A scenic journey to a beautiful area, now 40 minutes on a sealed road.....
Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy
Visitors to Queenstown now drive to Glenorchy on a sealed road in 40
minutes, but for many years after the first settlement transport was only
by the steamer, TSS Earnslaw, or by a pack track.
What did the guidebooks tell nineteenth century travellers?
"Tours and New Zealand Excursions 1908
Tourist Guide to the Lakes, Mountains and Fiords of Otago and Southland and
Stewart Island"
Printed by the Government Printer
tells readers that to reach Glenorchy they will have to travel 35 miles by
steamer, stopping at Kinloch on the way. The cost of the trip is given as
15s and 11s return.
The Guide gives a lyrical description of the views and recommends that the
trip be taken in late summer. It states that there are three hotels and
gives details of local tramps and climbs.
New Zealand Index
H Wise and Co (N.Z.) Ltd
1925
still states in 1925 that reaching Glenorchy meant a three hour trip in a
steamer with sailings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in summer and Tuesday
and Friday in winter. Tourists are recommended to stay a week rather than
returning on the same day. There is a motor service to Paradise by this
date.
The New Zealand Guide
A Wise Publication 1962
tells readers that a road to Glenorchy is being constructed. A regular
motor service connects Glenorchy with Paradise twelve miles away.
Road construction
For some years there was a gravel road from Queenstown to Closeburn Station
and then a dozed track as far as Bob's Cove.
From the Glenorchy end the Smith family had constructed a road as far as
Cerighton Station, and extended it about 1957 through Bennetts Bluff and
almost to White Point.
In 1957 a contract was let to link the two sections and build a road from
Closeburn Station to White Point. Ian Robinson who worked on this contract
described it as "a dangerous job involving complicated rock work and
explosives on slip-prone country." A serious slip destroyed part of the
road one day before the completion of the contract. A temporary wooden
structure was built after the slip and later a concrete cantilever
bridge.
Travel by Road
The road to Glenorchy was opened in 1962 but remained unsealed until
December 1998.
Along the road
This is sheep farming country and occasionally the traveller is delayed by
a typical high country 'traffic jam'.
Walks along the road
Walks have been developed using parts of the old pack track, and as you
drive along the road there are signposts to tempt the walker to stop and
explore.
Ten kilometres from Queenstown at the Twelve Mile Creek bridge is the start
of the 2-4 hour Twelve Mile Loop Track. On this walk you can see the
evidence of gold mining and gain a view of Lake Dispute. An alternative
is the walk to Lake Dispute - 1.5 hours return. This can be linked to the
Twelve Mile Loop Track. The Lake Dispute-Moke Lake Track - 1.5-2 hours
each way - is also in this area.
Bob's Cove
Observing the seiche
One unique feature of Lake Wakatipu, the frequent fluctuation in its level,
is best seen at Bob's Cove. This variation in level is called a seiche.
In Maori mythology the shape of the lake is described as being the body of
a giant with his knees drawn up - his knees at Queenstown, his feet at
Kingston and his head at Glenorchy, and the fluctuations are said to be the
giant breathing.
Modern scientists think that this is caused by wind, or changes in
temperature and atmospheric pressure. Try putting a marked stick upright
in a sheltered place on the foreshore and you will see the fluctuations for
yourself. The lake rises and falls about 20 cm (8 inches) in Queenstown
Bay every 51 minutes, but at Bob's Cove the level changes every four and a
half minutes because of a transverse seiche across the lake interacting
with the main seiche along its length.
History of Bob's Cove
Southern Maori searching for greenstone used to camp here. Before the road
was opened the Earnslaw used to take picnic parties to Bob's Cove.
In 1880 the Wakatipu Lime Company began quarrying there and processing
limestone. Burnt lime was shipped to Queenstown and used as mortar in
building the courthouse, the old library and the County building. One of
the old lime kilns can still be seen on the Bob's Cove Track and Nature
Trail. This is a twenty minute walk with interpretation panels describing
the vegetation. To supply wood for the kilns native red beech in the area
was logged.
To see a stand of mature red beech and also kowhai, fuchsia and rata trees
choose Bob's Cove Bridle Track, a walk that takes 1.5 hours return.
The walk from Twelve Mile Delta to Bob's Cove takes 2.5-3.5 hours return
and passes terraces which contain some of New Zealand's most interesting
marine deposits.
Photo opportunities
These abound all along the road with magnificent views across the lake and
to Glenorchy and the mountains beyond.
Watch for the notice board with a diagram identifying the mountains at the
head of the lake.
There is much to enjoy in Glenorchy itself. Be sure to read the article
about this place in next week's NZine.
