 Queenstown, view from Bob's Peak | ||
| Queenstown | ||
| region | Otago | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 13.300 | |
other value for residents on Wikidata: 13533, 16000   | ||
| Tourist info | 64 3 441 0700 Queenstown | |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Queenstown is a city in Queenstown Lakes District in the center of the South islandNew Zealand. The city is known as the Mecca of fun sports, for example commercial bungee jumping was invented here. Queenstown is located on Lake Wakatipu, which is bordered by high mountains.
background
The founding of Queenstown goes back to William Gilbert Rees, who founded a sheep farm on Lake Wakatipu. When the gold rush set in a few years later, the initially hapless farmer was able to supply the gold prospectors with food and necessary goods. After several decades of tranquility and tranquility, Queenstown has developed into an up and coming tourist metropolis that benefits from both Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains, with the fun factor always playing a role.
getting there
By plane
Queenstown Airport with the IATA code ZQN is a little east of the city in Frankton. He has mostly connections after Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, but also to Sydney or Melbourne. Also out in the winter season Brisbane.
It is a good idea to end your journey from the North to the South Island in Queenstown. Then you can go with Emirates via Sydney and Dubai fly back to Germany.
By bus
In the street
You can only get on that SH 6 to Queenstown.
- From the north and the west coast the route leads over Haast, Wanaka and Arrowtown to Queenstown
- From the east you come on the SH 8 above Alexandra and Cromwell to the SH 6 at Arrowtown
- The way comes from the south Invercargill and Lumsden.
mobility
Dynamic cardsSights and activities
First and foremost, the scenic beauties are to be admired. On the one hand, there is the location on Lake Wakatipu. The old steamship of the TSS earnslaw Set against numerous young and slim sailing boats, opposite the pier is the peninsula with the park Queenstown Garden, in between there are some venerable houses, the Anglican church St. Peters and the monument to the city's founder, Rees. From the stairs to the Brecorn Street you have a nice view of the town.
Lake Wakatipu
The small port immediately shows what is important here: water sports. A sleek sailing yacht with the number catches the eye NZL 14, who will be a participant in America's Cup want to feel is right here. There are also boats that allow water skiing, paragliding and other sports. Oh yes, there are kayaks and normal row boats too. If you have some time, you can Underwater observatory visit, it's right next to the jetboat dock. And the lake offers another special feature to the patient observer: its water level rises and falls about every 6 minutes by about 7 cm, sometimes a little more. The Maori have the simplest explanation: the giant Tipua sleeps at the bottom of the lake, his breathing causes the phenomenon.
Skyline Complex
A ride with the gondola on the Skyline complex offers a fantastic view of the city, Lake Wakatipu and the rock face of the Remarkables. At the same time you can enjoy a coffee, one Maori haka watch or even the Bungy jumpers watch. Sometimes you can see too Paraglider Fly by in tandem. And you are welcome to take part in these sports. Or you can start a helicopter tour over the area. There are also numerous well-marked hiking trails up to the Ben Lomond.
Walter Peak Farm
 Pier at the Walter Peak Farm |  Dog and herd |  Sheep shearing |  Walter Peak Farmhouse Homestead |
The Walter Peak Hochland Farm is well worth a trip. You can reach them with the TSS earnslaw on a leisurely journey, for the 11 km, the smoking old lady needs a good half an hour, in which you don't know whether you should rather admire the landscape or the still functional machine in the belly of the ship. On the farm you get an impression of the work with the sheep and sheepdogs, you can see sheep shearing and the spinning of the wool. Red deer and highland cattle are also kept on the farm. Horseback rides are also part of the offer.
Jetboat & Co
There are several mountain rivers in the Queenstown area that are ideal for adrenaline-pumping sports. It starts with Dart River, whose cold water from Dart glacier and which flows into the Wakatipu at Glenorchy, it continues with the outflow of the lake into the valley of the Kawarau, and last but not least is its wild tributary Shotover with his way through the Skippers Canyon a popular driving route for the Jetboats. These are boats that you usually get on dry and almost always leave dripping wet and totally shaken. And almost everyone had a lot of fun. Wildwater Rafting is also a way to move on these rivers, Bungy jumping is also often offered here. There are Mountain bikes and Jeep safaris almost boring but still popular activities in these valleys. And maybe one or the other thinks about how the good old days were, when up to 50 kg of gold were still found in Shotover every day.
Kiwi Birdlife Park
- Kiwi Birdlife Park. This park, where native birds are bred and shown, is right next to the valley station of the gondola. Also worth seeing is the replica of a Maori village.
Winter sports
Two ski areas also have Queenstown's reputation as St. Moritz of the South introduced: the Remarkables and Coronet peak.
shop
The main shopping street is the Shotover Street - for tourists. There is a shopping center just across the street and there are numerous shops in the adjacent pedestrian zone.
kitchen
There are numerous restaurants and cafes in the city center, mainly in the pedestrian zone. The restaurants on Camp Street and Stanley Street are cheaper and are mostly frequented by younger people than those in the center.
- Speights Ale House, Stanley / Ballarat Street. Tel.: 64 (0)3-441-3066.
- Beefeater Steak House, on Shotover Street. Tel.: 64 (0)3-442-9149. Small but fine menu, mainly steaks, salad bar.
- HMS Britannia, The Mall, in the pedestrian zone, on the 1st floor. Tel.: 64 (0)3-442-9600.
nightlife
accommodation
Cheap
- Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park. The best campsite in NZ.
- Bungy backpacker, about 5-10 minutes walk from the center. Very friendly, clean and yet cheap.
medium
Upscale
- Scenic Suites Queenstown, located on Stanley Street a few hundred meters from the city center. Tel.: 64 (0)3-442-4718.
Learn
Work
security
- General emergency number is 111.
- Police Tel. 03-441-1600
health
- 2 Lakes District Hospital, 20 Douglas St, Frankton, Queenstown 9300. Tel.: 64 (0)3-4410015, Fax: (0)3-4423305.
Practical advice
- 3 i-SITE Visitor Information Center, 22 Shotover St, Queenstown 9300. Tel.: 64 (0)3-4424100, Email: [email protected].
- Post Office, Camp Street, Tel. 03-442-7670. Open: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-5: 30 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
trips
- Day trips are organized by various operators from Queenstown Milford Sound offered. These tours start in the early morning hours and be prepared to spend ten hours on a bus that day (5 hours one way). Alternatively, quite expensive flights to the fjord are also offered.
- Located at the western end of Lake Wakatipu Glenorchy. In addition to the starting point of the Routeburn tracks and other paths offer a good opportunity to explore the surrounding area on horseback.
- It is much quieter in the area than in Queenstown Arrowtown to. In addition to the disused gold mines and a few remains of a Chinese settlement, the former gold rush town has many small boutiques and shops, as well as a large number of bars, bistros and restaurants.
