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January 2025 (Part 13)

New Zealand Trip - Day Twelve: Queenstown and Arrowtown

Adventures By Disney - Day Eleven: Wakatipu Wonders

We headed up into the hills surrounding Queenstown a bit to reach Arrowtown, a gold-rush town set in the beautiful, glacier-carved Arrow basin.  We had a bit of time to wander around before taking a bike ride down the Arrow River Bridges Trail, part of the Queenstown Trail system, with our guide Katy (and one whose name I couldn't remember).  This was one of the few days where is rained, but the light rain really didn't bother us much and let up before the ride was over. 

One of the curves in the Queenstown Bike Path along the river lead by a small goat enclosure, where we all stopped to feed them.

The path crossed the river a couple times.  We had to walk out bikes across this bridge.

A bit muddy from the rain.

The ride ended at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge, also known as Bungy Bridge and the site of the invention of bungy jumping. 

We met our bus there and headed a short while away for lunch and wine tasting at Gibbston Valley Winery, the regions oldest winery which stored its barrels in a cave dug into the hillside.

Andy, Ben and Julie, and Brian and Deborah all decided to go back to bungy jump.  Steve went along to take pictures and provide independent proof they actually did it.  Once they got checked in and weighed, everyone headed out on the bridge to get suited up in the harness.

Ben, Julie, Brian, and Deborah all went, then it was Andy's turn.  They were alternating with some people entering on the far side, and the younger girl in front of Andy froze.  Was worried this might impact him, but he brushed it off.

Way to go Andy!  Definitely laughed at their restroom sign.

Here are the images provided by the company, AJ Hackett Bungy NZ, which had cameras everywhere.  You could request to stay dry or get dunked, but the warning was that if you got dunked it might be with most of your torso or more.  All five decided to stay dry, but still came close to touching the water.

We made it back in time to depart for the group Farewell Dinner.  We all boarded the TSS Earnslaw (TSS stood for Twin Screw Steamer - yes, Steve asked) for a ride across the lake to the Walter Peak High Country Farm, a large sheep ranch, really large and known for its merino wool.  The ship was 166 feet long and was still coal fired to produce a maximum speed of 13 knots.  The parts of the ship were fabricated in Dunedin, then assembled and launched in 1912.  She could carry 1,035 passengers and cargo around the lake, providing service to the many isolated sheep stations until better roads curtailed its business in the 1960s.

Loved the paper straws with bees on them.  Too bad we forgot to ask for one to take to Lexi.

We even found a beautiful model of the ship the next day in a restaurant on the lake.  Not sure of the date, but the ship's configuration had sure changed to add an upper deck.

The ship still ran on a coal-fired boiler, and we soon discovered we could go inside on a walkway to see one person shoveling the coal.

Some wonderful views of the mountains surrounding Lake Wakatipu along the ride.

Upon arriving at the ranch, we headed off to the side for a dog herding demonstration, where we met Quinn and his dog, Kim, a nine-year old short-haired border collie.  He explained this is the preferred breed in New Zealand, with some trained dogs fetching over $30K after some competitions.  Laughed at the presentation notes taped to the pole and facing away from the audience.  Quinn also talked about the sheep, explaining that only the merino wool provided a profit and most of the sheep were raised to sell as lambs for food.

Kim lay quietly until called, then excitedly moved off with Quinn to get to work.

There was a large bull in the next pasture, glad the dog didn't need to go herd him. 

Kim was sent off after the sheep up on the hill, staying to the far side of the pasture as she raced to the top to ensure they didn't move until he was above them to ensure they went in the right direction.  As she kept going well past them, Quinn explained she was checking to ensure no sheep were over the ridge and out of sight.

The sheep started moving quickly once Kim started heading back down,  She never really had to get that close to keep them going in the right direction.

Quinn was waiting to close the gate.

I forget what happened, but I think Quinn let the sheep back out and Kim was soon off again, tongue hanging out and happy to be working.

This time they went all the way into an inner pen.

Well done Kim.  Quinn explained that she didn't get a treat as a reward, as they could be working for several hours.  Instead, on command she immediately lay down for a belly rub.

We got to pet her some too as more reward (well at least she seemed to like it).

Some interesting clouds after the rain blew through.

After the demonstration, we headed inside the main building for a buffet dinner.  Steve naturally liked the logo for their restaurant.  We all enjoyed the steak barbeque and buffet.

We had a private room for our farewell dinner where Tiffany and Nettie presented a slide show of our trip.  The had people come up who were celebrating their anniversaries on the trip, then brought up Andy to celebrate his graduation from NUPOC.

Eventually time to get back on the ship for the ride back.