A commanding 1800m high, Walter Peak is regularly visited by the TSS Earnslaw steamship as it ferries passengers to the base of the mountain to experience Walter Peak High Country Farm.
Legend has it adventurous pioneers William Rees and Nicholas Von Tunzelman flipped a coin for which side of the lake to settle on in the late 1850s. Rees got the Queenstown side and Von Tunzelman Walter Peak.
In the late 1880s, the Mackenzie family took over Walter Peak and farmed the area for 80 years, establishing the Colonel’s Homestead in 1908. Unfortunately, fire damaged the iconic building in 1977 and it was then carefully reconstructed.
In 2014 Real Journeys embarked on a major conservation project, the Walter Peak Land Restoration Project, after buying the farmland around Colonel’s Homestead. After clearing 155 hectares of non-native trees and weeds, pockets of native bush have been planted and a walkway created.
Walter Peak offers visits to the high country farm and a ride on the TSS Earnslaw.
Get a taste of what life is like on a working farm with a walking tour of the farmyard, including time to explore the beautiful, sprawling gardens and plenty of opportunities to get up close with the animals. With sheep herding and shearing demonstrations this is a slice of New Zealand farming like no other.
Savour the delicious flavours at the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant. Relax in the charming restaurant ambience, the heart of the stately homestead at Walter Peak.
At Real Journeys we offer a variety of experiences in some of the most beautiful places on earth. Our Queenstown experiences, the iconic TSS Earnslaw and Walter Peak High Country Station, play a much-loved part of the town’s history. On your journey along the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail you’ll have the opportunity to discover what makes them so special. To enhance your journey, you have the option of upgrading your cruise on the TSS Earnslaw to include a range of experiences available at Walter Peak High Country Station:
