Everything you need to know about the WHV in Queenstown

Shops open from 9am/10am and close around 5pm on weekdays. They tend to close early on Saturdays. Many businesses close on Sundays (except supermarkets, malls, etc.).

Buying food in Queenstown

There are all the usual supermarket chains in Queenstown: Countdown, Pak’nSave, New World, etc. In addition to these large chains, you will find independent stores that are more specialised, like Raeward Fresh (high-quality fresh produce, e.g. meat, cheese, fruit and veg) or Kosco Asian Mart (Asian products).

Sometimes, it can be more affordable to buy fresh produce at a market. Every Saturday, the Queenstown Market sells 100% fresh and 100% local produce. Another small market is the Remarkables Market.

You can also order fruits and vegetables to be delivered to your home with Soul Food Organic. Produce changes every week according to the seasons; they are not always local but they are organic.

To close the food section, we have to mention the famous Fergburger, said to be the best burger in New Zealand (some would even say the world!).

Buying alcohol in Queenstown

You can find liquor stores like Super Liquor, Betty’s or Liquorland just about everywhere. Wine and beer are sold in supermarkets but you have to go to a liquor store for spirits. Remember to expect an ID check if you look under 25.

The Central Otago region is teeming with vineyards (over 200!), so you can also buy wine directly on site when you go for wine tastings.

Buying clothes in Queenstown

Queenstown’s only shopping centre is O’Connells. Other centres on the Frankton side include Five Mile Shopping Centre or the Remarkables Park Town Centre.

The main shopping streets are located in the Central Business District (CBD) between Shotover, Beach, Ballarat and Camp streets. You will find a mix of well-known national chains and independent stores. Queenstown is not known for its affordability, so expect to pay high prices here.

You will also see small second hand shops in New Zealand called “op shops” (opportunity shops, aka charity shops). They sell a bit of everything: clothes, furniture, books, toys, etc. Op shops are an affordable way of purchasing clothes, and the second hand items are usually still in good condition. Popular op shops in Queenstown include the Salvation Army, the SPCA or the Hospice Shop.

For outdoor or hiking clothing, as well as camping equipment, Outside Sports or Small Planet Sports offer quality equipment (but these stores are quite expensive). You can sometimes find discounted camping equipment at The Warehouse, but expect the quality to be lower.

Other items

If you need to buy books, you can try shops like Whitcoulls, Bright Ink or Bound Books & Records. The library sometimes sells cheap copies of books that they have in duplicate or have not been borrowed for a long time.

For tech items (computers, tablets, phones, etc.), try The Warehouse, Noel Leeming or Harvey Norman.