Changes needed in NZ’s top resort
Queenstown’s traffic issues need action rather than talk, writes Joss Miller.
MY early memories of Queenstown date back to the late 1950s, when it was a small town of stunning beauty and simplicity. Land was dirt cheap and tourism as such oldworldly and sedate.
New Zealand at this time was far removed from the world of corporate capitalism. The local dairy was a focal point. There warm milk could be purchased in small tin containers along with eyewatering ice creams and other such delights.
Rowing boats were hired out to the public in Queenstown Bay and proved very popular. This was the preHamilton jet era and it was inconceivable then that decades later mechanised sharks would be scorching across Lake Wakatipu producing amazing contortions and vertical lifts.
The introduction by Captain Howarth of the hydrofoil Meteor in the 1960s was revolutionary for the time and marked the beginning of an era of unprecedented change in Queenstown and the Lakes district.
No longer a sleepy hollow, Queenstown now is a vibrant, bustling place with enormous volumes of tourists together with increasing traffic gridlock.
Navigating central Queenstown by car is challenging indeed. Much time is spent in or near the famous Fergburger outlet, which seems to exert some hypnotic force with long queues and exotic smells wafting across the street.
Changes can be seen in and around Frankton on a daily basis. On the main highway, huge roundabouts direct traffic in all directions, including a beautifully designed stretch of road that connects Remarkables Park at the rear of the airport.
Large buildings continue to rise on the Frankton flats, rapidly filling in the space that lay barren for many years following the global downturn in 2008.
However, there are many challenges, and the cost of housing is a major concern. The Queenstown Lakes District Council has been working with other parties to try to facilitate the construction of affordable homes in the region and should be commended for this but the proof will be whether outcomes can be produced that result in significant change. Traffic gridlock in Queenstown itself has become noticeably worse in the last two years or so.
Part of this will be due to an increasing population and high tourist numbers. It appears, however, that the decision by the local authority to remove roundabouts and install traffic lights has impeded, rather than enhanced, traffic flow.
Also, why has there been no progress with developing the much talked about ring road that would divert traffic out of central Queenstown to outlying suburbs and beyond to the Glenorchy road? Underground pedestrian walkways could also be used to improve traffic flow. What about some really substantial parking areas — perhaps even under Queenstown Hill itself. The regular convoy of buses providing cheap transport is a positive contribution but these, too, are inconvenienced by traffic congestion and can only be part of the solution.
The drive from Queenstown to Arrowtown via Gorge Road is an absolute delight, with minimal traffic and stunning scenery. Where practical, this is a road that should be used. But frankly, much more can and must be done to improve the experience of motorists and pedestrians in Queenstown. There needs to be some real action rather than talk. Some truly creative thinking is required. This is New Zealand’s preeminent tourist centre. The ratepayers of Queenstown deserve better. All visitors and tourists deserve better.
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