Temporary restrictions have also been put in place on key roads around the set of Disney film A Wrinkle in Time.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council announced on Tuesday night a boating exclusion zone would be imposed on a part of Lake Hawea near the Neck between 9am and 8pm, from yesterday until tomorrow.
The film is being shot nearby at the Hunter Valley Station.
Some of the film's cast, including Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, have been spotted in Wanaka and Queenstown.
The council cited safety concerns as the reason for the exclusion zone on the lake, while a Disney spokesperson said health and safety concerns were the reason for the road restrictions.
Under section 31 of the navigational safety bylaw the council has the authority to restrict or prohibit water-based activities on any of the lakes or rivers in the district.
The council's regulatory manager, Lee Webster, said the safety concerns related to the likelihood of large numbers vessels being in the area in the coming days.
Water safety would be compromised as people watched events on the shore and tried to take photos, Mr Webster said.
''We assessed that there was a serious risk in those circumstances.''
Asked if the film company had requested the council place the area off-limits, Mr Webster said he was not aware of any approach.
A member of the council's harbourmaster master team would be patrolling the area during the exclusion hours.
The film company would pay for the team member to be based in the area.
If people had a genuine need to launch a boat and pass through the exclusion zone, they would be allowed, Mr Webster said.
Some commentators on the council's Facebook page were skeptical about the safety reasoning and questioned the timing of the announcement only a day before it was imposed.
Others were more sympathetic to the council's decision and said the exclusion zone would only last a few days and there were other areas of the lake which could be used.
Despite repeated requests, no-one from the film production responded to questions asked by the Otago Daily Times.
