Thursday, February 16th to Sunday, February 19th, 2023 - Queenstown Wanderings

In addition to the outings that Alison had organized for the Singing in Paradise group, there were a number of unscheduled afternoon/evenings for exploring on one's own. This blog covers some of my wanderings around Queenstown.

William Rees, Founder of Queenstown

William Gilbert Rees, was a Welsh man who moved to Dunedin, south of Queenstown, in the 1850's. In response to the government's 1855 Otago Wastelands Act (which encouraged establishing new pastoral land) he set out with six other intrepid explorers from Dunedin in 1860. It sounds as if it was a pretty rough trip, as in the end, only two of them made it to Lake Wakatipu where Queenstown is located. The question of who was to claim the land was settled by a coin toss - the other man got the Walter's Peak side of the lake and William Rees got the Queenstown side. He burned the beech forest and shrubland in the valley to create pastureland, brought his sheep from Dunedin and raised 3,000 merinos on a 240,000 acre farm. The other man did poorly, went crazy and ended up in a hospital Rees had established!

Arrowtown Street Lamp

Arrowtown is another gold rush town not far from Queenstown. This is where things turned sour for William Rees when one of his employees, Jack Tepa, discovered a nugget of gold. The story that follows is most interesting, as William Rees saw that this could mess up his farm completely! It also tells a heroic story about Jack Tepa.  https://touristclassnz.com/mysteries-of-the-otago-goldrush-who-was-jack-tewa/

A 'Gift' Store in Arrowtown

In spite of William Rees's efforts to suppress news of the gold, word got out and the miners came rushing in to the area. Much as Rees had feared, his pastoral lease was cancelled and a goldfield was declared. He was given 10,000 pounds compensation from the government, which he used to establish a hotel. Apparently that didn't go so well, so he moved on to other exploits.

Arrowtown Main Street

William Rees's loss was Arrowtown's gain. The quaint, small town still has the 'feel' of an old gold rush town, somewhat like the American Wild West, but without the dusty streets today. 

Arrowtown Main Street

The treasure is no longer found in the alluvium of the Arrow River that runs nearby, but is found instead in the many souvenir, clothing and general merchandise stores, along with many eateries that cater to tourists.

Tea or Coffee Anyone?

 There were many tourists in town, including some from SIP.

Coffee Shop Humor, Arrowtown

I had to show you this one, even though it doesn't advance the narrative. Ha, Ha. - I enjoyed a 'miner' laugh! Maybe you will too!

Original Miner's Cottage

The original miner's cottages were well kept and simple.

New Homes Are Built to Merge With it's History

I stopped and talked with a builder next to this newly built house. He said that new construction is designed to fit in with the character of the town. Although no McMansion, I expect it's very nicely outfitted inside.

Chinese Miner's Habitat

One of the most interesting aspects of the visit was the preservation of the Historic Chinese Settlement that was a few hundred yards to the north of the town. Some of the accommodations were very simple! 8,000 miners came the the Otago region from Guangdong in the Cantonese Province of south-east China. They did not come in hope of settling here, but dreamed of making their fortune and returning home. They made up 17% of the population, 40% of the miners and produced 30% of the gold. 

Chinese Settlement Home Built Into the Rock

While we look at these as being very basic shelters, it causes one to reflect that the people came here because they were able to make more than six times the income they could at home, much of which was sent back to China. In addition to poverty, they were also escaping over-population, unemployment, disease and political turmoil.

The Bank/Office in Ah Lum's Store

In the beginning they were welcomed and respected for their hard work. Sadly, that did not persist as their success and increasing numbers triggered prejudice and harassment.  The Arrowtown population did not encounter physical violence, but were verbally abused. No doubt this increased the desire for the foreigners to prefer their own company and form a more or less separate community, especially as many of them were related to each other.

A Charming Alley - Arrowtown

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my amblings through his delightful town.

Old Wagon, Arrowtown Bus Shelter

It had been a great way to spend an afternoon on a beautiful, sunny day. NZD$2 on the bus saw me back to Queenstown.

The Skyline, Queenstown

On another afternoon, I decided to head up the Skyline gondola to the Ben Lomond Scenic Reserve. 

Lord of the Fries at the Base of the Skyline

I was amused to see the name of classic book, Lord of the Flies being taken over by a fast food outlet at the base of the Skyline. In fact, it is a franchise selling an all-inclusive 100% vegan, halal and kosher-certified menu. Interesting! Not really what I would associate with those stranded boys of literature - unless the theme is changing food options!

Loading Bikes on the Skyline Gondolas

 There are many paths through the forests and are heavily used by mountain bikers, who save themselves a lot of sweat by riding the gondolas to gain access to the higher trails.

All Loaded!

I was intrigued watching the many bikes going by.

Up We Go!

I was really pleased that it was not my knees taking me to the top.

