Queenstown Lakes District Council is inviting the community to help shape the future of local lakefront reserves, with early engagement now open on a new Reserve Management Plan.
The plan will replace the existing Sunshine Bay, Frankton and Kelvin Heights Foreshore Management Plan, which was developed in 1991.
Council Parks Manager, Dave Winterburn said it was time to update the plan to reflect how the district has changed.
“A lot has changed since the current plan was developed nearly 35 years ago. Our population has grown, how we use these spaces has evolved, and the pressures on the lakefront have increased,” said Mr Winterburn.
“While many of the plan’s key issues and objectives are still relevant, it’s important to refresh it so it reflects how we live, play and care for these places today – and into the future.”
Council says the new Frankton Arm and Sunshine Bay Reserve Management Plan (RMP) will guide how these lakefront reserves are managed and developed over time.
“This early engagement stage is a chance for people to tell us their ideas, both big and small,” said Mr Winterburn.
“We want to understand what people love about these reserves, what’s not working so well (now or as we grow) and their vision for these public spaces.”
The plan covers lakefront reserves along the Frankton Arm to the Kelvin Peninsula and Sunshine Bay, excluding Queenstown Bay and Queenstown Gardens. It considers a wide range of topics including walking and biking trails, recreation opportunities, commercial activities, landscape and biodiversity values, pest control and ecological restoration, such as willow removal and revegetation.
Information on this project is now available on QLDC’s Let’s Talk website at including an interactive map where people can drop pins and share ideas, as well as an online Q&A where people can ask questions and hear directly from the project team.
“We encourage the community, especially people who regularly use these reserves to share their views to help shape a new Frankton Arm and Sunshine Bay RMP,” said Mr Winterburn.
“These lakefront spaces are some of our most used and most loved. If you’ve ever walked it, biked it, or simply taken in the view – you’ve got a perspective worth sharing.”
Early feedback will close Monday 6 July. Following this, community feedback will be considered by the Parks team and used to shape a draft Reserve Management Plan. The draft will then be presented to Council for endorsement before going out for formal public consultation in early 2027.
