Tracey Roxburgh

Miss Otago will find out tomorrow if months of preparation have paid off, as she vies for the title of Miss Universe New Zealand in Wellington.

Queenstown's proposed independent school - likely to be a multimillion-dollar project - could be open in two years.

Some of the most inspirational women in New Zealand business imparted their knowledge and advice yesterday to a sold-out conference at Hilton Queenstown.

The Tourism Industry Association is calling for the Queenstown Lakes District Council to reconsider its plans to impose a targeted visitor rate, which would "unfairly penalise the commercial accommodation sector" with some large hotels likely to pay $25,000 a year more in rates.

A project that began about 18 months ago will come to fruition on Monday, when every school across the Central Otago and Lakes districts receives its Gold 150 education packs, compiled by the Lakes District Museum and funded by the Central Lakes Trust.

Two Queenstown entrepreneurs are taking the film industry by storm, having gained more than $US280,000 ($NZ339,000) in global funding less than a week after launching their new product, the Genie.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has promised to "don the Lycra" and experience parts of the New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT) first hand, once the 2500km network around the country is complete.

A pivotal Arrowtown community asset, the Arrowtown Bowling Club building, will be upgraded, ensuring it remains fit for purpose into the future.

The battle lines were drawn at the Queenstown Rec Ground on Saturday afternoon, in one of the annual highlights of the Central Otago Premier rugby calendar.

Two Queenstown residents originally from Scotland are preparing to relive their teenage years and perfect their "BBC English" accents ahead of the 2012 Showbiz Queenstown season of The Sound of Music.