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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the generational shift happening in Kelvin Heights.
For decades I would estimate somewhere between 60% and 70% of the suburb was owned by Southland families.
They discovered Queenstown through holidays, bought modest homes or sections and over time, many eventually made Kelvin Heights their permanent home.
That is changing.
Today, most buyers are coming from outside Queenstown, particularly Auckland and Australia.
They are drawn here for exactly the same reasons Southlanders were 40, 50 and 60 years ago.
Kelvin Heights remains one of the most desirable suburbs in the district.
It enjoys arguably the best sunshine in the Whakatipu Basin, has Lake Wakatipu on its doorstep, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular golf courses, a fantastic walking and cycling trail connecting Frankton through to Jack’s Point and is only minutes from central Queenstown.
Despite being so close to town, it feels a world away.
It is peaceful, quiet and surrounded by nature.
John Reid completed much of the original subdivision in the early 1960s, while Grieve Jardine developed much of the prized lakefront land.
Another family with a strong connection to Kelvin Heights since the 1960s is the Mee family, who also completed a subdivision from Loop Rd through to Lewis Rd, creating around 100 sections, including stage one of Peninsula Hill and Balmoral Dr.
Frank Mee purchased Kawarau Falls Station, which included much of what is now Kelvin Heights and Deer Park Heights.
As ownership changes, the Mee family has ensured Kelvin Heights will only become an even better place for future generations.
The Mee family’s association with Kelvin Heights dates back to the 1960s, making them one of the suburb’s longest-standing families.
Like many Southlanders of that era, they recognised the peninsula’s beauty long before Queenstown became one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing towns.
The Mee family haven’t simply enjoyed the area.
They have helped shape it.
Every community needs people willing to give something back and over the years the Mee family have done exactly that.
Their contribution has helped preserve the character of Kelvin Heights while strengthening the community for those who come next.
Frank Mee donated a section of land that helped establish the Kelvin Heights Golf Club, now regarded as one of New Zealand’s premier golf courses and, in my opinion, one of the most scenic anywhere in the country.
It is easy to forget that communities are not built by councils or developers alone.
They are built by families who volunteer their time, support local projects, invest in their neighbourhood and care deeply about the place they call home.
That is exactly what families like the Mees have done for decades.
As Kelvin Heights continues to evolve and ownership gradually changes hands, the contribution of families like the Mees becomes even more significant.
While many of the original Southland families are now passing the baton to buyers from Auckland, Australia and further afield, the foundations they helped build remain.
The walking tracks, open spaces, golf course and protected landscapes are all part of the reason people continue to fall in love with Kelvin Heights today.
The names on the letterboxes may change, but the values that made the suburb such a special place endure.
When people talk about the history of Kelvin Heights, they often focus on property values or how much the suburb has changed.
Equally important are the families who helped shape it.
Their legacy is not measured in dollars, but in the community they helped create and the landscape they chose to protect.
The Mee family is undoubtedly one of those families.
• Hamish Walker is a former National MP and director-salesman of Walker & Co Realty, Queenstown.