Background
Rees was born in Haroldston Saint Issell"s, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1827. His father was a commander with the Royal Navy.
Rees was born in Haroldston Saint Issell"s, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1827. His father was a commander with the Royal Navy.
He and fellow explorer Nicholas von Tunzelmann were the first Europeans to settle the Wakatipu basin. Rees was educated at the Royal Naval School. Rees emigrated to New South Wales in 1852, where he became a sheep farmer.
He established a high country farm in 1860 close to the current location of Queenstown"s town centre.
His homestead was located near the mouth of the Kawarau River, at the site of the present day Hilton Hotel. Some historic buildings have been preserved.
Gold was discovered not far to the northeast two years later, at which point Rees converted his wool shed into a hotel named the Queen"s Arms, now known as Eichardt"son Today, Rees is considered the founding father of Queenstown.
Rees was an early New Zealand exponent of the sport of cricket, having been born into a family with prominent links to the sport.
He was also a devout Anglican and helped with the building of Street Peter"s Church, in central Queenstown, which was completed in 1863. The Rees River in Central Otago is named after Rees, and his statue stands on Rees Street, near the town pier. There is a hotel called The Rees on Frankton Road in Queenstown which bears his name and a bridge on State Highway 6 named in his honour.
He died in Blenheim, New Zealand, on 31 October 1898, and was buried at Omaka Cemetery.
He was a member of the Grace family, and related as a cousin to West. G. Grace, an early star of the game.