Paradise

Before I drove to Wanaka, I decided to take the scenic route from Queenstown to Glenorchy. Once I arrived in Glenorchy I drove further to find a little place called Paradise. They say you need a 4x4 to drive there but I wanted to have a look myself and see how far I could get.

Paradise is just that. There is no cafe, no shop, just an amazing settinf on Diamond Lake below Mount Earnslaw and Mount Alfred.

No-one can say with certainty how Paradise got its name, though within the area of Paradise you have the ‘Rock of Eden’, Heavens Gate and you have to cross the River Jordan to get there. Some also say Paradise gets its name from the Paradise duck.

Paradise is 20 kilometres from Glenorchy. 8 km is sealed road and the last 12 km is unsealed. Rolling farmland changes to beech forest as you enter the Mt Aspiring National Park and drive past Diamond Lake. See Arcadia House from the road. Arcadia is Greek for Paradise and this property was originally built by Patrick Fenn in 18 to attract his Fiancee to New Zealand. Further along the road you reach the Paradise Trust from a driveway to the left. Privately owned by the Paradise Trust, guests are welcome to walk the grounds and picnic and enjoy the area for a small fee. Paradise has a rich history and was one of the key excursions for early travelers to New Zealand.

If you pass Paradise, the road continues on to the Chinamans Bluff and the start of the Dart track which is where I went.

It certainly looks a lot like Paradise 😊.Read more