Queenstown Lakes District Council

15/06/2026

What a day at Peninsula Bay, Wānaka! 💚

Massive thanks to everyone who came along to the community planting day on Saturday. We had around 80 people show up across the afternoon to lend a hand, which was an incredible turnout.

Together, the group planted 600 trees. And while the mulching was no small task, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and powered through, giving plants the best possible start.

A special shoutout to the event host Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust. The team ran an exceptionally well organised day, making it easy for everyone to get stuck in and enjoy themselves.

This planting was proudly supported by our QLDC Parks team who prepped the site and provided fencing and materials to help get everything ready for the day.

We’re also grateful to:

• Glen Dene Hunting & Fishing, New Zealand for donating the venison
• Local legend Harald Bettin and his son Matt for preparing the kai - including a huge pot of pumpkin soup, venison and fresh flatbreads. Absolute crowd favourite.

And of course, to all the families who came along, it was awesome seeing so many kids getting involved and learning hands-on about caring for our environment!

📸 Te Kākano / Leah

14/06/2026

**Winter Road Report – 15 June 2026, 6.33am**

Mōrena Queenstown Lakes,

It's a rather warm(ish) and wet start to the week. Temperatures are sitting between 5°C and 11°C, with Kingston on the low end. There's plenty more rain in the forecast this week, so remember to get those headlights on and increase your following distance!

Key conditions to be aware of include:

• Wet roads in most parts of the district.
• Temperatures sitting at 5°C or above.
• Possibility of loose rocks on local roads following overnight rain.
• Watch for loose grit on the Crown Range and Cardrona Valley Road.

If you spot any issues on the road today, please give us a call on 03 441 0499.

Whilst there may not be frost on your windscreen this morning, make sure you pick-up a free ice scraper for the winter season from Council offices in Queenstown (10 Gorge Road) or Wānaka (47 Ardmore Street), or your local library.

Despite the warmer start to the week, Luna the French Bulldog is tucked away under the blankets. There were some dark looks when I got up, but I'm sure she's as stoked for the winter road report season as much as I am. Catch you all tomorrow morning!

Ngā mihi,
Ben.

P.S - recent photo of Luna below for those interested!

13/06/2026

**Winter Road Report – 14 June 2026, 6.52am**
Mōrena Good Morning

Yay! I managed not to sleep through my alarm all week.

It's been a positive start to Sunday with temps across the district above zero (lowest of 2 degrees in parts of Queenstown and also the Lindis Pass).

Roads are mostly dry but there is some fog about again, plus a bit of rain in the forecast later today.

Notably, two locations between Wānaka and the Crown Range summit have some frost: 'The Larches' (a section of road with overhanging trees just south of Wānaka) and 'The Icebox' (the narrow, shaded 'high crash area' after Cardrona township once you start climbing). Crews have spread grit here to cover off any potential issues.

Get used to those names – they'll be cropping up in these reports when winter finally shows its teeth.

Take it easy out there and, as always, if you spot any issues please call 03 441 0499.

Ben will be with you next week so tune in for the latest updates on French Bulldog Luna. Oh, and some road reports.

Go well,
Sam
Full report below.

It's been a positive start to Sunday with temps across the district above zero (lowest of 2 degrees in parts of Queenstown and also the Lindis Pass).

12/06/2026

**Winter Road Report – 13 June 2026, 6.47am**
Mōrena - Good Morning

To anyone who remembers British TV in the '70s and early '80s – and that's probably around three of you – I say 'Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile'.

There are no major roading /driving issues to report this morning with a mix of wet and dry roads across the network.

Skies are generally overcast at this stage, and there's a bit of fog about so remember to switch your lights on manually (as opposed to 'automatic') as it gets lighter.

Take it easy out there and, as always, if you spot any issues please call 03 441 0499.

If anyone's going to the Te Kākano/QLDC native planting at Peninsula Bay in Wānaka this afternoon I'll see you there 🌱 Otherwise I'll be back for one last report tomorrow.

Cheers for now,
Sam
Full report below.

To anyone who remembers British TV in the '70s and early '80s – and that's probably around three of you – I say 'Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile'.

11/06/2026

🚧 Upcoming delays along Hallenstein Road, Queenstown

Starting Monday 15 June, contractors will be replacing aging water connections along Hallenstein Road in Queenstown to improve the resilience of our local water supply. This work is expected to take three months to complete, with no road closure anticipated.

Work will start from the Dublin Street end of Hallenstein Street and work towards Gorge Road, with the working site location shifting as the team progresses.

