William Gilbert Rees

Welshman William Gilbert Rees — a cousin and godfather of the cricketer W. G. Grace — was the first European settler at Queenstown. With fellow explorer Nicholas von Tunzelmann he reached Lake Wakatipu in 1860, looking for pastoral land. He returned a short while afterwards and established a high country farm on the site where Queenstown stands today.

The farming was short-lived. In 1862 gold was discovered in the Arrow River, and Rees found himself at the centre of a rush — his own homestead was declared an official goldfield.

Feeding the rush

In the early days Rees was the only source of food for miners working around the lake. With a flock of sheep and the Undine, the first boat of any size on Lake Wakatipu, he brought flour and supplies up from the southern end and, for a few vital weeks, kept many of them from starving.

Without his active co-operation in making supplies available to the hungry miners, his ready acceptance of the inevitable changes after the discovery of gold on his run, his whole-hearted devotion to duty which gave him an unquestioned authority in the community, and his enthusiastic interest in public affairs, the story of the Wakatipu gold discoveries might well have been one of disaster in the first stages.

— F. W. G. Miller, Golden Days of Lake County

His boats were not confined to supply runs. The whaleboat carried the first 25,000 ounces of gold to the foot of the lake, and went on doing it until a police boat took over.

The rest of the man

Rees was not a typical digger. His other pursuits ran to:

• Boxing — a strong reputation in Queensland as a young amateur.
• Cricket — one first-class appearance for New South Wales against Victoria.
• Public service — a prominent part in establishing the hospital at Frankton, the settlement named after his wife, Frances.
• Religion — a driving force behind St Peter's Church in Queenstown.
• Hospitality — co-owner of the Queen's Arms hotel, forerunner of Eichardt's.
• Racing — first president of the Wakatipu Jockey Club.

William Gilbert Rees has long been one of the genuinely romantic figures of New Zealand's past. One of the first white men to reach Lake Wakatipu and the founder of what has become the tourist resort of Queenstown, he is remembered particularly for his dominant personality at the time of the gold rushes. The picture most New Zealanders have of him is a big bearded run holder, holding off hungry miners with a loaded revolver as he carefully rationed out inadequate supplies of precious flour.

— G. J. Griffiths, King Wakatip

Two prophecies

Soon after seeing the Wakatipu for the first time in 1859, Rees wrote to the Otago Witness describing the journey. The editor's response made two predictions, both of which came true.

The information indicates the country around the Wakatipu is in all probability a gold bearing district … should the precious metal be discovered the 65 miles of inland water carriage would be such an immense advantage that in all probability the country would be extensively wrought.

But apart from any consideration of wealth to be derived from the mineral resources of the country, the existence of such lakes as are to be found in Otago will, we have no doubt, at some future date, cause this part of New Zealand to be extensively visited for the mere purpose of viewing the grandeur of the same.

After Queenstown

Rees left the Wakatipu in 1867, barely into his forties. He went to the Waitaki, where he ran large holdings, and then to Alexandra. His ambition to be a runholder had been undone by the rush — the Waste Lands Board removed the pastoral designation from his land. He died in Marlborough in 1898, aged 71.

The Rees Homestead Park marks where the house stood.