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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
Queenstown
Queenstown , on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Otago, is unquestionably one of the most interesting places in New Zealand. The town is pleasantly situated near the lake, and the climate is wonderfully pure and healthy; but it is its great scenery that constitutes its chief claim to attraction, for the Remarkables, on the south-east, 7,650 feet high, Double Cone—on the same range—7,688 feet, Mount Cecil 6,477 feet, and Walter Peak, 5,856 feet, to the south, and Ben Lomond 5,747 feet, to the north, are all more or less in the neighbourhood. It is, therefore, natural that tourists should visit the district in large numbers during the summer months. Winter, however, is recommended as the most suitable time for invalids with pulmonary troubles, as the rainfall is slight, and snow seldom lies on the ground for more than two consecutive days, whilst the days are usually bright and warm with sunshine. There are hard frosts at night, but the cold is dry and crisp, and skating on the ice is practicable as a pastime. There is a well-kept park, and there are many lovely walks in the neighbourhood. Trout abound in the lake, and smaller fish in the adjacent creeks. There are two schools in Queeenstown; the public school, with an average attendance of eighty-four and the Dominican Convent with a large attendance. The town, too, has a Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden, Clerk of Court, Police Office, Land and Survey Department, volunteer corps, Public Trust Agency, Deputy Official Assignee, four Justices of the Peace, Crown Prosecutor, Coroner, Lodge of Oddfellows, Masonic Lodge, a mining agent, auctioneer, two law firms, four good hotels, thirteen fire insurance companies, represented by agents, two large meeting halls, a bowling club, a boating club, a county Jockey Club, established in 1866, an acclimatisation society, a cricket club, a football club, a brass band under a good master, and a hospital at Frankton, four miles from Queenstown, under the control of trustees. There are several general stores, drapery and grocery establishments, watchmakers, fancy goods dealers, photographers, and blacksmiths. Queenstown has four churches—those of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Methodist bodies. The borough is the county town of Lake county, and the offices of the Council stand in Ballarat street. The settlement dates from the year 1863, when the Shotover “rush” attracted diggers from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. Beach Street, on the shore of the Lake, was the site of the canvas township, which then sprang up, and in those days it was an ordinary thing to see from 150 to 200 pack-horses on the scene, and so mixed in coming and going that fighting and kicking were common amongst them, and occasionally fully a thousand horses belonging to diggers were out at grass in the gorge near Queenstown. The communication at that time was by the lake from Queenstown to Kingston, and by road to Invercargill. Now, however, in addition to excellent communication by Government steamers and a private oil launch on the lake, there are splendid coach services with Pembroke twice a week, with Cromwell and Alexandra three times a week, and with Arrowton practically daily; and, of course, there is a daily service between Kingston and Invercargill and Dunedin, with the intermediate towns and districts.