Gateway to Paradise.

At the head of Lake Wakatipu lies a sleepy town called Glenorchy. This little community sits outside the rapidly growing metropolis of Queenstown, nestled between the mountains and the waters of Lake Wakatipu.

Blustery Bennett's Bluff, Lake Wakatipu.

Glenorchy is the Gateway to Paradise; it is the last stop before adventurers head into Mt Aspiring National Park to climb peaks, trek the famous Routeburn Track or explore the Dart and Rees Valleys on foot.

 The Dart River, Paradise.

I eagerly woke very early one morning in Glenorchy to find the winter’s storm from the previous night had eased, leaving fresh snow on the mountain tops. The rain had stopped so I ventured out around the lakeside.

 Mt Earnslaw through the morning clouds, near Glenorchy. 

I walked out onto the famous Glenorchy wharf by the Boat Shed to see this scene; the lamp light at the end glowing bright in the early dawn, no wind, just a crisp chill to the air. I took a few exposures, and just stood there, looking around me. The stillness, the peace, the balance between man’s creation and the land; it was special. The light then went out and it was time for me to journey into paradise, or perhaps I was already there.

The wharf at the head of Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy.