A Different 2009: New Zealand - Queenstown

Queenstown

Queenstown is New Zealand’s premier four season lake and alpine resort, surrounded by majestic mountains and nestled on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu.

Lake Wakatip

The nostalgic feel of Queenstown

The autumn colours of Queenstown

A photo to remember Queenstown

The Anglican Church in the Wakatipu was established in 1863 by the first settler, William Rees assisted by Richmond Beetham, Resident Magistrate leading a small group of dedicated lay people. They were encouraged by a visit from Bishop Harper of Christchurch in March 1863 in the early days of the gold rush. A wooden Church was built in August 1863 and regular services led by lay ministers commenced. In 1869 the first Vicar, the Rev Richard Coffee was appointed and at that time the present Parish centre was built as a Vicarage.

The foundations of the Anglican or Episcopalian Church in the Wakatipu were laid by the first settler William Gilbert Rees, who established a sheep station with its buildings located on the shores of Queenstown Bay in 1861. Rees was a devout Anglican and held regular services which were attended by the handful of men and one woman who worked for him.

Gold Gold in large quantities was discovered near Lawrence, Central Otago, in the same year Rees settled in Queenstown, and subsequent discoveries were made in 1862, first in the Clyde and Cromwell area and then in the Arrow River near the present day Arrowtown. Late in 1862 two of Rees' own workmen found extremely rich gold in the Shotover River at Arthur's Point five kilometers from the station homestead. Almost overnight thousands of miners flocked into the area and a large bustling town soon surrounded Rees' station buildings. It put an end to the peace and tranquility of the area and eventually led to Rees leaving the district in 1867. From the time gold was discovered until he left the area Rees took a prominent part in the affairs of the new town and besides providing the essential food supplies for the early miners, was involved in many public and private enterprises. [source : http://www.stpeters.co.nz/2/3]