New Zealand

Queenstown, on the northern shore of the serpentine Lake Wakatipu, is the epitome of the big-budget resort town, awash with organised tour groups. There's great skiing in winter and plenty of extreme substitute summer pastimes. Most activities are centred on the lake and many nearby rivers.

Before the 20th century

The region was deserted when the first Pakeha (Maori for a white or European person) arrived in the mid 1850s, although there is evidence of previous Maori settlement. Sheep farmers came first, but in 1862 two shearers discovered gold on the banks of the Shotover River, precipitating a deluge of prospectors. A year later Queenstown was a mining town with streets and permanent buildings. Then the gold petered out and by 1900 the population had dropped from several thousand to a mere 190. The lake was the principal means of transport and at the height of the mining boom there were four paddle steamers and 30 other craft plying the waters.

Modern history

With the gold all gone, Queenstown rebranded itself around the turn of the century as a tourist desination. The area's many picturesque walking trails and tracks drew modest summer crowds from around the country. It wasn't until the early 1950s that the nearby Coronet Peak Ski Area became a commercial ski field and brought tourists to town the year round. From around the early 1970s onwards, with ventures such as jetboating, white-water rafting and bungy jumping, Queenstown became the adventure capital of New Zealand.

Recent history

The upgrade of Queenstown airport in the 1990s to accomodate jet aircraft and handle international flights is a testament to Queenstown's still thriving tourism industry. Of course, the most recent boon to this town (as if it needed it!) was as the setting for Lothlórien in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings; nearby Arrowtown was also used as the scene where Arwen and Frodo encounter the Black Riders.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Queenstown's summer days are generally warm to hot and rainfall is very low, while in winter temperatures can drop to well below freezing. While the alpine climate can sometimes make the weather a bit difficult to pin down, those crisp, clear blue skies you often see in photos of the region aren't misleading.

Average weather

• Temperature
• Average Humidity
• Rainfall

Transport

Getting there and away

Direct daily flights are offered by Air New Zealand between Queenstown and both Auckland and Christchurch, with connections to other major centres. Qantas also has direct flights to Christchurch, with connections to Auckland and Rotorua.

The booking office for InterCity (www.intercitycoach.co.nz), in the Queenstown visitors centre, has details of daily bus services from Queenstown, including to Christchurch, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Dunedin and Invercargill, plus a daily West Coast service to the glaciers via Wanaka and Haast Pass.

'Alternative' bus tours such as the West Coast Express, Kiwi Experience, Magic Bus or the Flying Kiwi also go up the West Coast to Nelson. The Bottom Bus (www.bottombus.co.nz) does a loop service around the south of the South Island.

Both the Info & Track Centre and Kiwi Discovery can arrange transport to the tracks. Backpacker Express (www.glenorchyinfocentre.co.nz) runs to/from the Routeburn, Greenstone, Caples and Rees-Dart Tracks, all via Glenorchy. The morning bus picks up at various accommodation points around Queenstown.