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Monday 7am - 8pm Tuesday 7am - 8pm Wednesday 7am - 8pm Thursday 7am - 8pm Friday 7am - 8pm Saturday 7am - 8pm Sunday 7am - 8pm

The Goldrush Tour

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The Goldrush Tour

Sightseeing Tour @ Skippers Canyon, Queenstown, New Zealand

Your journey back in time to Queenstown’s golden era!

16/03/2026

History comes alive in Skippers Canyon, Queenstown—with stories and photos you won’t forget, no one else delivers the history like we do.

Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz

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13/03/2026

Heavens Gate

Just a few meters past Hells Gate, the second rock gap was a welcome sight, a threshold of relief after the trials below. It came to be known as Heavens Gate.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz

Photo Reference: Modern Photo - joshua_yates_photography, Historic Photo - Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library

10/03/2026

Hells Gate

This section of Skippers Road was carved by hand. Men worked in pairs — one steadying a star drill while the other swung a heavy hammer, striking it again and again, driving the steel inch by inch into solid rock.

Once the holes were deep enough, they were packed with explosives and blasted, slowly forcing a road through the canyon walls.

Imagine building this road in the 1880s. The work was slow, dangerous, and unforgiving.

The miners had a saying — going down into the canyon to work was like “descending into hell.”

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz

Photo Reference: Historic Photo - Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library, Modern Photo - joshua_yates_photography

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06/03/2026

John and Margaret Balderson, like many others, came to Skippers Canyon chasing the dream of striking it rich on the goldfields. But as they soon discovered, fortunes in gold were hard won and rarely found.

In 1864, they changed direction and built The Greengates Hotel along the old pack track, serving weary miners and travelers passing through the canyon.

Unfortunately for them, completion of the Skippers Road in 1890 diverted traffic away from their door step. With the hotel no longer viable they decided to retire and built the small cottage that still stands today.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz

Photo Reference -

03/03/2026

The Shotover River – Named after Shotover Park near Oxford, England, this powerful river stretches around 75 kilometers and is fed by more than 100 tributaries. During the height of the gold rush, it was famously dubbed the richest river in the world.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz

26/02/2026

After exploring Skippers Canyon on The Goldrush Tour, there’s no better place to unwind than Gantley’s Tavern — a historic gold mining pub dating back to 1863.

Step inside a piece of history… and enjoy a drink on us 🍻🍻🍻

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz (or link in bio on Instagram)

22/02/2026

Bullendale — originally known as the Phoenix Mine, it was home to around 350 people at its peak and was the hardest to reach settlement in Skippers Canyon.

The Phoenix Mine holds an important place in New Zealand history, being the first quartz reef mined in the South Island.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz (or link in bio on Instagram)

Photo Reference - Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library

19/02/2026

Charlestown — perched near the legendary Maori Point Gold Claim, this bustling hub drew around 1,000 people at its peak.

Much like Skippers Point, the town sprouted hotels, stores, and even a branch of the Bank of New Zealand.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz (or link in bio on Instagram)

Photo reference: Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library

16/02/2026

Skippers Point — established in 1862, it was the earliest and most prominent settlement in Skippers Canyon. At its height, it was home to around 300 people.

By the 1870s, this remote town boasted a school, a church, a post office, and even a library.

Follow for more untold stories — or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown.
Book online: www.goldrushtour.co.nz
(or link in bio on Instagram)

Photo Reference - Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library

13/02/2026

It’s hard to imagine now… but Skippers Canyon was once home to three thriving townships: Skippers Point, Charlestown, and Bullendale (Phoenix Mine)

Follow for more untold stories, or experience the most in-depth history tour in Queenstown

Photo Reference - Hocken Collections, University of Otago Library

29/01/2026

Hard to beat this view from Skippers Road toward Queenstown.

👀 Come see it for yourself — book The Goldrush Tour today!

27/01/2026

Welcome Home Hotel, Skippers Canyon - a story in two images.

Learn more on The Goldrush Tour.

Before image: University of Otago Library

Address

Skippers Road
Queenstown

Opening Hours

Monday	7am - 8pm
Tuesday	7am - 8pm
Wednesday	7am - 8pm
Thursday	7am - 8pm
Friday	7am - 8pm
Saturday	7am - 8pm
Sunday	7am - 8pm

Website

http://goldrushtour.co.nz/

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