Queenstown Lakes

The district is generally lightly populated, with much of its southwestern part being uninhabited national park. Much of the scenery was heavily glaciated during the last ice age, and as such contains many broad U-shaped valleys, several of which are filled with large lakes. These include the country's deepest lake, Lake Hauroko, and three of the country's four largest lakes. If the Mackenzie Basin is included, seven of the country's ten largest lakes form part of the Southern Lakes. Many of the districts lakes feed the country's second-longest river, the Clutha River, and its tributaries — these include Lakes Wakatipu, Wānaka, and Hāwea, as well as the artificial lakes Dunstan (formed on the river by a hydroelectric dam at Clyde) and Roxburgh (formed behind a similar but smaller dam at Roxburgh). Other lakes, such as Te Anau and Manapouri, feed the system of the Waiau River. The northern group of Mackenzie Basin lakes form part of the Waitaki River system. The areas main centres of population are Queenstown and Wānaka in Otago, and Te Anau in Southland.

About Emergency Management in Queenstown Lakes District

Queenstown Lakes District Council is part of Emergency Management​ Otago which includes the four other local authorities within the Otago region and the Otago Regional Council. ​

Queenstown Lakes District​ Council is legislated to provide a coordinated and integrated approach to the way significant risks and hazards are managed in the district across the 4R's:

  • Reduction
  • Readiness
  • Response
  • Recovery 

Hazards relevant to Queenstown Lakes

Earthquakes icon

Earthquakes
Floods icon

Floods
Landslides icon

Landslides
Pandemic icon

Pandemic
Storms icon

Storms
Fire icon

Fire

For more information about hazards in the Otago region, visit Otago Regional Council's natural hazards portal

Information before and during an emergency

Before an emergency

For information about emergency preparation and planning, we recommend you visit Get Ready

During an emergency

In an emergency or event, follow your local Council pages and Emergency Management Otago on Facebook or Twitter.

Radio stations are also a great way to stay informed and to hear the latest local updates.

Below is a list of radio frequencies for the district as well as some useful social media links for keeping in touch.

Queenstown

More FM - 92 FM

The Hits - 90.4 FM

Newstalk ZB - 89.6 FM

RNZ National - 101.6 FM/1134 AM

Radio Central - 96.0 FM

 

Wanaka

Radio Wanaka - 92.2 FM

More FM - 99.4 FM

The Hits - 96.2 FM

RNZ - 101.0 FM

Newstalk ZB 90.6 FM

Social Media

Facebook

- https://www.facebook.com/QLDCinfo

 - https://www.facebook.com/OtagoCDEM/

Twitter 

- @OtagoCDEM

 

Volunteering

If you're interested in offering your services as a volunteer, there are a number of organisations you can contact.

Volunteer South: 
Visit Emergency Volunteering for more information. 

If you would like to be part of a Community Response Group:
Fill out a Queenstown Lakes Community Response Group Volunteers form. 

If you would like to help out in a welfare capacity contact:
The Red Cross : www.redcross.org.nz
The Salvation Army : www.salvationarmy.org.nz/about-us/volunteer-with-us

If you would like to help out in an operations capacity, contact:
LandSAR - email  join@wakatipusar.co.nz or visit: www.landsar.org.nz for more information. 
The Red Cross :https://www.redcross.org.nz

Civil defence centres

Arrowtown

Arrowtown is a prepared community with an up-to-date community response plan which you will find below.

If you are in Arrowtown when an emergency occurs and you need assistance, there are six civil defence centres where you will be able to get help.

Civil Defence Centres » Queenstown Lakes District Council

Frankton

Frankton is a well-established community on the eastern shores of Lake Wakatipu. There are four civil defence centres in Frankton where you can look for assistance in an emergency.

Glenorchy

Glenorchy is a self-contained community at the head of Lake Wakatipu. There is a single road in and out of Glenorchy along the shores of the lake, as well as boat access and an airstrip. Glenorchy has a small but growing community of permanent residents, a large number of holiday homes and a high number of seasonal day and visitors. 

If you are in Glenorchy during any kind of emergency, you will find help at one of the Civil Defence Centres:

  • Glenorchy Primary School 
    Oban St, Glenorchy
  • Camp Glenorchy  
    60 Oban St, Glenorchy

Kelvin Heights and Jack's Point

Kelvin Peninsula and Jack's Point are communities on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Kelvin Peninsula is a self-contained community with one single access road but multiple access points for boats and helicopters in times of emergency. Jack's Point is a fast-growing and relatively new community, 10 minutes drive from Frankton.

