Minaret Station

A field trip Minaret Station to the only way in is to fly or boat I would like to thank Pru and her son Nick  Wallis ,who hosted us and supplied transport for 20 of our camera club members  Nick pick us up in their boat and ran us over to the other side of the lake, we  had  a wonderful day on their back country property, some  history below. The extra a barge which is used to transport the  cattle trucks to the other side of the lake.
Minaret Station is owned and operated by four brothers each with an affinity for the outdoors. They head a friendly and experienced team, passionate about delivering memorable experiences time and time again.
It is a uniquely integrated business dating back to the early 1960’s, when their father, Sir Tim Wallis ('Hurricane Tim'), first began introducing international guests to New Zealand’s pristine wilderness. It has come a long way since the early beginnings but it remains a humble operation with a commitment to quality and service. More often than not, guests return year after year to partake in the seasonal offerings at Minaret.
As well as being location to the Minaret Station Alpine Lodge, Minaret Station is also a working high country farm, home to some 10000 deer, 7000 sheep and 1000 cattle raised for supply to premium export and domestic markets. Nestled on the western shores of Lake Wanaka and accessible only by boat or by helicopter, the 50,000 acre property acts as the heart and staging point of the business.
Helicopters have always been in the blood for the Wallis family. The company first began using helicopters in 1963 when they pioneered their use for backcountry access and heli-skiing. Since then Alpine Helicopters has grown to incorporate a modern fleet with highly trained pilots and at one time was New Zealand’s largest helicopter company.