Mini-tornado rips through the Queenstown suburb of Frankton

Frankton Arm of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown. Photo / Mike Scott

A "mini-tornado" tore through the Queenstown suburb of Frankton overnight, ripping roofing off homes and sheds, blowing in windows, damaging fences and bringing down trees and branches.

Alta Pl resident Hudson Turnbull said a neighbour saw the mini-tornado come off Lake Wakatipu about 1.45am.

Three homes near the corner of Robertson St and Remarkables Cres bore the brunt of the damage, which occurred "in a few seconds".

The fencing on three sides of his own property had been badly damaged.

"It's a bloody mess."

Turnbull said he and neighbours worked together to secure loose pieces of roofing and fencing.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand southern fire communications centre shift manager Brent Dunn said the Frankton and Queenstown brigades responded to reports of wind damage to three properties in Robertson St that had lost pieces of roofing and had windows broken.

Volunteer firefighters removed a tree that fell on to a parked vehicle in Riverside Rd, while a roller door was blown in at the Maui Motorhome Rental depot in Lucas Pl, damaging vehicles inside.