Lake Hayes Sunset

Lake Hayes is a small lake between Queenstown and Arrowtown in the Wakatipu Basin. It's a popular spot for walking and running, with a track that circles the whole lake. The eastern shoreline in particular is beautiful, lined with trees that are especially beautiful in autumn when the foliage turns shades of orange and gold. Small boats also line the shore, where local residents leave them for use on the lake. Even though the lake is small, it's very open and getting very still reflections can be a challenging, but extremely rewarding when achieved.

This photo was taken on the weekend of the Queenstown Winter Festival in 2017. After attending an event nearby, we headed to the jetty for sunset. Initially thinking the clouds were too thick for any colour, we were completely amazed and enthralled as the sky exploded with pinks and reds. The jetty made an interesting focal point in this location, without a good view of the mountain ranges behind.