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Two American hunters had to be rescued, plucked from tricky, rocky terrain in the Upper South Wye Creek area early on Tuesday last week (10 February) after becoming exhausted, dehydrated and disoriented with insufficient food and water.

Police are warning both overseas and Kiwi drivers to make sure they take regular breaks during long trips, or change drivers if they’re tired, after two separate accidents in two days this week in the Wakatipu when drivers appear to have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Electricity lines company Aurora Energy has opened a satellite office in Queenstown, strengthening its presence in one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing regions.

Queenstown’s easiest downhill mountain bike trail, Whakatipu View, has officially opened at Coronet Peak. The highly anticipated 5km-long, Grade 2 trail, opened with a special community celebration on Saturday (February 7) that involved long-time Coronet Peak team member and former top Kiwi rider Erin Greene being the first to ride the trail.

Police say tragedy was only avoided by “luck and a small distance” after they allegedly clocked a vehicle at 144km/hr in an 80km/hr zone leaving Cardrona Village on the opposite side of the road at the weekend. Sergeant Dylan Hannah-Jones says just 10 minutes prior Police had stopped a motorcyclist in a group travelling in the opposite direction, who was allegedly clocked at 129km/hr.

Southern Infrastructure Limited welcomes the early release of the referral application documents for the Queenstown Cable Car (QCC) on the Government’s Fast-track Approvals website ahead of a formal referral decision being made, and sees it as an opportunity for the community to engage with the project as it progresses toward the substantive application stage.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) recently teamed up with New Zealand Police to create videos for tourists promoting safe driving in our district. The videos are in Mandarin and will be promoted to tourists ahead of Chinese New Year when the district sees an increase in visitors.

There’s not much that escapes the attention of Queenstown’s vigilant, volunteer Community Patrollers when party town hits full swing. Patrol chairperson Gary Lonsdale is on the hunt for more volunteers with just enough nighttime activity for the 12-strong team to get around at present.

Police are warning the thousands of motorcyclists heading south for this weekend’s Burt Munro Challenge there will be ‘zero tolerance for unsafe behaviour on our roads’, after two motorcycle crashes – one serious, and an alleged fleeing motorcyclist who allegedly clocked almost 200km/hr – twice the limit, in Central Otago last weekend.

Police and rental vehicle companies are concerned about accidents waiting to happen on local roads, with increasing numbers of overseas tourists featuring high in near misses, cases of dangerous passing and speeding recently, many headed for Milford.

Police are appealing to the public for help after a woman’s handbag was stolen from the Hanley’s Farm Playground on Bannister Street around 4.35pm on Monday, 26 January. Constable Amanda Shute says the offender left the area in a blue vehicle, which had been parked on Bannister Street, and the handbag was later located nearby. However, a number of items from inside the bag been taken, she says.

Social media posts painting ‘walk in the park’ pictures of some of the Southern Lakes’ most challenging climbs and hikes have raised fresh concerns for local specialist rescue volunteers, after being called out to some eight rescues in the past month.

Snow Machine is bringing their frosty festivities back to New Zealand in 2026. From 8-13 September 2026, Snow Machine returns to the breathtaking alpine playground of Queenstown, marking the 5th edition of the festival. Bringing world-class music, snow sports and unforgettable parties to the slopes, join Chet Faker, Ninajirachi, Restricted and many more. Performing across an impressive eight stages, including the Main Arena, on-mountain Apres stages, Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, ski runs by day become dancefloors by night.

A former World Bank senior economist says people buying holiday homes and leaving them empty in Queenstown for much of the year are on track to "hollow out" the town, unless authorities take strong action to build more affordable housing for workers.

Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover is calling on suitably qualified and passionate members of the community to come forward and apply for one of the three seats on Council’s newly re-constituted Risk and Assurance Committee that are to be filled by independent members of the public.

Local rescuers are again urging backcountry explorers not to rely on information, comments and advice posted on social media before heading into the hills with Wakatipu specialist alpine rescuers called in yet again to help, this time on Rob Roy Glacier, near Wanaka.

Disqualified driver allegedly assaults Police: A 29-year-old local man was charged with assaulting and resisting Police, refusing to accompany an enforcement officer and driving while disqualified after Police were called to Hanley’s Farm by a member of the public concerned about the way a van was allegedly being driven at 12.30am on Tuesday, 13 January.

A taxi driver was allegedly punched and kicked to the ground in Earnslaw Park by three Rolleston teenagers who’d allegedly taken off without paying their fare – one charged with assault with intent to injure, Police say.

The Ministry of Education has decided to keep most of Queenstown's school buses for now, despite finding most students are not eligible for the free services. It signalled last year that routes could be cut where public buses already exist - sparking pushback from parents and principals worried about student safety and attendance.