Key facts
- Fact 01
Alexander Garvie named the Remarkables in 1857 for the serrated peaks of the range, according to the NZ Geographic Board gazetteer.
- Fact 02
Before 1857 the Remarkables were known as the Crosscuts, for the same serrated outline.
- Fact 03
Myth: the Remarkables are not one of only two ranges in the world running true north to south, and that was not the reason for the name.
- Fact 04
DOC describes the Remarkables as an extremely steep, rugged range that rises to over 2,200 m.
The Remarkables, the steep range across Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown, take their name from their jagged skyline. The New Zealand Geographic Board gazetteer, which we read on 29 October 2026, records that Alexander Garvie named the range in 1857 for the serrated peaks of the range.
The jagged look had already earned the range a name. Before Garvie it was known as the Crosscuts, for the same serrated outline. James McKerrow later called it the Hector Range, not knowing Garvie had already named it, and Garvie's name stood. The Remarkables became an official name in the NZ Gazette on 12 June 1980. The gazetteer also records the Māori name Kawarau, collected rather than official, and the ski area calls the mountain Kawarau Maunga.
Myth check: a popular story says the Remarkables are one of only two mountain ranges in the world that run true north to south, and that this gave them their name. Neither part holds up. The gazetteer gives the serrated peaks as the reason, and other ranges also run north to south, such as the Urals. The range does lie roughly north to south along the eastern side of the lake, bounded by Lake Wakatipu on the west, the Kawarau River on the north and Wye Creek on the south.
The Department of Conservation manages the Remarkables Conservation Area and describes an extremely steep, rugged range that rises to over 2,200 m and is a prominent part of the Queenstown landscape.
For views of the range from lower down, our short walks guide has easy options, and our best time to visit guide helps you choose a season for the mountains.
Questions visitors are asking
Why are the Remarkables in Queenstown called the Remarkables?
The Remarkables near Queenstown are named for their serrated peaks. The New Zealand Geographic Board gazetteer records that Alexander Garvie named the range in 1857 for the serrated peaks of the range. Before that it was known as the Crosscuts, a name that described the same jagged outline above Lake Wakatipu.
Do the Remarkables run true north to south?
Not in any special way. The claim that the Remarkables are one of only two ranges in the world running true north to south is a myth. The range lies roughly north to south along the eastern side of Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, and other ranges, such as the Urals, also run north to south.
Who named the Remarkables?
Alexander Garvie named the Remarkables in 1857, according to the NZ Geographic Board gazetteer. James McKerrow later called the range near Queenstown the Hector Range, not knowing it had already been named, but Garvie's name stood. The Remarkables became an official name in the NZ Gazette on 12 June 1980.
Do the Remarkables have a Māori name?
Yes. The NZ Geographic Board gazetteer records the Māori name Kawarau for the Remarkables near Queenstown, listed as collected rather than official. The Remarkables ski area uses the name Kawarau Maunga for the mountain. The official name, The Remarkables, was assigned in the NZ Gazette in 1980.
How high are the Remarkables?
The Department of Conservation describes the Remarkables near Queenstown as an extremely steep, rugged range that rises to over 2,200 m. Published figures for the single highest point differ, so we use the DOC description. Lake Alta, a small lake in a glacial cirque below the Double Cone peaks, sits within the range.