After 17 long years, a large development in the Cardrona Valley marked a "major milestone" on Saturday at a ceremony celebrating the arrival of its first residents.
Dozens journeyed to the Mt Cardrona Station subdivision to witness an official ribbon-cutting ceremony by Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Glyn Lewers, including current and future residents, development staff and community representatives.
Mt Cardrona Station director Chris Morton said the occasion was an opportunity for those invested in the project to acknowledge the significance of completing the first two homes on the 400-hectare site.
To date the development had attracted buyers from locations such as Wānaka, Queenstown and "probably 10% or 15% out of Australia".