Bordered by the Frankton Arm, State Highway 6A, and the Shotover and Kawarau Rivers, Frankton is the central point for many travellers to and from Queenstown. Both national and international flights arrive at the Queenstown Airport, located in the heart of this busy suburb.

Queenstown's founder, William Rees, named Frankton after his wife, Frances, in 1863. During the gold rush, the government considered Frankton to be the perfect location to act as the main township so the municipal buildings and the court were established there. But without a good road, it proved too much of an effort to go back and forth between Frankton and Queenstown, and the decision was reversed.

Frankton did eventually become a hotspot, with much to offer tourists and locals. Thanks to the main roads, it’s now only a 15-minute drive from Frankton to Queenstown's central business district.