Running away from the Masses – A short escape to Queenstown Gardens, New Zealand

Queenstown could rightly claim the title of “Adventure Capital” of New Zealand. You can participate in virtually every high adrenalin sport here including snow skiing, parachuting, luge riding, jet-boating and careering down mountains at break-neck speed on pushbikes.

For the more ‘normal’ tourists there are gondola rides, wine tastings, steam boat rides and endless Lord-of-the-Rings activities.

With all that on offer, it means Queenstown can be very busy and a tad overwhelming at times, especially near the wharf area. Thank goodness the Queenstown Gardens offer a short reprieve from all that frenetic activity and commercial onslaught.

Join me for a gentle wander…

I had returned to Queenstown after a wonderfully peaceful stroll on the Milford Track and wasn’t interested in throwing myself into the thick of Queenstown’s tourist/commercial hubbub. All I wanted was a gentle stroll to stretch my legs and the Gardens fitted the bill nicely, thank you.

As far as gardens go, Queenstown Gardens are neither large nor fancy, but they do have an interesting history.

“From early Maori times members of Waitaha, Kati Mamoe and Kai Tahu passed through the Wakatipu on visits to gather food and pounamu (greenstone) at the head of the Lake. The records show that some six generations before European contact there was a Kati Mamoe settlement at Queenstown Bay, and it is inferred that defences from Kai Tahu attack would have been constructed on this peninsula with its wide views in all directions.

There was no Maori settlement when the first European explorers reached the lake in the mid-1850s, nor when William Rees and Nicholas von Tunzelman came in 1860, and took up land for sheep-farming. The gold rush began in 1862 and it soon became apparent that Queenstown would be a permanent settlement. In 1864 the Otago Provincial Council with the Queenstown Improvement Society called a public meeting ‘for the purpose of selecting and deciding (among other things) upon a site to be set aside as a public recreation ground.’ At its first meeting after being elected in 1866, the inaugural Municipal Council selected the Queenstown peninsula to be the public reserve. In 1867 the Council spent £20 on trees, and two English oaks were planted.” Source: Queenstown Historical Society

Located a short 5-minute (if that) walk from Queenstown’s CBD, the Garden area covers a ridgeline that pokes out into Lake Wakatipu. The entire gardens are criss-crossed with walking trails and you can decide whether you want to walk up and down the ridgeline or amble around the water’s edge. It was definitely going to be an amble day for me.

As is my wont, I got going early and joined the other early morning walkers, joggers and cyclists, enjoying the fresh air or commuting to an early start at work. At various points adjacent to the path, there are interpretive signs describing the history of the area, as well as the background on various flora, fauna and environmental initiatives. At one stage I strolled past a whole row of beehives that have been placed in the park to assist with pollination. I like that each hive was sponsored by a local business. A nice bit of environmental stewardship.

Taking the path that skirted both the gardens and the edge of the lake, I was absolutely spoilt for sweeping views. Even though it was still quite early, the sky was sprinkled with colourful parachutists launching themselves off the top of Bob’s Peak and floating, dipping and diving their way back down to Queenstown. I should have given that a crack instead of ziplining!

Out on the water, tourist businesses were cranking up with jet boats motoring out for their first high speed ride of the day, paragliders were bobbing behind other much slower boats, and individual canoeists did their best to avoid the chaos and choppy boat wash. So much for my peaceful stroll.

On I wandered, dodging dogs and owners glued to their mobile phone screens. I was tempted to sit on one of the many benches overlooking the water, but I hadn’t earned a rest just yet.

Eventually the wide, flat paths took me right around the other side of the ridge and, if time had allowed, I could have kept following the path all the way out to Frankton (near the airport) and beyond. That will have to wait for another visit.

Instead, I turned up the hill to cross the ridgeline and return to my starting point. On top of the ridge, I discovered ponds, flower beds, some sculpture and an old bandstand. This was more like the public gardens I was expecting, but even that was very low key.

By now, the paths were becoming even busier and it was time to return to town to do some jobs in preparation for my next walking adventure. I had only covered 1.8km in the Gardens, so hardly physical preparation for my next trek, but it was the mental downtime I was seeking.

Not a lot to see, but a nice place to be.

Do you have one of those nice places which soothes your soul?

The Basics

What: The Gardens cover an area of 14.75 hectares (36.4 acres) and toilets are found on the Promenade adjacent to the lakeside entrance. There is also an extensive children’s play area including a musical boardwalk which played musical notes as you walked along. I was dying to have a go at that as maybe I am just a big kid at heart?

Where: The Gardens can be accessed from multiple directions with the main entrance on Park St, Queenstown.

When: You could walk here at any time of the year and would be perfect for a walk on a Monday. The large, old trees provide plenty of shade and protection from the elements.

Why: For a little break from Queenstown’s tourist traps.

How: Walk there by following the lake edge from the wharf area or you can drive and park at the skating rink.

Who: This place is for everyone. It’s not fancy, but is peaceful and beautiful.

Related Posts: For some slightly more sophisticated gardens, but with the same peaceful feeling, pop into the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart.

Related Blogs: Bailey is a Queenstown local and she loves the Gardens too.

Read About it: For an enjoyable read about the early colonial history of New Zealand, especially during the Gold Rush era, grab a copy of The Illuminaries by Eleanor Catton. It’s a BIG book, but it is fascinating as she takes you on a murder mystery romp told from about 12 different perspectives. 

#travelinspo #Queenstown #adventurebeforedementia #shortwalks #NewZealand #LandoftheLongWhiteCloud #QueenstownGardens #gardenrambles #escapethecrowds #greatoutdoors #waterviews #exploreonfoot #daywalks #morningwalks #foresttrails #gondola rides #paragliding #lugerides #ziplining