If you are in Kelvin Peninsula or Jack's Point when an emergency occurs and you need assistance, there are six civil defence centres where you will be able to get help. The Remarkables Skifield base building also acts as a civil defence centre for those on the mountain in an emergency.

  • Queenstown Golf Club 
    Peninsula Road, Kelvin Heights

  • Hilton Resort 
    Kawarau Village, 79 Peninsula Road
  • Jack's Point Clubhouse 
    MacAdam Drive, Kawarau Falls

  • Lakeland Park Christian Camp 
    496 Peninsula Road
  • NZONE Skydive 
    786 Kingston Road

  • The Remarkables Base Building 
    Remarkables Ski Area
  • Wakatipu Croquet Club 
    Poplar Drive, Kelvin Heights

Kingston

Kingston is a self-contained community at the southernmost end of Lake Wakatipu, on the border of the Queenstown Lakes and Southland Districts, on State Highway 6.

If you are in Kingston when an emergency occurs, you will find assistance at the two civil defence centres in the township:

  • Kingston Fire Station 
    Kent St, Kingston
  • Kingston Golf Club 
    32 Gloucester St, Kingston

 

Lake Hawea and Hawea Flat

Lake Hawea and Hawea Flat are neighbouring communities in the Upper Clutha. Both have small permanent resident populations and a culture of neighbourliness and resilience.

If you are in either Lake Hawea or Hawea Flat during an emergency, you will be able to get assistance from one of the five civil defence centres:

  • Lake Hawea Community Centre
    Capell Ave / Myra St, Hawea
  • Lake Hawea Holiday Park 
    1208 Makarora - Lake Hawea Rd
  • Hawea Flat Community Centre 
    cnr Camp Hill Rd & St Ninnian's Way
  • St Ninnian's Church 
    4 St Ninnian's Way
  • Hawea Kindergarten 
    6 St Ninnian's Way

Lake Hayes / Lake Hayes Estate / Shotover Country

The Lake Hayes area is one of the fast-growing population centres in the Wakatipu Basin. It combines mixture of established permanent residences and holiday homes around the edge of Lake Hayes with the fast-growing subdivisions at Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country.

There are two civil defence centres in this area:

  • Lake Hayes Pavillion
    1/719 Gibbston Highway
  • Shotover Primary School 
    57 Stalker Road

Makarora

Makarora is one of the smallest, most remote and also most resilient communities in the Queenstown Lakes District. Residents are often isolated by landslides, flooding or snow which closes SH6 between Hawea and the West Coast. Consequently the community is well prepared for all kinds of emergencies.

There are four civil defence centres in Makarora:

  • Makarora Tourist Centre
    Haast Pass / Makarora Road
  • Makarora West Community Hall / School 
    31 Rata Road
  • Makarora Country Cafe 
    5507 Makarora-Lake Hawea Road
  • Makarora Township Utility Shed 

Queenstown

Queenstown is the largest communuty in the District. As well as the permanent residents the overnight population swells due to the large number of visitors - many from overseas. In addition, thousands of day visitors come to Queenstown to experience the scenery and the many tourist activities.

There are three civil defence centres in Queenstown where you will receive assistance in an emergency:

Wanaka and Upper Clutha - Albert Town

Wanaka is the largest community in the Upper Clutha area of the district. As well as having a large permanent population, Wanaka's population swells at weekends and during vacations due to the large number of out-of-town holiday home owners and visitors.

There are four civil defence centres in Wanaka and the outlying areas:

  • Lake Wanaka Centre
    89 Ardmore St, Wanaka
  • Wanaka Recreation Centre (WRC)
    3 Parks, 37 – 97 Ballantyne Road, Wanaka
  • Mount Aspiring College 
    Plantation Road, Wanaka
  • Albert Town Tavern 
    Cnr Kingston St & SH6, Albert Town

Community Response Plans

Local contacts

If life or property is at risk - call 111 (fire, police, ambulance)

For general enquiries about civil defence in your community:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADVISORS

Office:  03 4410499 

Craig Gibson 

Emergency Management Advisor 
Craig.Gibson@otagocdem.govt.nz

 

Tasha Black

Emergency Management Advisor 
tasha.black@otagocdem.govt.nz



  

Helpful Resources