One of the best experiences in Queenstown with kids!
Our kids had the best time in Queenstown on the TSS Earnslaw and at Walter Peak High Country Farm.
While our family spent a month living in nearby Wanaka, New Zealand, we had the pleasure of visiting Queenstown several times. Let us tell you about one of our favorite Queenstown experiences with kids!
What to do in Wanaka New Zealand with kids!
What is the TSS Earnslaw?
You can’t miss that big black and red steam engine on the Lake Wakatipu shore. In fact, if your children are anything like mine, it will be the first thing they see and ask to do!
Built in 1912, this is the longest running steamship in the world and the only steamship left in the southern hemisphere. Coal-powered, at its top speed, it burns through 1 ton of coal per hour.
Prior to disembarkation, the crew loads several tons of coal onto the ship, then they start shoveling! In fact, they will even let you watch from the engine room!
My children loved walking through the engine room where the crew welcomes visitors and is happy to share information about the vintage vessel.
The TSS Earnslaw has hosted both the Queen of England and an American President. Therefore, the boat has lots of claims to fame and will suit you just fine!
You can learn more about this beautiful and historical steamship in the ship’s museum or by visiting the TSS Earnslaw Info center next to the marina.
Having received its name from Earnslaw peak in Queenstown—the reigning peak of Lake Wakatipu, the TSS Earnslaw makes several daily voyages from one end of the lake to the other, but it hasn’t left the lake since its maiden voyage in 1912.
TSS Earnslaw Experience
While the ship itself is a site for the whole family and you will want to walk around it, be sure to grab your seat quickly. They do fill up fast even in off-peak seasons!
I recommend descending immediately to the saloon when you board to find the most comfortable seats and best views of the lake during your cruise! The saloon has covered seating alongside wide windows, so you can enjoy panoramic views without worrying about the weather.
After you get settled, have a peak around the ship, order a drink at the bar, sip a coffee from the café, or enjoy a scoop of gelato.
The TSS Earnslaw has a cook-to-order menu as well as deli choices that make your trip even that much more enjoyable.
Finally, settle into your nearly 1-hour cruise across the lake and enjoy the views of the Remarkables, Mt. Earnslaw, and the many peaks that crown Lake Wakatipu.
Our children were riveted to the unique views and visited the engine room at least 3 times to try to figure out how all the gears and steam power worked together. The trip across the lake would have been a great day out in and of itself.
The parents, on the other hand, enjoyed meeting new people, seeing the lake and mountains from a new angle, and getting glimpses of what life on the remote side of Lake Wakatipu would look like.
Walter Peak High Country Farm
After a comfortable and beautiful ride across the lake, arrive at Walter Peak High Country Farm! The dock greets you with adorable farm houses, green paddocks, and barking working dogs.
Our children immediately noticed the sheep, goats, donkeys, and other animals, while the parents were excited about the restaurant and water views from the porch.
We loved visiting with Dougal –the Scottish cow and star of the animal tour—while we met many of the farm animals!
The staff at the dock are very organized and personable. They quickly sorted us into our tour groups and were on their way.
They even had signs in multiple languages to help direct traffic off the boat.
Farm Tour and Afternoon Tea
While the TSS Earnslaw and Walter Peak Farm experiences range from simply feeding the animals all the way to a formal dinner meal on the water, our family chose the baby bear experience. The afternoon tea and farm experience were just right for us!
The staff get you to your tour right away, so be sure to keep up! We found the entire day to be very fast-paced.
First, we all took a few minutes to get our bearings at Walter Peak. The dock is quite overwhelming as its surrounded by 360 degrees of mountain views and 180 degrees of beautiful lake views.
While the working farm is not visible from the tour area, after the views, the next thing you will notice are the bright green paddocks of baby animals and highland cows!
Our guide let everyone dip from the bucket of feed and interact with the baby animals, the alpaca, the sheep, and the Scottish highland cows, of course!
After we walked around the paddocks, we were dismissed to the restaurant for our afternoon tea. Again, the well-organized staff directed us to our labeled tables.
The afternoon tea was set up buffet style. And, while it felt like a mad frenzy of livestock to the feeding troughs, the food was delicious.
Afternoon Tea Food
Afternoon tea was comprised of a hot and cold drink station, scones with cream and jam, finger sandwiches, and an assortment of beautiful desserts.
In our experience, no form or substance was sacrificed in this bulk-feeding experience! Despite the number of people who were swarming the buffet, each item was beautifully crafted and presented.
Our family was divided on favorites and couldn’t decide between the traditional cheese scone or the beautiful peanut butter tarts. Regardless, we were stuffed and happy before moving on to the farm demonstration.
Sheep and Working Dog Demonstration
After gorging ourselves on sweets and coffee, we made our way to the farm stage. Sheep outnumber New Zealanders by a wide margin, and sheep are one of the most important exports for the country.
Therefore, our farm hosts spent time discussing the different types of sheep and their importance on the farm. One of the farmhands even did a shearing demonstration where he sheared an entire sheep in about 4 minutes.
Our children were shocked at how quickly the sheep were sheared and how much wool came from one sheep. They even took some wool as a souvenir.
Finally, we were delighted by a sheep dog demonstration, where one of the farm’s working dogs was sent up the side of a mountain to corral about 10 sheep through a gate and back through. It was remarkable to see the intelligence of these dogs in person!
Working dogs are incredibly important to sheep farms. Dogs save the farmer a lot of hard work and costs, of course. But they also keep the sheep much calmer and safer than using quad bikes or other more aggressive corralling methods.
TSS Earnslaw Tour and Farm Experience with Kids
I highly recommend taking even just a ride on the TSS Earnslaw. It’s a beautiful steamship, a little piece of history, and a unique way to experience Queenstown with kids.
However, it is also the gateway to several other unique experiences like Walter Peak Farms and a delicious afternoon tea.
The total cost of the tour was a great value for our family. For the cost of just one experience, we rode on a boat, learned about steam engines, saw unique lake and mountain views, fed and pet animals, ate a delicious lakefront tea, and learned a little bit about culture and farming in New Zealand.
Of all of the experiences that we have had in New Zealand, this was one of the highlights. What better way to spend a beautiful day than aboard a historical ship, watching the lake pass you by, and sharing a meal with your family?
Book your TSS Earnslaw experience here.
Wondering what else to do in Queenstown with kids? Check this out!
