TSS Earnslaw & Walter Peak
TSS Earnslaw
A coal-fired steamboat launched in 1912 that crosses Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak high-country farm, with sheep shearing and sheepdog demonstrations on the far shore.
TSS Earnslaw is one of the few coal-fired steamships still operating in the Southern Hemisphere. From the central Queenstown steamer wharf, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the Walter Peak high-country farm on the far shore. There you can visit the boiler room and sing together on board. The farm programme includes sheepdog demonstrations, sheep shearing, feeding alpacas and afternoon tea, and there are also packages with a barbecue dinner. Cruise-only return fares start at about NZD 90, and farm packages cost more. The steamer is often out of service for several weeks of maintenance each winter, so check the official website before setting out.
Opening hours
Multiple daily departures, about 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Nearby sights
- Fergburger
- Queenstown Gardens
- Kiwi Birdlife Park
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola
- Queenstown Hill
- Shotover Jet
- Ben Lomond Track
- Onsen Hot Pools