From the Green to the Grave: A Queenstown Story

(5 reviews)

Queenstown, New Zealand audio tour: From the Green to the Grave: A Queenstown Story

This is a 2.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Queenstown, New Zealand

New Zealand

$11.99

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About the Tour

Queenstown has a dramatic history of transformation. On this walking tour, you’ll discover how a remote pastoral homestead on the shores of Lake Wakatipu became a chaotic gold rush camp, before evolving into a world-class resort.

The tour starts at the Village Green, once the epicenter of the 1862 gold rush that transformed the landscape overnight. You’ll walk along narrow streets designed to maximize gold-rush land sales, and past historic stone buildings that survived devastating fires. As you explore the town center, hidden gardens, and breathtaking lakefront, you’ll hear about the characters and events that shaped this remarkable alpine destination.

You’ll discover how the TSS Earnslaw steamship became the lifeline of remote lake communities and how A.J. Hackett’s first commercial bungy jump in 1988 sparked Queenstown’s reinvention as the “Adventure Capital of the World.” The tour ends at the historic Queenstown Cemetery on Brecon Street, offering panoramic views across the town Rees founded.

During this 90-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:

Explore the magnificent Queenstown Gardens, established in 1867 on what was once William Gilbert Rees’s sheep farm
Learn why Lake Wakatipu “breathes,” rising and falling every 27 minutes according to ancient an Māori legend
Visit St. Peter’s Anglican Church with its historic pipe organ dating from 1874
See Williams Cottage, one of Queenstown’s oldest surviving buildings from the gold rush era
Discover the Lake Lodge of Ophir, New Zealand’s oldest Masonic lodge still used for its original purpose
Touch the massive pounamu (greenstone) mauri stone beside Ballarat Bridge for good luck
See the Wakatipu Waka sculpture and learn about its unofficial role in local nightlife traditions
Admire ‘The Remarkables’ mountain range’s imposing peaks from a special viewing platform

Whether you’re fascinated by gold rush history, Māori legends, or simply want to understand how this tiny settlement became a world-renowned destination, this tour is the perfect introduction to Queenstown.

Tour Producer

The Southern Compass

7 tours

Kia ora, I’m Virginia Driver — the creator behind Southern Compass and the voice guiding you through these immersive audio tours of New Zealand’s South Island.

After travelling extensively overseas, I chose to make my home in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, drawn by its dramatic landscapes, layered history, and strong sense of place. That connection to the South Island shapes every tour I create.

My work focuses on helping independent travellers experience places more deeply. These tours go beyond navigation, blending local history, Māori heritage, wildlife knowledge, and lived experience to share the stories that give each location meaning. From rugged coastlines to remote roads, I aim to highlight both the well-known landmarks and the quieter details that are often missed when travelling at speed.

Each tour is carefully researched, scripted, and recorded by me, with routes tested on the road to ensure accurate timing and a smooth listening experience. My storytelling style is personal, informative, and grounded — designed to feel like travelling with a knowledgeable local who knows when to talk and when to let the landscape speak for itself.

These tours are an invitation to slow down, listen closely, and connect with the South Island in a way that’s thoughtful, engaging, and respectful of the places and stories you’re travelling through.

Preview Location

Location 25

Eichardts & William Rees Statue

Stop here on the corner of Ballarat Street and Marine Parade.

Look to your right.

You’re looking at Eichardt’s Hotel — one of Queenstown’s most historic buildings and a fixture of lakefront life since the early days of the gold rush. This site first held the Queen’s Arms... Stop here on the corner of Ballarat Street and Marine Parade.

Look to your right.

You’re looking at Eichardt’s Hotel — one of Queenstown’s most historic buildings and a fixture of lakefront life since the early days of the gold rush. This site first held the Queen’s Arms Hotel, a modest wooden inn built in 1862 by William Gilbert Rees, the pastoralist often called the Father of Queenstown. Rees’s hotel quickly became the social heart of the new settlement, hosting public meetings, the fire brigade, and even the local yacht and jockey clubs.

In 1866, Albert Eichardt, a Prussian immigrant, took over the lease — reputedly after winning the funds in a gold-nugget raffle. With his capable wife Julia, who had already managed the dining room, they transformed it into Eichardt’s Queen Victoria Hotel, famed for its comfort and hospitality. During the 1870s, the Eichardts commissioned architect Frederick Burwell to rebuild the hotel in brick and stone, replacing the timber structure with a grand Victorian Free Classical façade, later touched with Art Deco and Spanish Mission details. Inside were parlours, pianos, and the booking office for Cobb & Co. coaches. Floods on the lakefront occasionally sent boats right through the bar, yet the hotel endured, becoming a cornerstone of New Zealand’s emerging tourist industry.

In front of you you should see the statue of William Gilbert Rees and a sheep, commemorating his pioneering role in Queenstown’s founding. Rees arrived in the early 1860s and established his homestead near the shores of Lake Wakatipu, laying the foundations for what would become the town. Beyond farming, he guided new settlers, mapped the region, ran one of the first stores for miners, and supported the development of roads and community structures. The statue is a tribute to his vision, determination, and lasting influence on the settlement.

Together, Eichardt’s Hotel and the Rees statue tell a story of early Queenstown — of hospitality, enterprise, and the drive to build a lasting community. The hotel represents the collective effort to create social and commercial life, while Rees’ life reminds us of the individual foresight that shaped the town. Standing here, imagine the 1860s lakeside: rough tracks, the lake as a transport route, and a small but growing population of settlers, miners, and tradespeople. This corner captures both the communal and personal histories that continue to define Queenstown today.

Now, keep walking to the left of the statue along the waterfront. Read More

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Major Landmarks

St Peter's Anglican Church
Queenstown Gardens
The Bathhouse
Williams Cottage
War Memorial
Eichardt's Private Hotel
Fergburger
Queenstown Ice Bar
Kiwi Park Queenstown
Skyline Queenstown

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Athol Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Total distance

4km
Final location
51 Brecon Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Distance back to start location

490.53m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins in the Village Green in the centre of Queenstown.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are a number of cafes and restaurants along the way so feel free to stop at any of them. Stop the tour and have a coffee or lunch or dinner at any time. I would highly recommend you go for a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, go up the Gondola and visit the Kiwi Park.

Best time of day

This tour can be done any time of the day though bear in mind some cafes, restaurants and attractions may not be open depending on the time of day.

Precautions

Make sure that you listen to the instructions about crossing roads etc, Queenstown is very busy. Please wait for crossing signals and make sure car stop before you step onto a pedestrian crossing. Also don't assume there are no cars especially if it seems like a pedestrian only area. Very few areas in Queenstown have no cars.

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“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”