St Arnaud is located on the shore of Lake Rotoiti and is a gateway and base to experience and explore the Nelson Lakes National Park.

St Arnaud is a former gold mining town, situated between Avoca and Donald on the main route linking Ballarat and Mildura.

The town features many well-preserved historic buildings which line the main thoroughfare of Napier Street, including a generous collection of pubs. A number of attractive gardens exist in town, including the Queen Mary Gardens, the Market Square gardens adjacent to the council offices, and Lord Nelson Park which offers sporting facilities as well as attractions such as the old Lord Nelson Mine and good views from Wilsons Hill.

You can canoe, powerboat, water ski, windsurf and swim in the lakes in summer. In Winter, ski on the nearby Rainbow Valley Ski-field, or just curl up by the fire in The Lodge or one of homestays to enjoy the scenery are the activities for winter. Hiking is popular year around though the tracks can be very wet in winter.

The rivers around St Arnaud provide some of the best trout fishing in the country and for more of an adrenaline rush, try white-water rafting down the Buller and Gowan Rivers near St Arnaud. A day-trip will take you through some stunning scenery with exciting white water action, including the famous Granity Rapid.

If you'd prefer to keep dry, there are exciting four wheel drive tracks to try - either in your own vehicle, or as part of an organised tour. Travel through farmland and beech forests and see stunning scenery not accessible by ordinary vehicles. You can also try a horse trek over farmland and through native bush - all levels of ability can be catered for. Alternatively, you can pack a picnic in a backpack and explore any one of the multitude of day walks in the area.

A short drive south of St Arnaud towards Avoca is the St Arnaud Range National Park, featuring steep, forested terrain, camp sites, and the Teddington Reservoir.