Spring into Queenstown
There’s more to Queenstown than extreme sports and powder-capped mountains. As Annabelle White discovered, a spring break in New Zealand can be a delightful visual and culinary experience.
Queenstown, New Zealand is synonymous with skiing and extreme sport activities. If you enjoy snowboarding, jumping off a bridge with a rope attached to your feet or navigating a fast flowing river in a raft with a group of fellow screaming enthusiasts, then this is the destination for you. However, if you are the non-sporty type there’s still so much on offer.
Start thinking scenic driving, stellar wine, good food and shopping, and plan a mini break for spring. It will exceed your expectations on so many levels. Despite the proliferation of old, rustic coaches that spin in and out of town transporting backpackers to and from the airport and shuttle minivans full of nervous tourists enroute to bungy jumping, jet-boating or rafting – you need a car to enjoy all that the region has to offer. Hire a rental car from the airport as this is the best way to take it all in.
In spring you can expect dramatic peaks topped with snow, fresh air with an effervescence reminiscent of inhaling fine champagne, sun with more warmth than you would expect, plenty of spring bulb colour, barren trees about to spring forth with new life, energizing breezes off pristine lakes and craggy rock out-posts covered with wild thyme. It’s little wonder this destination still delights new visitors, and coming here in spring before the very busy summer season is an ideal option.
On arrival head out to a tiny town at the far end of Lake Wakatipu, called Glenorchy. The road to Glenorchy romantically meanders along the shoreline of the lake and it’s easy to find. Just head into town and follow the signposts (allow about one hour for the drive out and one hour back). It is a good road with very few cars and every twist, turn and elevation will delight you as it feels like you’re travelling to a place where only few have gone before. It’s that pristine natural freshness this area provides so well. Head to an old house called the Glenorchy Café where a feed for two of tea, cakes and sandwiches can be had for under $15. Several years ago this unassuming, but friendly café had a significant mention in the prestigious US food magazine Saveur and it has basked in the glory ever since. Mention it on arrival for extra special service with a smile.
Most people head out to Glenorchy in the warmer months to enjoy the Dart River Safari excursions. One of the most popular pursuits involves jet-boating up the river and then leisurely returning down river in a canoe to enjoy the serenity and tranquility of the area.
Just before Glenorchy is Blanket Bay Lodge. The rich and famous discreetly pass through the gates to this awe-inspiring destination where schist, tussock grasses, stone and proximity to the lake (plus sensitive and eco-friendly design) have created a masterpiece. It’s not a cheap sleep, but more a luxurious experience to cherish forever.
As you travel back, the steam from the TSS Earnslaw, the vintage steamship can be seen slowly crossing Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown’s famous ‘Lady of the Lake’ has been in operation since 1912 and was originally designed to carry sheep, cattle and passengers to high country stations around the lake. These days it leaves from the wharf in town and you travel out to Walter Peak High Country Station for a tour and afternoon tea. You might think a trip on this is just too touristy, but on a late spring afternoon the views are spectacular. The golden light of the setting sun on the mountains will delight you and the old steamer does not disappoint.
After your adventures, rejuvenate with a dinner at Amisfield Winery. You need to book and get there early for two reasons. Firstly, the dinner is only available in the early evening and is very popular, and secondly, it’s a wonderful spot to watch the sunset. They have excellent wine tastings and a busy bistro menu during the day but at night opt for the trust-the-chef option for $40. Here, platters of food (depending on what the chef decides) arrive at the table – it could include whitebait, duck, lamb, salmon, vegetables, mash and salad – all with savvy staff who know their wines. All you have to provide is the information about what you can’t eat.
Sit by the open fire and enjoy a majestic view of Coronet Peak out the window. The cool climate wines and fresh food cooked with care is in complete harmony with the view. Clean, pristine, stellar, uncomplicated and dramatic. Not to be missed. Other winery options well worth trying are Carrick Winery and Mt Difficulty Winery (don’t leave town without trying their pinot noir) in Bannockburn. Cromwell and Gibbston Valley Winery on the road to Cromwell (25 mins drive on Highway 6 from Queenstown) both have excellent sampling of wines and cheese, plus a busy café. Some are open for lunch only.
