From the foothills of Coronet Peak, in the company of two friendly resident magpies, we survey the rural splendour of this unforgettable South Island scene. To the right of the painting lies the Kawau River Gorge, famous for its jet boating and beyond that, Queenstown. Through patchwork fields of autumn gold and tall poplar trees we glimpse Arrowtown and Millbrook. All of this unfolds before the majestic backdrop of the snow-capped Remarkables.

In 1857 The Remarkables were named by British-born pioneer land surveyor Alexander Garvie. He chose the name as they are one of only two mountain ranges in the world which run directly north to south - the other one being in the Rocky Mountains. An alternate explanation for the name given by locals, is that early Queenstown settlers, upon seeing the mountain range during sunset one evening, named them The Remarkables to describe the sight. Leading New Zealand impressionist Simon Williams, born in the south excels in capturing this favoured subject.