Queenstown to Te Anau

TSS Earnslaw, Queenstown

Lovely sunny morning but still with a cool southerly wind. Bade farewell to Queenstown and rejoined Highway 6 heading south. The road ran along the Remarkables, a jagged mountain range just outside Queenstown, and afforded more splendid views of mountains and Lake Wakatipu. After Kingston, at the southern tip of the lake, the countryside flattened out, the weather clouded over and became a bit bleak. Stopped for coffee at the Lazybones Cafe in Athol, on recommendation of the Lonely Planet, and were not disappointed.

Ayres Range Southland scenery

Road continued flat and and uninspiring. Left Highway 6 at Five Rivers to head for Te Anau. Takimuto Mountains began to appear to the south of us and, in the distance (which was west) the Fiordland mountains loomed. Countryside began to get a bit more interesting and we stopped for lunch at a little World Heritage site where ancient miniature pines grew in moss, an example of post-glacial landscape that used to be common but is now rare due to "european pastoralisation".

World Heritage post-glacial landscape

Countryside now became greener and pastoral with many fields of sheep, cows and deer. We saw several different kinds of deer. Venison farming seems to be common here and, indeed, venison is frequently on the menu in NZ restaurants.

Arrived in Te Anau in the sunshine in early afternoon. It's a pleasant, small town on the shores of Lake Te Anau, looking across at the wilderness mountains of Fiordland. Went for a walk along the shore, past the small man-made harbour and into a lakeside park where we sat and soaked up the sun for a bit. Wrestled with the internet on our motel room, then headed out for dinner in the town, which has a good choice of restaurants for such a small place.

Extraordinary seven person bicycle for hire in Te Anau

Te Anau lakeside