GLENORCHY  Glenorchy is another of those New Zealand towns that are on a spur and under normal traveling criteria of going from A to B determines you will not visit Glenorchy. Glenorchy is sited at the end of a Lake Wakatipu spur and nestled between magnificent mountain and alpine ranges. Hence the communities by line ‘Gateway to Paradise’  The road to Glenorchy is a recently sealed bitumen track that is now a delight to traverse. In a not so long ago era, the access to Glenorchy was an arduous and long trip. That has now changed, and given Glenorchy has a modicum of services will soon experience rapid growth; i.e. wherever there is road improvements people follow. At this time Glenorchy is a small settlement nestled in spectacular scenery at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu. It is approximately 45 kilometres by road or boat from Queenstown, the nearest large town. Glenorchy is a popular tourist spot, close to many tramping tracks. The local scenery received worldwide attention when it was used as one of the settings in the first of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films. Glenorchy was probably named after Glen Orchy in Argyll, Scotland. The historic town of Glenorchy, originally founded by Scheelite miners in 1862. There are two hotels of which one is somewhat historic. The War Memorial is in the centre of the township. The Museum and Library are a combined offer and the one and only church has communal access. Now from the Dart River web site:- The nearby  Dart River and the Dart River Wilderness Safari leave from Glenorchy and take you on a spectacular Jet Boat journey through the Dart’s ever-changing water ways. Increasingly Glenorchy and the Dart River are linked from a tourism perspective.       So if making the effort to visit Glenorchy, make the effort to do the Dart.