Queenstown residents are mourning the loss of Deer Park Heights, one of its most popular tourist attractions.
Park owner Frank Mee, who was born in 1922, told the Otago Daily Times this week he had closed the park after 40 years because he was "getting too old".
Queenstown Primary School assistant principal Sandy Cochrane said she had been bringing pupils to the park for 20 years and news of the closure was "quite sad".
"It's an absolute shame. The park has been supported by the school over the years, especially through our outdoor education programme," she said.
The park had been an asset for Queenstown and children had "absolutely loved it", she said.
Mr Mee said his son would continue to farm deer on the land.
Tour company Deer Park Safaris is "extremely" disappointed by the closure, director Antony Bush said.
"This is outside the control of Deer Park Safaris and extremely disappointing for our company, but also for the general public, as Deer Park Heights can no longer be accessed by any form of transport."
The closure was a "great shame", he said.
