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Queenstown is a scenic city in New Zealand. The history of Queenstown started way back in the last ice age. It is believed that about 15,000 years ago, glaciers stretched the entire region. However after the ice age was over, glaciers melted and thus how the land was formed. Queenstown was first inhabited around a thousand years before by the Maoris. These people came in search of food, fiber and stone resources. It is believed the Maoris entered into the land which everyone now knows by the name Queenstown through the valley systems of Southland and Otago. These people discovered sources of pounamo (green stone). Found at the head of Lake Wakatipu, green stone was highly valued by the Maoris. They believed the stone to have spiritual powers. However history of Queenstown shows that Maoris were not permanent settlers; rather their occupation of Queenstown was more or less a seasonal affair. The first permanent settlers in Queenstown were farmers who arrived here in the 1860's. Queenstown's history documents William Rees as the first settler. Then known as camp, William thus lived in “The Camp” on Queenstown bay. Queenstown till 1862 was a land nowhere on map. This however changed with two local Maoris named Rangiora Ellison and Hakaria Haeroa found gold. It is however also argued that two local sheep shearers namely Thomas Arthur and Harry Redfern had found first gold. Though there is controversy regarding who found gold first, it is undeniable that discovery of gold resulted in gold rush. Thousands of people from all over assembled in Queenstown to mine gold from the river bed of the Shotover River. In its hey days, this river used to give 12 oz of gold for every yard of gravel. All this mad frenzy resulted in government sitting up and taking “the camp” under control. Since then, the camp started being called Queenstown. The city was finally developed in 1936 with roads linking it to all parts of New Zealand.
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