Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ in Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand

Restaurant · Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand

Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ

Historic steamship cruise to a lakeside farm with gourmet BBQ

Type
Restaurant
Nearest trail
5 km
Audio stories
1 nearby
  • Food

Hear the audio tour

The Walter Peak High Country Farm Experience

Overview

About Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ

This is a classic Queenstown outing: cruise across Lake Wakatipu on the 1911 TSS Earnslaw, step ashore at Walter Peak High Country Farm, and settle into the Colonel’s Homestead for a generous gourmet BBQ. It’s equal parts lake scenery, heritage transport, and hearty dining.

Why stop

  • Scenic cruise on the historic TSS Earnslaw
  • Gourmet BBQ buffet with seasonal, local produce
  • Entertaining farm show with sheep shearing and herding

Heads up

  • During May–September the Earnslaw is replaced by a modern catamaran
  • Lake weather can be chilly even in summer

Map

Where it is

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RestaurantWalter Peak Gourmet BBQ-45.11215, 168.54372
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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ

  1. Choose the dinner sitting for the best chance at sunset views on the return cruise.

  2. Explore the Earnslaw’s engine room during the crossing—it’s part of the charm.

  3. Wear non‑slip shoes and bring a warm layer; the lake breeze can be brisk.

  4. Vegetarians are covered, and the menu changes seasonally.

  5. From May–September expect the modern catamaran instead of the Earnslaw.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

The Earnslaw takes annual maintenance roughly May–September. During that window, trips run on the Spirit of Queenstown, a modern catamaran with a shorter, ~30‑minute one‑way cruise. The experience still includes the BBQ and farm show, but the vibe is different from the vintage steamship.

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide

Your drive to Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Queenstown-Lakes District audio tour

Recorded for this place

The Walter Peak High Country Farm Experience
Listen
“Getting to Walter Peak High Country Farm requires a boat trip across the lake, usually on the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship. Once you arrive, you'll be at a working sheep station.”

Plays as you drive up to Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ in the Parkwolf Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Twelve Mile Delta: Lakefront Camp and LOTR Site
  • Mt Crichton Loop: Gold Rush History and Forest Walk
  • Wilson Bay: A Pebbly Beach with Trail Access
  • Bob's Cove: A Classic Lakeside Loop with History
  • 164 audio storiesacross Queenstown-Lakes District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Kākā, Kererū, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 37 trails, 111 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
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Guide

More about Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ

What You’ll ExperienceCruise: The trip starts with about 45 minutes aboard the TSS Earnslaw, one of the oldest…
  • Cruise: The trip starts with about 45 minutes aboard the TSS Earnslaw, one of the oldest working steamships in the Southern Hemisphere. You can wander the decks, peek into the engine room, and take in the mountain views.
  • At Walter Peak: Walk up from the wharf to the Homestead, where the team has grills going and salads laid out. After (or before) eating, the farm show is a highlight—think sheep shearing and a border collie showing off real sheep‑herding skills.
  • Return: The sail back to Queenstown serves up big‑sky views; time dinner right and you’re often riding into sunset hues.
Food & DrinkThe Homestead’s spread leans on local and homegrown produce, with a mix of land and seafood,…

The Homestead’s spread leans on local and homegrown produce, with a mix of land and seafood, fresh salads and veg, and desserts. Vegetarian options are available, and the menu shifts with the seasons.

Logistics & What to BringPlan on a long lunch or a dinner sitting.

Plan on a long lunch or a dinner sitting. Pack warm layers (the lake breeze bites after dark), non‑slip shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses, and a camera. Don’t forget any personal medication.

Best Time to VisitDinner departures are the pick if you’re chasing sunset light on the return cruise.
  • Dinner departures are the pick if you’re chasing sunset light on the return cruise.
  • Lunch works well for lake views under bright midday skies and a more relaxed feel between other Queenstown activities.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Queenstown-Lakes District

All Queenstown-Lakes District wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Queenstown-Lakes District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Parkwolf’s Queenstown-Lakes District ranking

Top sights in Queenstown-Lakes District

All 111 places
  1. 1Lake WakatipuSight
  2. 2Ben LomondSight
  3. 3Bob’s Peak – Queenstown Gondola LookoutSight
  4. 4Lake WānakaSight
  5. 5TSS EarnslawSight
  6. 6Ben Lomond SaddleSight

Take Parkwolf to Queenstown-Lakes District.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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