With travel to Queenstown booming, one destination is redefining what luxury hospitality looks like in the South Island. Ayrburn, a $200 million transformation of a historic farm estate near Arrowtown, is fast becoming a must-visit precinct for design-loving, food-forward travellers. Karryon’s Matt Leedham reports.
Just a 15-minute drive from Queenstown, where the landscape softens into world-renowned Central Otago pinot-rich vineyards and the Southern Alps stretch across the horizon, Ayrburn has emerged as a new benchmark for destination dining in New Zealand.
Describing itself as a “delightfully daring food and wine playground”, arriving at Ayrburn is like stepping into a hidden, Looking-Glass-esque world of wonder where you can’t help but be both impressed and deeply curious.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t some mishmash of themed venues. It’s a bold, immersive reinvention of a 60-hectare working farm established in 1864, now transformed into one of the country’s most beautiful hospitality precincts, where every building has been meticulously restored and given new life.
The project is the grand vision of Chris Meehan, founder of the renowned Belle Property real estate franchise in Australia and now CEO of Winton, the developers of Ayrburn and nearby Millbrook Resort, who envisioned a place where history, architecture, and exceptional food collide.
And it really is grand. Since opening in December 2023, Ayrburn has been quietly putting on the Ritz and attracting a steady stream of travellers, event attendees and locals alike. With its painstakingly restored stone sheds, lush gardens, flowing waterways, and a year-round calendar full of weddings, concerts and events, it’s already cemented itself as one of New Zealand’s most ambitious tourism developments.
In fact, Ayrburn has already become so popular that its owners say it’s on track to reach a million visitors in 2026, which will make it the most popular attraction in the region.
Iconic Billy’s is a joy to behold
Set in the original Paterson family homestead, Billy’s is so much more than simply a restaurant. It’s a conversation between past and present. William and Bessie Paterson apparently raised 11 children here in the late 1800s during the Gold Rush, having lived in the barn next door, now The Burr Bar, before moving into the villa. The homestead itself was one of the first in the area to be fitted with electric lighting, and that pioneering spirit runs through the venue’s DNA.
Today, the bones of the villa remain. Creaky timber floors, weatherboards, soft lighting and angled high ceilings, but what happens inside is something else entirely. Designed by Alexander & Co. and architect Jessie Sutherland (who clearly had a lot of fun on the project), Billy’s is a multi-roomed, art-filled experience that drops you right into a bygone era.
Velvet banquettes, silk walls adorned with intricate Eastern-inspired murals, and more than 130 pieces of contemporary New Zealand art from Meehan’s personal collection bring the different spaces to life, giving them an out-there vibe that somehow works like a charm.
It’s cosy, uber-cool, and like nowhere else you’ve probably visited. There’s more than a faint (Chinese?) whisper of another mysterious era here. The sort of 19th-century opulence you’d expect on a grand ocean liner or in a colonial drawing room, albeit reimagined with plenty of modern mischief. Where to look next?
The addition of a stunning and expansive glass conservatory, modelled on a traditional orangerie and filled with lavish flower arrangements and a central stone fountain, opens up the dining room to the surrounding gardens and light-filled mountain views, framing the landscape like a living canvas from the 1800s.
“More tea, Ma’am?”
Think Hercule Poirot twirling his trademark moustache or any Agatha Christie Murder Mystery, and you’ll be right at home here.
On the menu, Executive Chef Richard Highnam delivers contemporary Chinese cuisine that honours the region’s rich gold rush history while showcasing premium New Zealand produce. Much of it is locally sourced from the region.
Dishes like Bang Bang Chicken, Crayfish Mantou with XO sauce, Sweet and Sour Pork and Southern Ocean Toothfish with black bean and Shaoxing emulsion are balanced, bold and designed to be shared.
The dumplings, especially the truffle har gow and Wagyu siu mai, are worth the detour here alone. Not to mention the freshly-shucked South Island Bluff oysters with Asian Mignonette, and the unique Prawn crackers with Mt. Cook salmon roe, Kiwi fruit, and roasted chilli. And for dessert? I chose the Mango and Coconut Pudding with Mango Sorbet, and it was heavenly.
Oh, it’s just all so good.
Hint: If you’re dining with friends, the ‘Billy’s Banquet’ is the way to go for an effortless chow down of the good stuff.
The cocktail list is equally refined as are the bespoke Ayrburn wines, and the service on our visit, led by the charismatic and intuitive Tom, made the night truly stand out.
Billy’s isn’t trying to impress; it simply does. It’s smart, transportive, and grounded in story. It’s the kind of place that makes you slow down and lean in. Billy’s even has a printed directory detailing the entire art collection at Billy’s, which I spent ages poring over.
The night my wife and I dined at Billy’s, a CatWalk Trust charity event was in full swing in the conservatory with VIP guests, including none other than British Royal, Zara Tindall and her husband, England Rugby icon Mike Tindall, along with New Zealand royalty, All-Black legend Richie McCaw.
Yet, despite all its star-pulling power, Ayrburn’s difference lies in the sum of its parts. Each venue within the precinct has been carefully restored and reimagined to retain its unique identity.
The distinct offerings of Ayrburn
The Woolshed serves elevated bistro fare beside the open fire or out on the lawn. At the same time, The Bakehouse is an all-day café and bakery slinging wood-fired pizzas, pastries and rotisserie chicken. The Manure Room offers relaxed wine tastings and small plates in a converted cart shed that transforms into a stylish bar by night. It’s also a favourite stop-off in ski season for Après-Ski. The gorgeous Barrel Room, hidden among ageing barrels, hosts candlelit jazz nights and private events.
The Burr Bar, once the Patersons’ first home, is now a tiny whisky den with a mood and storied late-night history (some of it more recent, no doubt) in every stone. The Dairy, with its gelato and nostalgic charm, brings the sweetness for kids of all ages. And R.M. Prime Produce, the precinct’s immaculate own butcher and deli, makes it easy to take a taste of Ayrburn home, not to mention flowers, fresh breads and some high-quality merch. Honestly, I’ve never seen a more beautiful interior for a butcher.
At the centre of the village, The Dell ties it all together as a sprawling lawn that hosts vibrant markets, live music and festivals, tai chi, and open-air weddings. This summer, UK house music icon Carl Cox will perform on Sunday, 15 February. The Ayrburn Classic, an incredible motoring event which showcases rare and exceptional cars, will also return from 20-22 February, 2026.
Surrounding the Dell are the spectacular gardens: manicured yet still wild, with monumental sculptures, and the willow tree-fringed Mill Creek running through it that I hear kids love to paddle in during the summer while their parents watch on, enjoying the wood-fired pizzas and local wines. It’s a lovely place to take time out, have a stroll (or bike ride), and soak up the Alpine air, surrounded by the mesmerising backdrop.
There are also plans for a boutique hotel, and word is that the gardens are being shaped to rival those in Christchurch at the famous Botanical Gardens. It wouldn’t be surprising. This place certainly doesn’t do things by halves.
Ayrburn is built for premium travellers who want more. More than a view, more than a meal, more than a moment. It’s for those who value style and architecture as much as atmosphere, who want their food to tell a story and their surroundings to be more than just Insta-worthy.
For Australians heading to Queenstown any time of year, it’s the kind of place you hear about and instantly want to visit or revisit.
For more information, head to www.ayrburn.com
The writer dined as a guest of Ayrburn.
