Arrowtown has, unsurprisingly, become a quiet magnet for those in the know, including a celebrity crowd. Locals tell me about Brad Pitt slipping into a yoga class (almost) unnoticed, and Jason Momoa casually pulling pints at The Fork & Tap. Then there is Ayrburn, which seductively describes itself as the area’s “most delicious destination… a delightfully daring food and wine playground.” I spent the better part of a day drifting around this sweeping estate just outside the village. A relaxed lunch at The Bakehouse, a wander through gardens that feel both curated and wild, and a fireside dinner at The Woolshed with a glass of local wine in hand. Billy’s, its Cantonese restaurant in a restored 19th-century homestead with a dazzling conservatory, is a stand-out.
