A boil water is in place for businesses and properties across Queenstown following a number of confirmed local cases of illness caused by the protozoa, cryptosporidium. This affects all properties serviced by the Council’s Queenstown supply including Frankton, Quail Rise and Tucker Beach Rd, Kelvin Heights and Hanley’s Farm. Read more here.

From Monday 18 September there will be no parking available directly outside the Gorge Road Council office due to construction activity associated with the Town Centre Arterial Road. Our Gorge Road Council office will be open as usual. But if you’d prefer, you can make use of our online services via our website or give us a call on 03 441 0499.

The state of local emergency in Queenstown, originally declared on Friday morning after a severe weather event, has been lifted. However, some restrictions will remain in place to protect public safety as the focus turns to recovery. Full information here.

Our progress towards a Welcoming Plan

Each Welcoming Communities region develops their Welcoming Plan and draws on the findings from their stocktake and benchmarking reports.

The Welcoming Plan will meet the eight outcomes in the “Standard” and align with the unique characteristics of our district using a community-based approach. A successful Welcoming Plan belongs to the community.

Stages of accreditation

We met the requirements to be accredited as a Committed Welcoming Community on 9 February 2022, having signed a Statement of Commitment on Tuesday 2 November 2021.

This is stage one of four accreditation levels within the Welcoming Communities programme which include – Committed, Established, Advanced and Excelling.

Why become accredited?

Accreditation as a Welcoming Community has a range of benefits, including:

  • showing community values and welcoming newcomers

  • helping to attract, support and retain newcomers

  • showing that council is part of an international welcoming network

  • providing councils with access to ongoing support, resources, knowledge sharing and networking in New Zealand and overseas

  • showcasing new and existing welcoming activities on a national and international stage

  • providing a way to assess and reflect on progress and to improve welcoming practices

  • celebrating success and a shared pride in positive outcomes for the community

  • fostering conversations in the community around valuing inclusion and diversity

To achieve the next level of accreditation, we need to demonstrate we are meeting the sub-outcomes as part of the Standard’s eight elements. These elements guide the programme and help determine what creates a welcoming community. A Welcoming Communities External Accreditation Assessment Panel will also conduct a review and a site visit.