Southern comfort: Queenstown beyond the slopes

Two days after my feet touch the ground in Queenstown, I'm sitting at a table with a deer skull staring back at me. "It's kind of like the new frontier," renowned chef Vaughan Mabee says, motioning to the four deer skulls - antlers attached - being plated in the private dining room at Amisfield restaurant.

When he removes one of the antlers only to place it on my plate and pour a burgundy sauce over it with a blood-like consistency, I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. It turns out to be edible - deer-milk ice cream with a beetroot glaze sauce - and it fits Queenstown's alpine ambience.

At the three-hatted restaurant on New Zealand's South Island, chefs' creativity with the "endemic ingredients of New Zealand" is one half of the successful Otago oasis that is Amisfield winery. And it's just one of the experiences to enjoy in Queenstown if snow sports aren't your thing.

Lake Wakatipu is the perfect place to start if you're looking for something adventurous that's not (too) cold. KJet operates off the central jetty in town and offers an entertaining, educational experience. Before taking a single step towards the boat, the crew shuffles you downstairs (yes, there's a downstairs on the jetty) to discover the history of the lake and what lies beneath it with a 30-minute underwater video by Time Tripper Queenstown.

According to Maori legend, the beating heart of a giant taniwha, Matau, is beneath the lake. It sits there after villager Matakauri burned Matau's body to protect his recently rescued star-crossed lover Manata. That is how, the legend says, the shape and depth of the lake was formed and why the water recedes and grows.

Once you're on the jet boat your adrenaline is guaranteed to kick in as the driver rips a few 360s. Between spins you're likely to be overcome with reverence as you shoot over the lake under the watchful gaze of the mountain ranges. kjet.co.nz

Buzzstop Bee and Honey Centre's owner and operator Nick Cameron is a mad bee enthusiast. As well as recounting the history of the nearly two-centuries-old New Zealand honey-making industry - its beginnings can be traced back to 1839 with the introduction of the honeybee by European settler Mary Brumby - he and his team take the time to show you how to collect your own honey.

From heating the honeycomb to extracting it from the centrifuge, you'll leave Buzzstop, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Queenstown, with a buzzing brain and your own jar of hard-earned Manuka honey. With no bees involved there's no need for fancy clothing either; that all happens on a different Buzzstop tour.

After a short intro about the business, a guide (in my case, Nick) takes you through how to use a heat gun to open the honeycombs in a frame stood against an art easel. The whole experience is far less sticky than I'd imagined; the honey simply trickles into the plastic container I'm holding under the centrifuge. The little individualised logos Buzzstop puts on your containers is a cute addition. buzzstop.co.nz

If you're chasing a sweet scent instead of a sweet treat, head to Miller Road Fragrances just off Queenstown's main drag and build your very own scent from scratch. The 2.5-hour workshop is a great way to spend time indoors on one of Queenstown's windier days. And with 60 different perfumery ingredients to choose from, there's plenty of opportunity to personalise your experience.

I'm not a fan of rich-scented perfumes so I enjoy experimenting with scents such as Green (named because it smells like the colour green would) to find something lighter. The 60 scent options come with no labels, which employee Sascha Yourieff says is to stop people from being influenced by names rather than smells.

The process involves mixing everything together in tiny beakers, calculating droplets and smelling the combinations as you go. Plus, you get to name your own creations, look out Chanel No. 5. millerroad.co.nz

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Queenstown's Onsen Hot Pools offer hour-long soaks for up to four people per cedar-lined tub. And the tranquility on offer is available all year round, with the water temperatures adjusting to the outside climate (hot, warm or cold). A morning soak, if you can snap up a booking, and a coffee overlooking the Shotover River is a fantastic way to start the day and the retractable roof only makes it better. An evening soak with a wine in hand, I imagine, would be just as calming, and a great way to close out the day. onsen.co.nz

Everything, literally, is made of ice at the Queenstown Ice Bar. While the staff offer black boots to match the Michelin-man style jacket, make sure to pack a pair of gloves to maximise your time - the only time limit on the experience is your own threshold for the cold. And if you're worried about that, a shot of Espresso Martini will help.

With temperatures ranging between -7 and -14 degrees Celsius there's no fear the ice will melt. The bar does, however, get a makeover every few months from an ice carver. Entry and a cocktail will cost you $40 but bring extra cash if you want to try more; the cocktail menu is extensive - and the Queenstown Ice Bar might be the only bar where there's a bin for you to smash your glass on the way out. queenstownicebar.com

Getting there: Air New Zealand has direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Queenstown.

Staying there: Oaks Shore Queenstown Resort has glorious views of the Remarkable Mountains from its lakeside location. It's located between the ski fields and the centre of town, and the going rate for an open-plan apartment is about $189 a night. See oakshotels.com

The writer was a guest of Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites.

Pictures: Maddy Fogarty; Getty Images