All Aboard - Voyaging Lake Wakatipu on a 110 year old Steamboat.

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Queenstown, New Zealand.. hands down one of the most beautiful and picturesque places on planet earth. 


The city thrives economically on tourism all year round, especially in the winter months with some of the best skiing and snowboarding mountain ranges around. 


In the summer months it’s still an extremely popular travel destination, with a wide variety of adrenaline based activities such as skydiving, mountain biking, hiking to name a few. Whatever time of the year, Queenstown is bustling with tourists, absorbing the breathless beauty it possesses. 


All Aboard The TSS Earnslaw 

If you ever holiday to Queenstown, then a trip around Lake Wakatipu is a Must, and what better way to do it than aboard the famous TSS Earnslaw.
Initially constructed in Dunedin, 3 hours east of Queenstown in 1911. It was then disassembled, and carried by train to Kingston located at the bottom end of Lake Wakatipu. It was then reassembled there, and began its first journey on Lake Wakatipu in 1912, making the TSS Earnslaw 110 Years Old.

The initial purpose of this steamboat was for transport for highland farming stations at various points across Lake Wakatipu. It was used to transport livestock, wool bales, and other farming equipment and resources throughout its tenure.

About 50 years ago, the TSS Earnslaw was purchased by a tourism company. The ship has been refurbished in parts, and is used to take tourists across the lake to Walters Peak farm station. A tour is available here of a historic highland farm, with a gourmet Buffett lunch or dinner that you don’t want to miss.

The TSS Earnslaw, returning to the wharf from the previous journey.

And there she is.. beautiful day on the lake so extremely packed at the stern with passengers enjoying the views.

A Little Tour of the Boat

The TSS stands for Twin Screw Steamer. This essentially means it consists of two sets of triple expansion jet condensing steam engines with 500hp. 
In terms of dimensions, the boat weighs a whopping 330 tons, 166 feet long, and 24 feet wide. It can carry just over 1000 passengers, or 100 ton of cargo. 

View of the front deck, and the captains vantage point.

Quick snapshot of the engine room. Wasn't able to get any closer unfortunately. 

Inside the lower level passengers compartment. The boat has been refurbished on the interior, decked out with some beautiful red velvet, and treated timbers.

The Spectacular Views Across Lake Wakatipu

We were blessed with the most beautiful afternoon we could ask for, with endless blue skies. This made the views that much more stunning. There was a dumping of snow on the mountains a couple of mornings ago, which looked amazing. A lot of the snow had melted by the time of this journey however, but was still beautiful nonetheless.

Enjoying a local Hazy Pale Ale on the front deck as we make our way to Walters Peak.

View of an example of the type of terrain that surrounds the lake. 

We Made It - Walters Peak Station
From Queenstown to Walters Peak was a 35 minute voyage, soaking up the beautiful views Wakatipu had to offer. 
There’s either an option for just a return boat trip, or you can hop off to explore the historic Walters Peak highland farm, with a gourmet BBQ Buffett included. At an extra cost of course, well worth it if you ask my wife though.

Absolutely stunning, as we approach our destination.

The view as we depart the boat, and enter the estate via the wharf.

How about that, couldn’t ask for a better dinner time view.

Beautiful open fireplace inside the dining room. Nothing reminds me of home, more than a fireplace.. don’t see too many in Brisbane 

Few photos of the side dishes at the gourmet Buffett. Got a little excited about all the BBQ and Roast meats and forgot to get some snaps. Local Roast Lamb, Beef, Pork, Chicken, and Fish we’re all provided, with plenty of seafood options too.

After a fantastic Buffett dinner, we still had about an hour to explore the area. We went and watched a dog show for a bit, watching one of the farm dogs round up a flock of sheep on a massive highland hill. Easy work for a very intelligent and skilled dog. 
We then took a few finals photos of the TSS Earnslaw and the amazing surrounding views before we headed back to Queenstown.

It was an amazing experience, and we couldn’t have asked for a better evening.

If your ever lucky enough to travel to Queenstown for a holiday, I highly recommend jumping aboard the TSS Earnslaw and exploring the fascinating 110 year old steamboat.

The surrounding views are picturesque, and Walters Peak Farm Station is a hidden gem that feels like your hidden away in another realm. 
Amazing experience, I hope you all enjoyed.

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