• Referred
  • Applied
  • Comments
  • Panel considering
  • Decision

Project summary

The applicant describes the project as an integrated development to construct and establish a three-stage aerial ropeway network, associated station infrastructure, a residential development, predator free sanctuaries, and tourism activities including a ski field on Bowen Peak, mountain bike park, walking trails, and a retail and hospitality precinct.

The project involves the following elements.

Three contiguous aerial ropeways

These include:

  • the Powerhouse Gondola (a capacity of 10 passengers per cabin) to connect the One Mile Powerhouse Reserve to the Saddle funifor, which provides access to the proposed Fernhill Heights residential development and the proposed predator-free sanctuary

  • the Saddle Funifor (a capacity of 110 passengers per cabin) to connect to the Fernhill Heights residential development and facilitate access to the proposed tourism activities

  • the Bowen Peak Gondola (a capacity of 10 passengers per cabin) to connect Saddle Station to a viewing platform on Bowen Peak and provide access to a new mountain bike park and ski area.

Note: the applicant states the final system types (pylon-based cable car, gondola, or funifor) will be confirmed with any substantive application.

Station buildings, aerial ropeway infrastructure, and ancillary development

These include:

  • Powerhouse Station, being a retail, hospitality, and tourism precinct

  • Fernhill Heights Station, being an integrated retail, hospitality and tourism facility with bus turnaround bay and multi-level carpark

  • Saddle Station, being a two-storey facility with bar/restaurant, retail, guest services, outdoor education rooms, public shelter, and public toilets

  • Bowen Peak Station, being a public viewing platform with shelter and toilets, to provide access to the proposed tourism activities.

A new residential development known as Fernhill Heights on a 52-hectare site

This includes:

  • the construction of 175 alpine-style chalets – each chalet will contain either seven or nine residential apartment units, providing a total of 1,333 residential units with a mix of two-, three-, or four-bedroom apartments

  • provision of five per cent of units as affordable housing and fifty per cent for worker accommodation

  • fee simple and unit title subdivision across the residential units.

New fenced predator-free sanctuaries

These include:

  • the establishment of the Te Taumata o Hakitekura Predator-free Sanctuary (approximately 290 hectares) located in the upper One Mile and Two Mile Creek catchments

  • the establishment of two sanctuaries within the lower One Mile Reserve (approximately 3 hectares)

  • the removal of wilding pines and the planting of native vegetation.

Other new tourism activities

These include:

  • a ski field on Bowen Peak

  • a mountain bike park and trail

  • walking tracks.

Project location

The project area comprises several sites within the Fernhill, Lake Esplanade, and Ben Lomond area of Queenstown within the Otago region. The project involves both private and public land.

Project referral

First referral application (returned)

A project referral application was lodged on 10 February 2025. The application was returned to the applicant on 24 February 2025 as incomplete/non-compliant with the requirements of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.

Decision on compliance under s14(2) of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (PDF, 177KB)

Second referral application (declined)

A second project referral application was lodged on 6 March 2025. 

The Minister for Infrastructure declined to refer the project to the Fast-track on 24 August 2025.

Stage 2 Notice of Decisions Letter (PDF, 178KB)

If a project is not referred, the applicant can apply for referral again. This is considered a new application, subject to fees and charges.

Referral application to use the Fast-track

Third referral application (referred)

A third project referral application was lodged on 19 December 2025.

The Minister for Infrastructure referred the project to the Fast-track on 13 April 2026.

Notice of decisions on application for referral of the Powerhouse Queenstown Development project (PDF, 210 KB)