Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/682362
38 | South Island Beloved author J.R.R. Tolkien's imagination may have been of an epic scale, but it pales in comparison to Mother Nature's. The pristine landscapes, so seemingly otherworldly, catapulted South Island to celebrity status with The Lord of the Rings, revealing the magic of Hakatere Conservation Park's Mount Sunday and of Queenstown to adventurers everywhere. Nearly 2 million international visitors arrive each year to bike the city's famous routes or ski, bungee jump, skydive, hike, or go canyon swinging in this lush region of wine, herbs, and gold. Set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu between impressive mountain ranges, its opportunities for outdoor exploits is rivaled only by Christchurch, the "Garden City." The largest city on the island, stretching from the ocean to the Alps, Christchurch and its skiing, golfing, whitewater rafting, biking, whale watching, vineyards, and more won it second place in The New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2014" list. Orana Wildlife Park, an open– range zoo, is a chance to mingle with some natives, but urbanites can mix with dining, entertainment, and shopping on busy Victoria Street, the Tannery on the banks of the Heathcote River, and Re:START in the city center. Take a step back from modernity in Akaroa—a historical French and British settlement in an active volcano, where colonial architecture, art galleries, craft stores, cafés, and views of the outer bays welcome visitors—or backtrack several in the wild ecotouristic seaside town of Kaikoura. Its Peninsula Walkway provides a prime perspective for spotting sperm whales and orcas, and for jumping in to snorkel among fur seals. Retreat further into the untamed past by visiting Arthur's Pass National Park. There, high mountains, steep gorges, vivid rainforests, and dry tawhai (silver beech) forests are connected by a highway and railway, ending in the gold fields of the West Coast…or a vivid land just outside The Shire. Is this Earth or Middle-earth? You decide. SOUTH ISLAND The Waters of Greenstone St. Omer Park Queenstown Gardens Ben Lomond Scenic Reserve Queenstown Hill Recreation Reserve Lake Wakatipu Queenstown Bay Skyline Gondola Main Town Pier Steamer Pier 0 1/8 miles 0 1/8 km Frankton Arm Athol St. Weaver St. Anderson St. Kent St. Turner St. Malaghan St. Ballarat St. Beetham St. Sydney St. Frankt o n R d . Stanley St. Coronation Dr. Melbourne St. Hallenstein St. Dublin St. York St. Suburb St. Adelaide St. Hobart St. Brisbane St. Park St. Park St. Earl St. Church St. Marine Parade The Mall Cow Ln. Beach St. Thompson St. Brunswick St. Rees St. Shotover St. Man St. Isle St. Hay St. B r ec o n St. Robins Rd. Edgar St. Memorial St. Lake St. Lake Esplanade Camp St. G or ge R d . Belfast Ter. Kerry Dr. E di nbur g h Dr. Panorama Ter. Frankto n Rd . Wellington Christchurch Te Anau Kaikoura Greymouth Westport Oamaru Invercargill Mount Cook Timaru Blenheim Darfield Glenorchy Methven Palmerston Alexandra Balclutha Dunedin Queenstown Nelson Stewart Island South Island Fjordland National Park Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park Tasman Sea Lake Wakatipu Lake Te Anau Milford Sound Cook Strait Pegasus Bay Canterbury Bight S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N Franz Josef Glacier 0 100 miles 0 100 km 3 9 7 8 5 1 2 6 4 13 14 11 10 15 12