Walter Peak Sheep Station, NZ

For our last tour of the trip, we are visiting a sheep and cattle station on Lake Wakatipu.  Situated on the western shore of the lake, Walter Peak High Country Farm has been around for nearly 100 years.Yesterday, from the air Bob was able to capture  a nice photo of the entire farmstead. We are transported from wharfside Queenstown via the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw, believed to be the oldest working coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere. Bob and Jerry enjoy exploring the engine room watching the stokers shovel coal into the boilers at the rate of one ton per hour. It is quite relaxing as we are able to enjoy the beautiful alpine scenery. Upon arrival at the farm, we are invited to visit the beautiful, historic Colonel's Homestead.  The terrace is set up for lunch, and we enjoy a host of local foods. Lydia is excited to finally have great lamb chops, probably from this very farm. The day is perfect and we can almost imagine transporting ourselves back nearly 100 years when the station was founded by the Mackenzies. Once we finish lunch, we are treated to a farm tour which includes a sheep herding demonstration, sheep sheering, and wool spinning.  Joyce and Lydia are reminded of all the textile classes they completed many years ago. They both remember growing up on the farm where newborn lambs were brought into the house when it was too cold for them to survive outside.  There are many fine woolen garments for sale in the gift shop.  Bob is captivated by the merino wool, possum fur and silk sweaters, but decides to pass as we are really in a luggage weight crunch as our 18 day tour comes to an end. We understand that the NZ possum is more like our racoon than our possum.(thank heavens) Lydia and Joyce admired the many felted products for sale in the gift shop. We return to Queenstown on the pleasure steamer, enjoying a sing-along with the on-board pianist. Once we arrive on shore we engage in a short shopping trip before retiring to our rooms and a final wine and cheese toast to this beautiful place.