A trip to the very quaint Arrowtown is a delight for any visitor. Walk the main street and enjoy excellent local ice-creams, exquisite homemade chocolates, a good coffee at Joe’s Garage and if an evening meal is needed try Saffron, or for a quick bite try Pesto, the small eatery next door. Locals and visitors alike go there for pizza or simple pasta dishes like pasta and meatballs. After dinner head right next door to the Blue Door. This is a great place to linger and is a small, dark Kiwi version of an intimate English pub complete with leather furniture.
When it comes to staying in Queenstown, the Copthorne Queenstown has some outstanding-valued rooms with full views of the lake. Lie on the bed, sip a gin and watch the late afternoon sun caress The Remarkables mountain range.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel Queenstown is also another great accommodation option. Overlooking stunning Lake Wakatipu, it’s a seriously stylish resort with contemporary New Zealand artwork adorning the walls. And guests don’t have to travel far for fabulous fare because Crowne Plaza’s in-house restaurant, Threesixty, offers an innovative menu of global fusion cuisine that’s served with a side of spectacular views.
If you would like more luxury, then make a booking at the newly opened Spire Hotel right in town and be sure to sample their superb degustation dining at the very intimate in-house dining room called Inspire. Careful attention to design and world-class service makes this a destination in itself.
Walking tracks in Queenstown do not get the attention they deserve. In autumn, walk out from town to Sunshine Bay along the waterway and bush path to collect wild blackberries from the hills above the residential areas. The views are breathtaking. The walk towards the airport from the Copthorne Hotel to the suburb of Frankton is also picturesque and best done in the morning.
However, the best is on the far side of the lake. Drive out to Invercargill Road and pass the airport turn off, go over the little bridge and turn right to Kelvin Heights and go down Willow Place on the right. Park at the end of this picture-pretty street and walk along the track to the end of the golf course – allow an hour each way to enjoy the meandering and easy path. In warmer weather you would be tempted to get into the cold water, as this path is bathed in late afternoon sun and is simply uplifting. You are below houses, almost in people’s gardens and right by the water – extraordinarily beautiful and relatively quiet.
After this walk head back to the shopping district by the airport and have dinner at Hamills. For $30 each you will have a sensible and well-executed dinner, like roast pork and a glass of local wine and a coffee. Sit with the view of the mountains and enjoy the friendly service. Food can be expensive in Queenstown but this family-style restaurant is a bargain and very popular with locals. On a sunny day it’s hard to find a table at lunchtime.
As the plane lifts off and ascends over the Kelvin Heights pathway you have just explored, you will be absorbing all the good times you had and planning a return trip. Despite a busy tourist industry, Queenstown still feels like a personal best holiday destination, even for the non-sporty.
Travel Facts
getting there
- Air New Zealand flies to Queenstown via Auckland or Christchurch from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns. During peak ski season Air New Zealand offers direct flights. Phone 13 24 76 or visit http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/
- Qantas flies direct to Queenstown from Sydney every week, with more regular flights during the ski season. Phone 13 13 13 or visit http://www.qantas.com/
getting around
- If you’d like to get around yourself, Hertz and Avis both have stations at the airport and all around New Zealand. Phone 13 30 39 or visit http://www.hertz.co.nz/ or phone 136 333 or visit http://www.avis.com.au/
- Free Spirit Touring’s My Itineary option allows visitors to tailor their own Queenstown tours. Call 1300 378 687 or visit http://www.freespirittouring.com/. Grand Pacific Tours, the luxury coach specialists, can also arrange tours of Queenstown. Call 1800 622 768 or visit http://www.grandpacifictours.com/
where to stay
where to dine
tips
- At the time of writing $AUD1 = $1.13 New Zealand dollars (NZD)
further information
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