The rewards of enjoying nature are as exciting and diverse as the area itself. The main rivers provide exceptional water sport opportunities and, with the tributaries, include exciting trout fishing for illusive browns and rainbows. The Shotover River is the largest and most spectacular river in the South Island. Steeped in a gold-mining past, the Shotover now provides an ideal waterway for a choice of exhilarating or leisurely water-based experiences. The heli-skiing in the Harris Mountains is world renowned, while the mountain walks and musterers’ trails are tailor-made for either active adventurers or those out for a leisurely stroll. Wild red deer and chamois survive in the more remote corners of Branches Station and fallow deer roam Mt Creighton Station. Lake Luna, a beautiful alpine lake on Mt Creighton Station is graced by surrounding mountains and nature. Loch Nagar, one of the purest bodies of water in the world, waits in perfect silence, its gin-clear surface reflecting the snow-tipped alpine ranges from where its waters originate on Branches Station. The high country sheep station remains an integral part of the New Zealand landscape. The fine wool merino sheep await the musterer’s call, while herds of cattle roam the valley floor and lowlands below. Seldom has such diversity of experience, beauty and natural richness come together in one place. For those who love nature, Mt Creighton and Branches Station offer a wonderful balance of lifestyle for the occasional visitor, one that would be difficult to replicate anywhere else in the world. It is a balance between the privacy of a breathtaking natural environment and access to the cosmopolitan charm of Queenstown, with its quality restaurants and service facilities including an international airport.