A motorcyclist has died after a collision with a car on the road south of Cardrona near Queenstown.

Campground owners have been forced to increase security as freedom campers are parking nearby, then waltzing in and using their facilities for free.

So much for Summer - the South Island is set to get thunderstorms today, with heavy rain and hail forecast.

Police are "generally pleased" with behaviour at New Year's Eve celebrations across the country and say there were no significant issues or incidents reported.

Party-goers who attended an unauthorised event on Lake Wanaka's Ruby Island claim safety was paramount.

A weak cold front will bring cloud, drizzle and showers to the country over the next few days but should clear in time for New Year celebrations.

Queenstown was the most inquired-about holiday destination for Kiwis in 2016 despite having the highest prices.

Four kayakers have made it back to shore safely after getting into trouble near Ruby Island on Lake Wanaka.

Queenstown and Wanaka are expected to be the hottest.

Wet weather today will clear throughout the country making way for a mainly fine Christmas weekend.

A man who caused the armed offenders squad to swoop on a Queenstown property has been sentenced.

A man has been taken to hospital in serious condition with spinal and rib injuries after a paragliding crash in Queenstown.

The super-rich are booking into this just-opened lakefront penthouse.

A man appeared in Queenstown District Court charged with dangerous driving. Photos from a witness show a car being driven on the wrong side of the road.

Police are seeking witnesses after a woman was indecently assaulted in Queenstown about 4am on Sunday.

Overseas associates of missing man John Beckenridge, who abducted his 11-year-old stepson last year, are working with New Zealand police to track the pair down.

Four people got into difficulty due to bad weather and windy conditions. Three capsized from their plastic yellow skiffs. One was not wearing a life-jacket.

Asia is top of the wish list for Kiwi travellers using Cheapflights.co.nz.

A judge yesterday castigated a flood of drink-drivers who appeared in the Queenstown District Court.

Queenstown Police are floating the idea of a 24-hour ban on public drinking in the wake of last Saturday's Crate Day chaos in the resort.

Schools are struggling to recruit hundreds of teachers ahead of the 2017 school year.

The man charged with carelessly driving a $20 million McLaren F1 sports car is an Australian who owns several McDonald's restaurants in Victoria.

Extra police were drafted into Queenstown after a crowd of hundreds celebrated "Crate Day" on Saturday with an impromptu party.

EXCLUSIVE: Hayley Holt has confirmed she will stand for the Green Party at next year's general election.

The driver of a $20 million McLaren F1 supercar which crashed near Queenstown on Saturday has been charged with careless driving.

McLaren staff offered a freelance photographer thousands of dollars to not sell his photos of a multi-million dollar McLaren F1 sports car which crashed near Queenstown yesterday.

A man who ran over a family of ducks in Queenstown contacted police after the incident received national media coverage yesterday.

One of Queenstown's biggest developers has called time on plans for a retirement village.

Hospitals found to have manipulated data to comply with six-hour emergency department target.

A worker has been seriously hurt in an accident at a Queenstown tortilla company.