Lake Hayes Estate is a suburb of Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand. It is named after and situated near Lake Hayes; however, the lake is not visible from most parts of the estate. The main access to Lake Hayes Estate is off State Highway 6. To the west is the newer sub division of Shotover Country which can be accessed via Jones Road. Lake Hayes Estate was one of the first residential areas of a large scale involving quite flat land near Queenstown, meaning sections were quite sought after. The original 700 sections have virtually all been built on. In 2012 work began on a sub division bordering Lake Hayes Estate called Hayes Creek and by 2016 all of these sections had been sold.
History
For a long time, the area was known as Douglasvale but once residential development began around 1990 by Lake Hayes Estate Ltd it was officially given its current name.
Nerin Square is a large roundabout situated in the centre of the estate. In 2014 the first shops appeared in Lake Hayes Estate within Nerin Square which consisted of a restaurant, bar and general store. A large affordable housing development called Nerin Square is next to McBride Park. It was set up by the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust to help locals into their own homes due to the general affordability of housing in the Queenstown region. Nerin Square was the first major development for the trust, which built 27 homes in the centre of Lake Hayes Estate.
McBride Park
McBride Park is one of the central points of the estate and was named after a family of industrious settlers who first lived on the land. In the centre of the estate is a large grassed park which is surrounded by a bike park and bike pump track made of asphalt. There is a mini multi-purpose turf near Onslow Road which is used for basketball, hockey, tennis and football. There is also a large children's playground next to Hope Avenue which includes a variety of activities available including a flying fox and a climbing rock. There is also a public barbecue incorporated with the playground.
Public Tracks
There are a large number of public trails that circle the estate and allow good access throughout the suburb. They are used by walkers, runners and cyclists and connect to the much larger Queenstown Trail. The Lake Hayes Circuit track connects with Lake Hayes to the north via Ada Place. The Twin Rivers Ride to the south connects to Frankton and Gibbston and is accessed via Widgeon Place. The nearby subdivision of Shotover Country to the west can is linked via the trail network to Lake Hayes Estate.
