Teen fighting for life after Queenstown balcony fall

The Glebe Apartments. Photo / Mountain Scene

The 19-year-old Australian visitor to Queenstown who fell from a hotel balcony remains in a serious condition in Dunedin Hospital, police say.

The New South Wales man fell about 10m onto a concrete car park at The Glebe Apartments in the early hours of this morning, Detective Matt Jones said.

He was flown by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital.

The man had been staying with friends at the hotel, and had been drinking alcohol prior to the incident.

Members of his family are travelling from Australia to be with him.

The man is the second person to fall from the Stanley Street hotel and apartment complex in recent years.

"He was making his way from his second floor apartment towards the roof," Senior Constable Chris Blackford says.

"He fell to the car park below and suffered a major head injury. His condition is described as critical."

Police couldn't confirm the height the man fell from but the second floor is at least six metres from the car park.

In 2008, Invercargill electrician Shaun Hogan fell to his death at The Glebe after gaining access to the courtyard and climbing to the roof.

Queenstown construction worker Andy Pearson suffered chest and pelvic injuries after he slipped and fell from the third floor of The Glebe when it was being built in 2003.

In 2009, English backpacker James Smith fell about 10m to his death from the roof of Base Backpackers on Shotover Street, Queenstown.

- additional reporting Mountain Scene