Bingle said she was something of a Kiwi Sceptic, having never spent time here. When she is not taking in Queenstown's bars and restaurants, she will hang out on the ski slopes.
"We are thrilled to be working with Lara and our friends at Destination Queenstown," an Air New Zealand spokeswoman said. "Queenstown is one of the jewels in New Zealand's crown and we are hoping Lara's daredevil nature will showcase what Queenstown has to offer."
Bingle looked remarkably bright when she flew in, considering she had come straight from her 25th birthday bash at Sydney's trendy Carriageworks venue on Friday night.
The festival kicked off on Friday evening with a party for 12,000 revellers on the resort's waterfront.
A line-up of local music acts entertained the crowds, who also enjoyed a spectacular fireworks display.
Organiser Simon Green said he was delighted with the opening ceremony.
"The turnout was fantastic, everyone was having a good time and looked excited about the festival getting under way," he said. "It was also great to see our local entertainers up on the big stage to showcase the amazing calibre of talent we have in Queenstown."
Bad weather closed Coronet Peak skifield yesterday and two events on the mountain had to be rescheduled for today.
However, the fun continued downtown with a schedule of events, including the street parade.
