Location: -45° 8’ 37.32", +168° 29’ 5.68"
Walter Peak is a 1,800-meter (5,906 ft) mountain near Queenstown. William Gilbert Rees, Queenstown’s first European settler, named landmarks after his family. His son inspired Cecil Peak and Walter Peak, while the suburb of Frankton honours his wife.
A coin toss in the 1850s decided where early settlers William Rees and Nicholas Von Tunzelman would establish their homes. Rees claimed Queenstown, which thrived during the gold rush, while Von Tunzelman took Walter Peak, a harsher landscape that eventually forced him to leave.
In the late 1880s, the Mackenzie family transformed Walter Peak into a successful farm. They introduced modern farming techniques, built a homestead, and created gardens. At its peak, the station covered 170,000 acres, ran 40,000 sheep, and won awards for its merino wool.
The Colonel’s Homestead, built in 1908, was restored after a fire in 1977. The gardens, featuring ancient trees, reflect the family’s legacy. In 2014, it began restoring the land, clearing invasive species and planting native bush to revive its natural heritage.
It’s a regular stop for the TSS Earnslaw, a historic 1912 Edwardian steamship also called the “Lady of the Lake.” The ship has sailed Lake Wakatipu since 1912, but now faces scrutiny over its environmental impact, contributing 1% of the district’s transport-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Esaurito
Esaurito
