When yachting legend the late Sir Peter Blake visited the Gore Boat Club more than 15 years ago, he could not believe how many members it had for a town without a nearby lake.
He would not be surprised the club had a spot in Kingston on the shores of Lake Wakatipu where members could stay for summer boating holidays.
In October 1979, the original Gore Boat Club lodge was built in Gore in two halves and relocated to the Kingston waterfront, where it has sat since.
Lodge managers Matt and Melissa King, of Gore, both agree Kingston has been the perfect spot for their family getaways because few other boats frequent that part of the lake.
"It was a great vision," Mrs King said.
"It's safe for the kids and you haven't got a lot of traffic.
"It's one of the hidden wonders, as you haven't got 100 people at Christmas time using the water and the wharf."
With 230 members, the club is one of the biggest inland boating clubs in the country and Mr King said Kingston had everything on offer for visitors.
"Everyone's got plenty of room. It's quiet, safe and you don't have to drive too far.
"It was the only place where you could get such a good parcel of land."
When the building arrived more than 32 years ago, the lakefront was covered in broom, which affected the view of the lake as well as access to it.
Members of the boat club at the time, led by Vic Hubber, decided to bulldoze the broom, starting a local trend.
"Locals started to say 'why didn't we think of that earlier'," Mr King said.
The 18-bed lodge was booked out throughout summer and in some winter months, as members often stayed there while on skiing holidays.
"It's a good place for families. Everyone's got plenty of room," he said
The building was badly damaged in the 1999 Kingston flood, which destroyed metres of plaster board in the walls, as well as the floors and furniture.
Up to $85,000 in damage resulted, but luckily it was covered by insurance.
Mr King said the club hosted an annual working bee to maintain the place.
The $80 cost per night for four people helped pay for upkeep.
The Kings' three children, Molly (8), Ben (6) and Ella (4), love their yearly visit, with days of boating, water skiing and riding a biscuit on the lake.
Molly said her favourite activity at Kingston was getting out on the jet-boat with her siblings.
