James Beech

Campers are still not getting the message there is a total fire ban in force in the Queenstown Lakes district, the Department of Conservation (Doc) Wakatipu area office says.

Financially troubled property developer Dave Henderson vows to take back the $50,000 sculpture which was whisked away from the gates of his Anthem Vineyards, in Gibbston, by the receiver this week.

A modern New Zealand circus is coming to Queenstown in early February, with tertiary educated performers and no animals on show.

The seal of the busy main road into Queenstown will "fall to bits" if it is not resurfaced in an essential $700,000 project before this winter, the New Zealand Transport Agency says.

Pinnocchio will feature as the first full-length children's story the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) has included for its upcoming Tower Tutus on Tour production, which pirouettes to the Queenstown Events Centre, on Saturday, March 26.

Remarkable Theatre's staging of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gardens, around the pond in the Queenstown Gardens, was a remarkable success, with more than 100 people entertained during each of the troupe's nine comedic performances, from Friday to Sunday. James Beech went along with his camera.

Young Wakatipu women will get health and beauty tips from the professionals in a new "Girls' Style Workshop", organised by X-it Youth Centre.

Big-spending Chinese tourists want "contrasting scenery and a warmth and depth of experience in a short space of time" and Queenstown operators should start now on cultural understanding and building trade relationships with the growing Chinese market.

Be extra vigilant when using bank cards, or use only cash for payment - that's the advice from Queenstown police to bar patrons.

Comedy fans are invited to bring picnics and portable chairs to the Queenstown Gardens tonight to watch live performances of popular sketches and songs by a troupe of local performers.

Queenstown residents and businesses will have access to a deluxe dairy, top-end restaurants and conference facilities in a village-style hub, their new "next door neighbour" - Hilton Worldwide says.

Jan Maxwell always thought her husband, Ewan, would be all right out hunting because he was careful and well prepared.

Queenstown film-makers are sworn to secrecy, but Sir Peter Jackson is on a "gruelling" location-scouting mission in Wakatipu and the South Island this week.

Queenstown will gain global exposure in the 530 Hilton hotels and resorts, operating in 81 countries, when Hilton Queenstown opens "before the start of the ski season", a company chief says.

First tenders for the $3 million staged development and upgrade over the next two years of Queenstown's only secondary school are expected to go out next month.