Walter Peak Station

The story

Walter Peak Station Queenstown: High Country Dining and Conservation on the Lake

The Steamship Journey

Walter Peak Station rests on the shores of Lake Whakatipu in Queenstown, reachable only via the hand-fired TSS Earnslaw steamship. Les and Lady Olive Hutchins rescued the 1912 vessel from scrap in 1968 and built an operation centered on sharing and protecting the region's wilderness. Passengers watch the coal engines work below deck during the return cruise before disembarking at the high country farm. RealNZ launched extensive ecological restoration here in 1970, beginning the removal of wilding pines and replanting native trees to heal the slopes.

Farm Dining and the Homestead

The kitchen prepares a buffet-style barbecue using organic meats and garden vegetables grown on the estate. Guests eat at the Colonel's Homestead, a central building that accommodates everything from casual afternoon teas to private conservation dinners. The menu highlights local produce and garden-to-table dishes that reflect the property's own agricultural output. Sheepdogs demonstrate their skills in the paddocks, reinforcing the working farm atmosphere where visitors can meet livestock and learn about daily operations.

Conservation and Recognition

This commitment to the land placed Walter Peak on the 2026 Cuisine Good Food Guide as a destination not to be missed in Queenstown. The farm runs active trap lines for native wildlife and manages wetland restoration projects along the lake edge. Revenue from dining and tours funds predator control measures and native plantings across the rural tourism zone. Visitors engage with these efforts through eco-tours and educational programs that showcase how tourism supports biodiversity in New Zealand's alpine regions.