Walter Peak

Walter Peak is a mountain on the western shore of Lake Wakatipu, rising to 1,800 meters above sea level with views across the surrounding landscape. The site holds a working farm with traditional buildings and offers visitors experiences related to animal handling and local food.

The mountainside was converted into grazing land for sheep farming by European settlers from the 1860s onward. The Colonel's historic homestead and farm buildings remain from this early settlement period and show how agriculture developed in the region.

The mountain is known in Māori as Kā Kamu-a-Hakitekura, connecting visitors to indigenous heritage and regional traditions. The sheep and working dogs on the farm show how people have lived and worked with this land for generations.

The mountain is most easily reached by the TSS Earnslaw steamship, which runs regularly from Queenstown and takes passengers directly to the farm. Visitors should prepare for steep terrain and variable weather at altitude and arrive dressed appropriately for changing conditions.

Visitors can watch shearers work with sheep and see techniques that have been used for over a century. The demonstration shows craft skills that farm workers still use daily in the region's modern agriculture.