Cafe and Chairlift for the Luge

It was a busy place atop the Skyline. People were outside enjoying the sunshine and the luge was very popular. I would have liked to also ride the chairlift at the top, but it was solely for the luge customers and I did not want to do that, although it looked fun.

Yay!

I enjoyed trying to capture people's expressions as they came around one of the bends of the luge. This guy was leaning nicely and looked as if he was having a good time.

Yippee!

This woman was definitely having a blast!

No, I'm Not Giving Up My Purse!

But this woman was all business - looked as if she was concentrating hard and was not going to risk losing her purse! LOL!

Paragliding

There were many paragliders in the air, the bright colors strikingly bold against the distant background of the Remarkables Mountains. They swayed and turned as they made their way to the ground 1,350 feet below and were quite lovely to watch.

Frodo and the Ring Made Out of Jellybeans!

I was also intrigued by the picture of Frodo and the ring which was made entirely from 11,500 jelly beans! Bizarre!

An Orienting Sign

Ii is always good to get a sense of direction. I loved the one pointing me to 'The Rest of the World'! From another angle, they also showed us the way to 'Middle Earth.'

Ben Lomond Trail

Inspired by the possibilities the sign had offered, I followed my nose and found the Ben Lomond trail, which ran off to the side of all the gondola-based development. It was a five-hour return trip, so I knew I would not complete the trail, but I was happy for a 'taste' of it. Entering the soft path of this (non-native) pine forest was quiet and serene. As you see there were others on the trail too, and as there are no snakes or bears in New Zealand, I felt pretty safe wandering off on my own.

A Goat!

Before long, I found a goat chomping on the side of the hill. He happily ignored me and was determined to stay in the shadows so I couldn't get a good photo.

Controlled Eradication of Wilding Conifers

There were swathes of dead forest around. I learned that these are invasive trees that they call 'wilding' pines or conifers that have been poisoned to prevent their spread. They are also cut down and logged.

Community Involvement

Along with the efforts to kill and remove the established forests, they also seek community support to monitor patches of land to remove any seedlings that appear and might start new growth. There were little signs all along the trail designating who was responsible for which area. This way, they hope to regenerate the natural vegetation of alpine tussock lands and mature beech forests. It is, no doubt, a long and optimistic project!

Many Bike Trails

There were many bike trails crisscrossing the walking path - happily the designers aimed to keep them separate. I didn't see enormous numbers of bikers, but the ones I saw were enthusiastic and energetic. They were all wearing helmets - sometimes quite enormous ones that protected both skull and chin. They often looked very space agey!

Looking North to Lake Wakatipu

Although I wasn't able to climb as high as I had hoped, due to time limitations, it was glorious being out on a trail in this alpine setting and the views to the north were still splendid. (BTW, That's not me in the photo above, just another hiker enjoying the same glorious space.) The old knees kept me going, but were much slower and more challenged than they used to be, especially on the downhills.

Ben Lomond

 This walk was one of the highlights of my trip - with the feel of a breeze in my hair, a lofty goal ahead, the sunshine on my face and a trail under my feet! Wonderful!

Queenstown Botanic Gardens

If you ever have the good fortune to visit Queenstown it is well worth stopping by their Botanic Gardens.

Fascinating Seed Heads

It was not an educational experience, just lovely to wander through the variety of environments in the dusk light.

 

Just Plain Pretty

Many were not labeled or I did not see identifying signs, so pure appreciation was the order of the day.

Perhaps you recognize some of them.

Sequoiadendron Giganteum

The city founders must have liked sequoias, as there were a number of magnificent specimens around the lake paths. I really liked the way the branches caught the evening light in this one, which was just swimming around.

It's Just a Duck

The ducks were bobbing for food, with their tails in the air, but I rather liked the reflections around this one.

Path Back to the Town From the Botanical Gardens

My initial impression of Queenstown had been that it was too busy with tourists (Hah! Unfair of ME to say that 'cos I'm one of them!) However, allowing myself to wander had revealed beauty that redeemed my doubts.

Waiting for the Sunset

People were gathered at the lake shore in anticipation of the sunset.

The Piano Player

There were buskers, adding to the vibrant energy of the paths. This enterprising piano player wheels his piano to the waterfront. His playing was a little manic and repetitive, but many stayed and appreciated.

A Duo

I hope you have enjoyed these random and disconnected shots of the area.

Me with Rosemary and Graham Porter

Rosemary and Graham had been wonderful companions throughout the week, along with the other members of the SIP group. Graham often walked while we were rehearsing in the mornings, so I was the beneficiary of his scouting reports. Much appreciated Graham! 

A Farewell Sunrise at Platinum Villas, Queenstown

Our concert went well and we had a lovely farewell dinner. It had been a really pleasing week.

With sadness and anticipation, both, it was time to move on. Sunday was time to greet the glorious day, pack up and prepare for my flight to Wellington, where I was due to meet my other sister, Toni Hood for travels in the North Island.