december-2009

Right Royal
Fun.
Simon
Queenstown is one of the world’s iconic
ski destinations and come summer it’s
also a mecca for some great adventures
Golf
Now New Zealand’s number one golfi ng
destination, Queenstown is home to fi ve
18-hole championship golf courses, three of
which are rated in the country’s top 10. So
whatever your handicap, Queenstown has a
course for you — here are just a few. You can
tee off beside Lake Wakatipu at Queenstown
Golf Club (759 Peninsula Rd, Queenstown, tel:
+64 (3) 442 9169); play in the shadows of the
Remarkables mountain range at Jacks Point
(Remarkables Woolshed Rd, Queenstown,
tel: +64 (3) 450 2050); get to grips with NZ’s
fi rst resort course, the Millbrook (Malaghans
Rd, Arrowtown, tel: +64 (3) 441 7010);
practise your swing on possibly the country’s
fi nest course, The Hills (164 McDonnell Rd,
Arrowtown, tel: +64 (3) 409 8290); or take
a putt among historic stone cottages at
Tim Kershaw, owner,
Queenstown Golf Centre
“People are always saying how unique the
landscapes of the golf courses are here. Th ey’re
incredible — wherever
you play you never feel
like you played the
same hole twice.”
Photo: Fly Fishing Expedition
WORDS CRAIG TANSLEY
Arrowtown Golf Club (166 Centennial Ave, tel:
+64 (3) 442 1719). Check out the Queenstown
Golf Centre (48 Camp St, Queenstown, +64
(3) 442 5311) for more information or call
Remarkable Golf Tours on +64 (274) 653 888.
Hiking (Tramping)
The Queenstown region offers some of the
world’s best hikes, although here you call it
“tramping”! If you’re game, the Milford Track
— a 53.5km jaunt through World Heritagelisted
forest fi nishing at Milford Sound — is
one of the world’s best walks. You can attempt
it alone or as part of a guided group (tel: +64
(3) 355 0492). For less pain, you can walk
the 16km-return day walk up the Routeburn
Track through ancient beech forest into the
mountains of Mt Aspiring National Park
(NZ Walks offers guided walks for NZ$230
(AU$188) for adults, NZ$125 (AU$102) for
children, tel: +64 (3) 442 7126). Or take a
half-day walk through the relics of the 1860s
gold rush in nearby Arrowtown, or a half-day
walk beside Queenstown’s spectacular lakes
(tel: +64 (3) 442 7126).
On The Water
With average temperatures in the high
20s you’ll want to get out on Queenstown’s
world-famous lakes and rivers.
Jet boating was invented here, and there’s
nowhere more thrilling to take your fi rst ride
than down the Shotover River. A ride costs
NZ$109 (AU$89) for adults and NZ$69
(AU$56) for children (tel: +64 (3) 442 8570).
Paddle through Skippers Canyon on the
fast-fl owing river with Queenstown Rafting;
The rewards are great for those who take
the time to fl y fi sh around Queenstown
LEFT: The Millbrook Resorts golf course
Wilkinson,
Queenstown fi shing guru and guide
“Th ere’s stunning fi shing for rainbow trout,
brown trout and quinnat salmon around
Queenstown, and it’s quite reasonable to
expect not to see another fi sherman all
day. Serenity, solitude,
stupendous scenery and
bloody big trout — now
that’s hard to beat!”
or for a gentler experience, try the slower
waters of the Kawarau River. Both are half-day
experiences for NZ$175 (AU$143), where the
minimum age is 13 (tel: +64 (3) 442 9792).
For an even slower aqua-experience, drift
the edges of Queenstown’s lakes on a boat
looking for New Zealand’s most famous fi sh
— the mighty brown trout. Dreamwaters offers
half-day fi shing adventures for two fi shermen
for NZ$500 (AU$408; tel: +64 (21) 228 3473).
Or try a multi-day fl y-fi shing expedition with
one of the country’s best trout fi shermen,
Simon Wilkinson (tel: +64 (3) 442 1950).
Kids Will Love
One of the best ways to spend a day with
the kids is, fortuitously, one of the cheapest
options in Queenstown. Take a gondola ride up
to Bob’s Peak for views over the entire region,
then come hurtling 800m down a track on
an old-fashioned luge ride. It’s safe for kids of
all ages, with two tracks to choose from. The
gondola and luge costs NZ$30 (AU$24.50) for
adults, NZ$20 (AU$16.30) per child or NZ$79
(AU$64.50) families (Brecon St, Queenstown,
tel: +64 (3) 441 0101).
DECEMBER 2009 21
FIT TO GO