She's over ninety years old and looks as good as the day she was launched. The pure lake waters and clean alpine air have treated Queenstown's 'Lady of the Lake' very well.
It was October 1912 when TSS Earnslaw made her maiden voyage from Kingston to Queenstown on beautiful Lake Wakatipu, and she has been delighting passengers ever since.
Originally commissioned by the government to service the growing tourist trade and farms in the lake region, the vessel was taken over by Fiordland Travel in 1968 to operate pleasure cruises on the lake.
As the last remaining coal-fired passenger vessel operating in the southern hemisphere, TSS Earnslaw re-captures the elegance of turn-of-the-century travel.
Cruises on the TSS Earnslaw depart regularly all year round. You’ll find plenty of time to explore the steamer’s decks and bridge and look down into the engine room where stokers feed the pounding marine steam engines a tonne of coal every hour.
You can also combine your cruise with a guided visit to Walter Peak High Country Farm where you can feed the animals, watch a shearing demonstration and feast on a rural morning tea. In the summer, go horse treeking, have a barbecue lunch, join a heritage excursions or enjoy a delicious evening dinner.
You can also combine your cruise with a visit to Walter Peak High Country Farm, a working sheep station, with guided farm tours, barbecue lunch, or an evening dinner.
On the way back, relax in the bar and join a lively sing-along with the ship's pianist.