
The DOC Visitor Centre is located in the western part of town, near the lake, near the south corner of Kerr Bay Road and View Road, and is superb. There are several displays and a substantial amount of information about the park's wildlife and environment. It also tells the legend of Rākaihautū, who dug out the Nelson Lakes, along with all the other major glacial lakes of the South Island, using his kō (digging stick). You can ask for advice on local trails and more substantial, multi-day hikes into the mountains, such as the challenging 80 km Travers-Sabine Circuit. You may also note the historic building on the north corner of View Road and Kerr Bay Road, as well as the sombre monument to several people who died while tramping in the region.
Several easy walking tracks connect the town to the beech forests and the lake. There are lakeside campsites at nearby Kerr Bay and West Bay on the access road to Pourangahau / Mt Robert on the west side of the Lake. Popular activities include boating, water skiing, swimming, and kayaking. The New Zealand Antique and Classic Boat Show is an annual highlight, showcasing a diverse range of vintage vessels. You can also see many of the vintage boats at the Classic Boat Museum.
Originally named Rotoiti, the village was renamed Saint Arnaud in 1921 to avoid confusion with Lake Rotoiti near Rotorua. Presumably, the French name was intended to evoke the European Alps. The surrounding ranges range from 1400 metres to 1800 metres in height, so snow caps are a feature in Winter and Spring. The Rainbow Skifield is in the St Arnaud Range east of town.
Saint Arnaud sits on State Highway 63, 103 km along the Wairau Valley from Blenheim. From Nelson, it is a 90 km drive on State Highway 6 with a turnoff onto Korere Tophouse Road to connect with State Highway 63.
