26 September 2023

A ferry voyage back in time

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By John Rozentals.

TSS Earnslaw: a slice of Queenstown history.

Okay, so Queenstown’s TSS Earnslaw is just a steam-powered relic of a long-passed era. But it is a relic with a wonderful story and it is still an integral part of the fabric of the southern New Zealand city’s highly successful tourism web.

It was launched in 1912, the same year as the Titanic, but there, happily, the comparison ends, for they don’t have icebergs on New Zealand’s Lake Wakatipu and the TSS Earnslaw did complete its maiden voyage, probably the same day it embarked on it.

Anyway, the vessel that quickly became known as ‘The Lady of the Lake’ carried passengers, sheep, cattle, mail and supplies for well over 50 years, providing a vital link for the farmers along Lake Wakatipu with the outside world.

Meticulously restored: how it used to be.

The year 1968 was a memorable one for TSS Earnslaw and it looked like the vessel’s days were up.

It was listed for scrapping and only rescued at the last minute by the owners of Real Journeys, a tourism operation which restored the ferry to its original condition and reset it to work on Lake Wakatipu, this time carrying visitors who responded eagerly to the chance to experience life as it used to be on the lake and the farms that surround it.

Walter Peak: a marvellous look at New Zealand farming.

And one needn’t venture down to the engine room, or even observe the work of the flailing coal shovel or feel the heat of the boilers from the much safer surrounds of the deck above them, to appreciate the meticulous restoration job.

And the TSS Earnslaw is the only hand-fired steamer still in operation in the Southern Hemishhere and the largest vessel on the lake, though providing the local farming community with a very different sort of link with the world.

A demonstration of shearing Kiwi-style.

And one of those farms, the marvellous Walter Peak, is our destination.

I’d love to say Walter Peak is typical, but surely its grace and beauty — and the quality of the barbecue buffet meal — simply cannot be.

And the meal, which includes a huge and mouth-watering selection of seafood, meats, vegies, cheeses and desserts, simpy cannot be done justice to in a single visit. Seconds, perhaps thirds, are obligatory.

Delicious food aplenty at Walter Peak.

Wear off any excess with a walk around the farm and choose a sheltered spot in the covered display venue for the shearing demonstration.

Forget your list of jokes about New Zealanders and sheep. Very clever dogs really do rule this part of the word, where, I’m sure that beloved creator of Footrot Flats, the late Murray Ball, would feel right at home.

And there’s no excuse for returning sober or sombre at the dock in Queenstown. There’s plenty to drink during a lively, piano-accompanied singalong on the cruise back.

Walter Peak; time for seconds, or is it thirds?

All in all, a fine way to spend the afternoon — enjoying a trip on a piece of New Zealand history, indulging in a great meal, learning about the cleverness of some extraordinary canines and the shrewdness of their handlers, and picking up a tune or two.

And what better to finish the day than to curl in the lavish luxury of The Rees and enjoy its splendid view of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables, the string of mountains that really make Queenstown the unforgettable destination it is.

IF YOU GO

Real Journeys, visit www.realjourneys.co.nz.

The Rees Hotel, 377 Frankston Rd, Queenstown, New Zealand; visit www.therees.co.nz.

For general information about Queenstown, visit www.queenstownnz.co.nz.

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