🛑 What traffic disruption can I expect?

The road will not be closed, but road users can expect speed reductions and possible single lane closures 7.30am-6.00pm, Monday-Friday. Wayfinding signage will be established should lane closures be in place.

👷‍♂️ How is the work being done?

The work will be carried out using a trenchless pipe‑bursting method, installing new water supply pipes along the alignment of existing laterals to avoid large trenches and extensive pavement reinstatement, with only small excavations needed at connection points and property boundaries.

This approach shortens construction time, reduces disruption for residents and road users, and limits impacts on existing infrastructure and surface finishes.

🎓 What about school access?

Work in the vicinity of St Joseph's School will be completed during the winter school holidays to minimise disruption.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while these essential improvements are completed!

11/06/2026

**Winter Road Report – 12 June 2026, 6.45am**
Happy Friday everyone!

No major issues this morning, which is distinctly milder than yesterday.

Up and over the Crown Range temperatures are in the positives. The road is damp with light drizzle falling and rain expected, then clearing.

Look out for patches of loose grit that were spread yesterday here and in locations across the Whakatipu basin.

The Lindis Pass is also relatively warm with no issues reported.

As always, if you spot any issues please call it in on 03 441 0499.

I’ll be on duty – same time, same place – tomorrow and Sunday, but if this is your last morning commute for the week then have a great weekend.

Cheers for now,
Sam

Full report below.

Up and over the Crown Range temperatures are in the positives. The road is damp with light drizzle falling and rain expected, then clearing.

10/06/2026

This year's Community Insights Results highlighted that we're making steady progress across key areas - leadership, service delivery, and communication - with more residents feeling informed, engaged, and satisfied with core services.

✔ Leadership satisfaction increased from 17% in 2025 to 27%
✔ Communication and engagement rose from 33% to 40%
✔ Satisfaction with core services improved from 23% to 29%
✔ 73% satisfaction with community facilities

The survey gives us a clear picture of how we’re performing as a Council, alongside the broader wellbeing insights from the Quality of Life Survey earlier this year.

We know there’s still more work to do and we will use these findings to guide ongoing improvements, focusing on strengthening core services, building trust, and delivering better outcomes for our community.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback.

Read the full 2026 Community Insights Report in our comments below.

10/06/2026

**Winter Road Report – 11 June 2026, 6.50am**
Mōrena Good Morning

Build in time to defrost your car windscreen this morning: with temperatures below freezing, there’s frost in several places including the Crown Range Road and some parts of Queenstown Hill and Fernhill.

As well as the Crown Range, grit has been applied in the usual shady spots and bridge decks, and fresh CMA (anti-freezing agent) has been sprayed onto dry parts of SH6A and Arrow Junction (that’s where SH6 meets the Crown Range Road).

We also have patches of thick, freezing fog all around our district and on into Clyde and Alexandra. Remember the ‘automatic’ headlight setting on some newer cars won’t work in fog so, as it gets lighter, turn them on manually.

Lights on, speed down and enjoy your Thursday,
Sam

Full report below.

Build in time to defrost your car windscreen this morning: with temperatures below freezing, there’s frost in several places including the Crown Range Road and some parts of Queenstown Hill and Fernhill.

09/06/2026

**Winter Road Report - 10 June 2026, 6.45am**

Mōrena Good Morning

The weather gods have given me a wee bit more to work with overnight. You'll see 'winter conditions' added to some of the specific route descriptions in the table in the full report below, with 'ice likely' added to the Lindis Pass.

We have cooler temperatures with frost appearing on some roads. Remember road temperatures can be cooler than the air temp shown on your car's dashboard. For instance, crews earlier recorded minus 2 degrees on the Crown Range Road when the air temp was plus 4.

Anti-freezing agent CMA and grit have been applied to some patches here and over the Lindis Pass.

Whilst skies are mostly clear we do have reports of foggy patches through the Upper Clutha, mostly around rivers and bridges.

As always, if you spot anything out there please call it in on 03 441 0499.

Enjoy your Wednesday.
Sam

Full report below.

The weather gods have given me a wee bit more to work with overnight. You'll see 'winter conditions' added to some of the specific route descriptions in the table below, with 'ice likely' added to the Lindis Pass.

09/06/2026

What's Councils role in approving all these Fast-Track proposals?

Mayor John Glover and Interim Chief Executive Michelle Morss recently sat down to discuss central government's Fast-Track Approvals Act and how Council is involved (or not).

Grab a cuppa and get informed! ☕