Wānaka Part 1

After flying to Queenstown I picked up a hire car and drove over to Wānaka which sits on the lake of the same name. The area was fought over by different Maori tribes but supposedly unoccupied when the first Europeans settled. The name means 'sacred knowledge or place of learning'. It has grown very quickly. There were only 600 residents in 1960 and the population increased by 50% between 2005 and 2015 when it reached nearly 8000. Today there are about 13,000 residents. I was here in 2010 and there certainly is a big difference. Along with the rest of NZ it is much busier than before. It's a beautiful setting and great base for adventures in both summer and winter.

View from Mount Iron looking towards Roy's Peak above the lake to the left

One of the places I remember is the Cinema Paradiso started by a chap from Inverness. It has added 2 screens but still features comfy sofas, an intermission for pre-ordered freshly baked cookies and even an old car to watch the movie from in screen one.

Screen 3

I also noticed some Scottish imports in the supermarket:

My first hike was to Diamond Lake and up Rocky Mountain.

From the top good views back to Lake Wānaka with Roy's Peak to the right:

With a good forecast for the next day I postponed my boat trip and headed out early to climb Roy's Peak. Not as early as some though - it's a popular one to do for the sunrise, but I didn't fancy the walk up in the dark. I was at the car park before 8 and it was full! Some vans had obviously overnighted there. It felt a bit like Ben Nevis: easy access, a wide switchback path and some people not dressed for the occasion. And also very busy, but well worth the 1284m climb and 16km total walk.

The path up looking back to Lake Wānaka and the town

Looking north over Lake Wānaka

And so by way of an easier trip I took the half an hour boat trip the next day over to Mou Waho island. After fires and invasive species had destroyed the native flora and fauna this little oasis has been brought back to life with extensive native planting and the reintroduction of the buff weka, a flightless bird. 

Sorley and Arethusa Pool

The little islands behind me sit in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the Pacific!

My last little excursion was up to the Blue Pools on the Makerora River. On the way I drove along neighbouring Lake Hawea with gorgeous views.

Blue Pools

On the track

Cabbage Trees and Lake Hawea

Looking across to where the Lake Hāwea track runs. It's visible just above the water below the left end of the mountains. More on that later...