The Vincent Community Board has deferred a decision on handing over money for gold.
The Dunstan Gold 150 committee has sought a grant of $16,000 from the board to help fund celebrations next year marking the 150th anniversary of the Dunstan gold rush.
Operating under the umbrella of Promote Dunstan, the committee said the grant would fund a part-time co-ordinator, the purchase of 100 "gold" ingots produced as souvenirs of the occasion and some of the publicity and advertising.
The amount sought was from the board's Alexandra promotions fund and the board decided on Monday to postpone a decision until next month so business people in Alexandra could be consulted.
Rates from businesses provide the bulk of the promotions funding so it was fair to ask business people what they thought, board member Martin McPherson said.
"The business people would argue that it's their coin."
Promote Dunstan president Rory Butler and secretary Louise Joyce outlined the planned year-long programme of events and said more would be added.
Ms Joyce said the committee was operating under the auspices of the promotion group rather than setting up as a separate incorporated society.
Lawrence has a four-day celebration planned, starting next Friday, to mark 150 years since Gabriel Read discovered the first payable gold deposits in the gully just outside the town.
Ms Joyce said the Central Otago celebrations would be on a smaller scale than Lawrence's but it was important to recognise the impact the gold rush had on the growth and development of that area.
The discovery of gold by Horatio Hartley and Christopher Reilly near the junction of the Clutha and Kawarau rivers in August 1862 triggered the Dunstan gold rush and led to the establishment of the gold-mining towns of Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh and Cromwell.
The Cromwell and district promotions group would co-ordinate events in that area, and the two groups would ensure there were no clashes.
Central Otago District Council's tourism marketing manager, Alison Mason, said council staff would work alongside the Dunstan Gold 150 committee to make sure events were well marketed and gave economic benefit to the community.
"The finding of gold was a defining moment in Central Otago's history. It is important that the region should celebrate the 150th anniversary."
Promote Dunstan had a good track record, she said.
