An ambitious plan has been revealed by an Australian owned company to build a conference centre, retail, hospitality venue, a new Fernhill Heights suburb with 150 units and a ski field above Fernhill in Queenstown.
The Bowen Peak ski field with a six seater chair and the Powerhouse Precinct “village” with conference facilities for 1500 people would then be connected by two funicular railways.
Aussie Guy Hingston is the name behind the plan that you can find here. The long time surgeon has a residence in Fernhill and is familiar with the Te Taumata Hakitekura Saddle and Bowen Peak ski touring and heli ski area that exists today.
Ambitious is definitely the word for it, given Queenstown’s current traffic problems with one road in and out and talk of a gondola from Frankton to downtown being built in the coming years to address the issue. Fernhill is located on the other side of town on the road that leads out to Glenorchy.
With talk of 1.1million visitors to the funicular annually, many locals are not happy as reported by the Lakes Weekly Bulletin, especially with the government Fast Track Approval Bill that will fast track the proposal for the development. Over 2500 signatures have been collected on a petition to stop the “Fast-Track mega development” on Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak.
