nzflag(1).gif (9615 bytes)        S/V TETHYS

Touring New Zealand by Car
December 2000, February, March 2001
Queenstown Boom town
We stopped at Queenstown because of the Top Ten Campground and not because of the tourist attractions. Every conceivable attraction is centered here. Bungy jumping was invented at Queenstown. Planes and helicopters fly over the Shotover River while jet boats scream through the rapids and tight rock infested turns. There is a cable car to the top of the local hill and a steamship ride on the lake.

We came for the scenery and to see the nearby Arrowtown. The day was partly cloudy and as the sun set it illuminated the mountain range across the lake from beneath the cloud layer making a lovely sunset shot.

Queenstown sunset (8204 bytes)
Steamship Earnslaw (12024 bytes) The TSS Earslaw, a steam driven ship, takes people on a tour across the lake to an Alpine sheep farm. We watched from the shore and took a couple pictures. TSS Earmslaw coming into dock (13839 bytes)
The Shotover River is where gold was first discovered in Otago causing a gold rush. Queenstown became a large town to support the miners. The TSS Earnslaw was the largest ship to be assembled at Kingston, where the railway terminated, to transport miners to Queenstown.

The gorge beneath this bridge is where one of the jet boat concessions operate. Luckily I got a picture without the boat.

'Shotover' is a corruption of 'Chateau Vert'. Why Chateau Vert we don't know, but there it is!

 Bridge over the Shotover river (16639 bytes)
bungie jump bridge (13877 bytes) This gorgeous suspension bridge is the home to the worlds first bungy jump. I managed to get a photo from the opposite side although the enthusiasts can be seen lined up on the bridge. It costs $125 NZ to jump.
If you want to spend a lot of money for entertainment, Queenstown is certainly the place to go.
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