“On a Mish” #431 Bob Fortune’s Cove (Part One). Bobs Cove, Queenstown. Otago. 8.2.2025. Bob Fortune used to ferry people around Lake Wakatipu in the 1800s. He would use a small bay as a safe place to shelter during storms, hence the bay / cove now bearing his name. While Bob may be long gone from the area his legacy lives in the place and now, thanks to the road, people travel the short distance from Queenstown to enjoy the walking and water. A very good friend recently purchased a piece of land above the cove and as soon as I arrived, I could tell that he had made a quality investment…
With a talk to Hornby Probus (club) just around the corner I decided to break the drive up to Christchurch for Georgie and myself by visiting my bro Mark’s new pad. Making an eight hour drive a six-hour one makes a huge difference even if it is only a few short hours. I couldn’t have timed it any better as the weather was warm and the sun high in the sky. This was going to be an awesome introduction to a location I have driven passed countless times while heading to the northern end of Lake Wakatipu.
The sun was still out when I arrived at Mark’s house. The water of the cove was glimmering in the early evening sun with hints of gold streaks starting to colour the sky. After setting up my tent and a tour of the property it was time to relax and watch the sunset from the elevated site of Mark’s house. Mark used to have a very cool house in a prime location in the middle of Queenstown and, when he talked about selling it, we (his mates) were a little bit worried. But after three minutes at his new place, I could tell he had chosen wisely.
After watching the sunset, the day caught up with me and I was ready to retreat to the tent for some sleep. During the night the forest on the edge of Mark’s property came to life with the sounds of nocturnal birds and possums. Georgie had no idea what to make of the strange noises of the night!
Early-ish the next morning I was up watching the magic of a new day in the Wakatipu area. It doesn’t matter whether the sun is going up or down, the place looks incredible. Before brekkie we decided to go for an early morning wander down to the water and then along the old bridle track towards Glenorchy. The track used to be the alternative way to the northern reaches of the lake if not traveling via the water. Thanks to the road’s construction in the 1960’s the track has become a relic of the past, but is still definitely worth a look.
After getting back up to Mark’s we prepared a morning feast and enjoyed it on his tiny home’s balcony. Five-star dining was an understatement when it came to the meal, and the place I was eating it in. Any doubts about Mark selling his place in Queenstown disappeared like the meal on my plate!
Now that we had taken care of food it was time to get ready to do some more exploring of Mark’s new home and Bob Fortune’s excellent cove, a place I know I will be visiting plenty of times in the future…
