Finding your way around Arthurs Point
Arthurs Point sits beside the Shotover River near Queenstown and provides a useful starting point for understanding the lower canyon landscape. The river cuts through schist country upstream and spreads into braided channels below this area. The Edith Cavell Bridge, the riverside jet boat base and the Oxenbridge Tunnel Track give the place distinct points of interest, each with its own access arrangements.
Thomas Arthur, a shepherd working for Rees, found gold here in November 1862. That history helps explain the place name and connects a present-day activity stop with the wider gold rush. Use the Shotover history guide for the mining story, and keep a visit here separate from the longer journey into Skippers Canyon.
Edith Cavell Bridge: construction and name
Construction of the single-lane reinforced-concrete arch bridge began in 1917, and its official opening took place in February 1919. Frederick William Furkert designed it. These are the construction dates; they are separate from the story of how the bridge acquired its name. The structure is recognised in the heritage register as a Category 1 historic place.
The naming tradition centres on the gold miner Jack Clark, who wanted to commemorate the British nurse Edith Cavell, killed during the First World War. In the story preserved by the heritage account, he painted the name onto the bridge after his proposal was rejected. Read this as a handed-down naming story, rather than treating every detail as an eyewitness account. Today the jet boat base’s arrival directions bring visitors across this bridge when approaching from Queenstown.
Our pick: Arthurs Point
This jet boat ride checks in at the river base in Arthurs Point.
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Canyon jet boating from Arthurs Point
This 25-minute river ride starts at the Arthurs Point base and includes a safety briefing, life jackets and a driver with local commentary.
Jet boating from the river base
The jet boat outing linked here starts explicitly at the river base in Arthurs Point. Check in 30 minutes before departure. Its 25-minute ride includes a professional driver, high-speed manoeuvres and full spins, commentary, a safety briefing and life jackets. The time on the water is only part of the visit, so leave room for arrival and preparation rather than scheduling another activity immediately after those 25 minutes.
The base is at 3 Arthurs Point Road, around 10 minutes by car from central Queenstown, with free parking and access for spectators. The selected ticket’s start is the base, so organise that journey rather than relying on a central Queenstown pickup. The jet boat route comparison explains how this canyon ride differs from the upper Shotover and the two-river departure from the town pier.
Oxenbridge Tunnel Track
The Oxenbridge Tunnel Track is described as a short, easy walk to a viewpoint over a historic river diversion and an old steam engine. Approaching from Queenstown, turn left before the Edith Cavell Bridge for the track approach. The interest here is seeing how earlier workings changed the river landscape, so it complements the mining history without requiring a full canyon excursion.
Check the track conditions before going and follow local signs. Use the route description for orientation and leave generous time for the walk instead of fitting it into a tight connection. Keep this as a viewpoint visit, rather than a route into the water or a way to enter the tunnel. The rafting guide treats the tunnel passage as part of a separately organised water activity.
Orbus route 4 and activity bases
Orbus route 4 connects Queenstown and Arthurs Point on the Jacks Point to Arrowtown route. Allow for the walk from the stop to the precise check-in address, not just the bus ride. If arriving from Queenstown Airport, use the airport connection on route 1 and a separate connection to route 4. The transport guide explains those legs and the difference between public buses and activity shuttles.
Do not treat the river base as the entrance to every experience nearby. The canyon swing has controlled access and its own shuttle arrangements, which you organise as part of that activity. For accommodation planning, compare Arthurs Point with central Queenstown and Frankton according to the activity check-in you actually need, rather than choosing solely by the river name on a map.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the jet boat ticket on this page start?
At the river base in Arthurs Point, with check-in 30 minutes before departure. Plan your transport to that address separately from the 25-minute ride on the water.
Which bus serves Arthurs Point?
Orbus route 4 links it with Queenstown. Leave time after the bus journey to reach the exact activity base, and use a separate airport connection if arriving from ZQN.
Can I walk straight into the swing site?
Access to the swing site is controlled and transport is arranged for the activity. A visit to the bridge or the jet boat base does not give walk-in access to the swing platform.