Queenstown zipwire accompanied by soundtrack of talented musicians

Musician Joel Lee plays to the Ziptrek sessions customers as tourism heats up again in Queenstown. Photo / James Allan

The soundtrack to a high-speed zipline hundreds of metres above the ground is usually one of screams and squeals.

But over Queen's Birthday weekend – Kiwis' first holiday weekend under the relative freedoms of coronavirus alert level 2 – the adrenalin-filled adventure is being played out to a backdrop of rock n roll.

Queenstown company Ziptrek hoped its Tree House Sessions, featuring local musicians equally hard-hit by the Covid-19 global pandemic will bring some added smiles to its customers.

So while zipping down the exhilarating high wire 450m above Queenstown – regarded by many as the world's adventure tourism capital – they got to enjoy some quality tunes.

It's been tough times for both Queenstown's tourism, and music, industries, hammered by the sudden dearth of tourists which it so heavily relies on.

But Scott Kennedy, co-organiser of the Tree House Sessions, said the long weekend has got the town buzzing again.

"A lot of Kiwis have come from around the countryside to come and experience Queenstown, which is great and something we really need," he said.

"We need tourism to come back, and to be able to have them come back and experience adventure tourism and some arts and culture at the same time is really awesome."