In a report tabled last week, council arts and events facilitator Jan Maxwell said a budget had not yet been set for the October 2011 event, apart from the $25,000 budget proposal.
Mrs Maxwell told the community services committee "seed funding" would be sought from the council to reassure other funding bodies such as trusts and the Asia Foundation.
"The exception to this [seed funding] was a view expressed by the group that the overall event may need some kind of overall co-ordination, albeit in a part-time role," she said.
A group involving Lakes District Museum director David Clarke, Arrow Events co-ordinator Julie Hughes, Real Journeys Queenstown operations manager Tracey Maclaren, Amanda Hasselman, of Glenorchy, council spokeswoman Meaghan Miller and Mrs Maxwell met recently to discuss the celebrations.
Mrs Maxwell said interest had been received from Kingston, Cardrona and Wanaka.
"In general it seems plans are under way, possibly with a week-long celebration culminating in some kind of district-wide event happening at Queenstown Bay," she said.
Proposals to tie the celebrations to Queenstown Winter Fest and Queenstown Jazzfest have been discussed, as has the potential to involve the Wakatipu and Upper Clutha Trails trusts.
The celebration coincides with the 100th anniversary of TSS Earnslaw, so Real Journeys is planning celebrations to complement the gold spectacular.
Former Queenstown Lakes mayor Clive Geddes has consulted the Otago Forward group for a Chinese trail from Dunedin to Otago, but region-wide celebrations have not been confirmed.
Potential celebration events raised by the group include a re-enactment of the historic Earnslaw sailing from Kingston to Queenstown, on Thursday, October 18, finishing with a party on Steamer Wharf, and an Arrowtown gold-mining re-enactment, on Saturday, October 20.
Also discussed were programmes to involve children of the community; district-wide competitions for beard growing; cavalcades, black powder shoots, functions, exhibitions, and both national and international media coverage.
Mrs Maxwell said a budget figure would be submitted to the Queenstown Lakes District Council annual plan when more was known of funding sources.
