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TSS EARNSLAW & WALTER PEAK SHEEP STATION
TSS Earnslaw is a vintage Steamship, she was built in 1912 to service the remote farming communities around Lake Wakatipu including Walter Peak Station.
She was built in Dunedin, 280 kms away then dismantled and railed to Kingston at the southern end of the lake. The NZ Railways was responsible for her operation 66 years and primarily she was used as a cargo sheep and was capable of carrying 1500 sheep and 30 cattle on her decks. Today the Earnslaw carries a maximum of 350 passengers. TSS Earnslaw is one of the last remaining coal fired, passenger carrying vessels still operating in the Southern Hemisphere.
During the 1960's as the road around the lake opened up, the need for her services declined and now she is leased to a private operator.
The cruise today was to take us to Walter Peak Station, the station is nestled under Walter Peak which was named by the first European settler in Queenstown, William Rees. after his son Cecil Walter who was also the first European child born in the Wakatipu area. Originally the station had more than 170,000 acres of land and
TSS Earnslaw
TSS Earnslaw tied up at the Steamer Wharf stocked 40,000 sheep, all managed by a staff of 50
In 1981, 400 acres were divided off to create Walter Peak High Country Farm, Fiordland Travel leases this farm and it is that company that carries out the daily excursions to the homestead.
The evening cruise takes about 4 hrs, of which 2 and a half are spent ashore for the meal at Walter Peak. The homestead is a stunning building right on the shores of the lake nestled into a pretty bay, we arrived at dusk and all the lights had come on, adding to its splendour. It is a Buffet style meal and even included good old kiwi roasted lamb shanks. After the meal we endured a demonstration of dog handling, mustering and shearing a sheep by another Australian.
It was a great evening to be sailing and the return trip in the dark with just the lights of the vessel and a sky full of stars, that seemed to be so much brighter than what they are at home in Auckland (maybe that was because of the wine) The captain gave a commentary about the vessel and did the usual Australian jokes as
TSS Earnslaw
A Hitch-hiker to Walter Peak Station we sailed, I joined him on the bridge at one stage only to find that he actually was Australian himself. The journey home was a musical one as we were handed out a song sheet and asked to join the others at the stern where a grand piano was being played and about 100 or so people had joined in a sing song. I was glad of the song sheet as the tunes were all old, well before my time but funnily enough I caught myself singing along with out having to read the words, songs such as Pokarekare Ana, Lily Marlene, We'll Meet Again, Auld Lang Syne drifted across the lake as we neared our berth back in Queenstown
We shared the drive back home to Cromwell as we were tired, well fed and had enjoyed a fantastic day
Thanks one again to the Kanuk's. Bron, Sakaye, Donna and Dick {😊]
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