Forty-five minutes by car from Queenstown is the tiny settlement of Glenorchy. Perched at the headwaters of Lake Wakatipu and under the towering gaze of the Humboldt and Richardson Mountains, the town is a cinematic example of New Zealand’s natural beauty.

With only 300 permanent residents and a general store taking up space in the secluded town, quiet Glenorchy seems a long way from the adventure sports of Queenstown. If you do make the drive, though, you’ll find more than just natural splendour, because Glenorchy is home to one of the most unusual eco-minded accommodations in the world.

Camp Glenorchy at The Headwaters

Never miss a moment. Make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter today.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Debbi and Paul Brainerd, founders of Camp Glenorchy at The Headwaters discovered the town while hiking the famed Routeburn Track 25 years ago. The US-born couple did not intend to open accommodation (or run the general store, which they also acquired) but they were struck by a vision for the campground.

“When we saw the campground didn’t really have any accommodation so that people could stay all year round, we thought it would be a great opportunity to build some sustainably designed cabins that people could actually rent 12 months of the year,” says Debbi. “We never had an intention for this, but we saw the campground was rundown and we just thought it would be a nice way to get involved in the community and to give back.”

Eco-retreat

“We have always been interested in this idea of ‘how can we build more sustainably?’” says Debbi. With Camp Glenorchy, the question has provided some fascinating answers. Camp Glenorchy is the first accommodation to be accredited through the Living Building Challenge; the suite of eco-chalets combines modern sustainable materials with off-the-grid energy production.

“We have actually been accredited as a net-positive energy business, because we produce all of our energy through solar power,” she says. “We have what we call a solar garden there which produces all of our power.” Accommodations are built from Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), a highly effective, eco-friendly insulation made from timber and polystyrene that regulates temperature while providing near-total silence in the chalet rooms.

The Living Building Challenge isn’t just based on eco-efficiency, however, it also prizes aesthetics. An element of the accreditation received by Camp Glenorchy is based on this confluence of beauty and sustainability. “The idea around design is how you can not only have sustainability around energy and water, but how you can create and integrate beauty so there’s an aesthetic,” says Debbi. The rustic tones of timber and stone buildings are complemented by art like textile wall hangings and the work of a local stone mosaic artist. “They’ve put a braided river through the middle of the floor and that continues into the outdoors, into our landscape.”

Exploring Glenorchy

Beyond the sustainable qualities of the accommodation, it’s the imposing combination of glaciers, snow-capped mountains and deep, lakes that draws visitors to Glenorchy. Surrounded by such vast wilderness, Debbi and her team have curated a series of tours and experiences, from helicopter-assisted hiking to mindfulness exercises.

“If I was travelling, one of the things I’m looking for is to have some kind of authentic experience,” says Debbi. There’s plenty for the adventure-seekers, with experiences like the multi-day Fabulous Four Tour combining alpine biking, forest walks and horseriding to explore the varied landscape. For those taking it slow, there are plenty of options that go heavier on the local culture.

“We often will connect our guests to the local people and tell stories about the natural and cultural history of the regions that we go into,” says Debbi. “We partner with local farmers to serve products that are obviously being grown, or even with the local wineries serving some of the beautiful wines that are being produced here in the Otago region.”

Regardless of how you go, the experiences are designed to let visitors explore as if they were locals. “We’re often talking about these destination experiences as providing what we call this magical, off-the-beaten-path experience,” Debbi says.” You wouldn’t typically get this when you plan a vacation on your own.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Tourism New Zealand.