Latest update on Queenstown Lakes weather event

WELFARE

A Civil Defence Welfare Hub was opened at 1.00am on Friday morning (28 August) at the Queenstown Memorial Centre to support residents and visitors who had been evacuated by FENZ and Police following the heavy rain. Evacuees were from Sunshine Bay / Fernhill, Kelvin Heights and Qbox Motorhome Queenstown.

45 people were registered at the Welfare Hub, with 36 then being supported into emergency accommodation in local hotels.

BUILDING ASSESSMENTS

Eight residential addresses have been identified for Rapid Building Assessments. These assessments are in progress, and the EOC welfare team is in the process of contacting the evacuated parties and homeowners directly to confirm their status and any potential extension to their temporary accommodation.

Qbox Motorhome Queenstown on Bowen Street will be assessed shortly.

Assessments will continue into the weekend.

THREE WATERS

A slip affected the Two Mile Water Treatment Plant along Queenstown-Glenorchy Road, resulting in a disruption to supply.

Supply has now been restored and reservoirs are refilling.

A conserve water notice for Fernhill, Sunshine Bay, Queenstown CBD and Frankton Road has since been lifted.

ROADING IMPACTS

We acknowledge traffic impacts have been significant today. This is due to a range of factors, including storm impacts, debris, and emergency works.

Crews have been working around the clock responding to flooding, clearing debris, reopening roads and checking infrastructure across the district.

Good progress has been made, but the scale of clean-up in some areas is significant and has caused traffic congestion around Queenstown.

For up-to-date information on roads, see our roading impacts article.

TRAIL AND FIELD IMPACTS

All sports fields across the district were closed on Friday but have since started to open.

A number of trails around our district have also been impacted from the overnight weather event resulting in some closures and caution warnings for trail users:

Closed:

• Arrowtown River – True Left (Tobins Side)

• Swain Bridge (Arrowtown to Whitechapel Rd)

• One Mile Lower

• Lake Hayes Loop

• Cardrona River Track (The Hook)

• Gladstone Track (From Johns Creek to Grandview Bridge)

• Matakauri Wetlands 

Caution advised at:

• Twin Rivers - multiple slips and scours

• Hugo Tunnel - silt, mud and surface water

• Wharehuanui (from Coronet Station Rd to Millbrook) - scours and uneven surface

All closures will remain in place while assessments and any necessary remedial work are undertaken.

Finally, we want to thank everyone involved in the response to date as well as the community for its patience and understanding while we work to reopen roads and trails.

It’s been a big effort, and while there’s still some work to do, we hope everyone has a safe and dry weekend.