The TSS Earnslaw is the oldest coal-fired passenger steamship still operating in the Southern Hemisphere — a 51-metre twin-screw steamer that has crossed Lake Wakatipu since 1912 and is known as 'The Lady of the Lake.' The ship was built in Dunedin, transported by rail in sections, and assembled on the lake shore at Kingston, and has been in continuous commercial service for over 110 years.
The classic voyage is the 1.5-hour round trip to Walter Peak High Country Farm on the opposite shore, where the longer excursions include a farm show (sheep dogs, shearing, a tractor ride) and an optional buffet lunch or dinner at the Colonel's Homestead. Visitors can watch the engineers stoking the coal fires in the engine room on the way over — the raw industrial romance of the steamship is as much the attraction as the lake views. The Earnslaw sails multiple times daily year-round.
Verified Facts
The Earnslaw has operated on Lake Wakatipu since 1912
It is 51 metres long
It is the last coal-fired passenger steamship operating in the Southern Hemisphere
The ship was built in Dunedin and transported by rail
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Queenstown, New Zealand
