Queenstown set to reach major population milestone this week, days away from being called a ‘city’

Queenstown is likely to pass a major population milestone on Friday. Photo / Destination Queenstown

Queenstown could be days away from being called a “city”.

Estimates, due out from Stats NZ on Friday, are expected to show Queenstown’s population has exceeded 30,000 people.

That will put Queenstown in a group of Large Urban Centres, like Gisborne, Whanganui, Upper Hutt, Nelson and Invercargill, commonly referred to as “cities”.

Mayor Glyn Lewers said Queenstown needs to front up and acknowledge the growth its facing.

“We probably will be the next city in the South Island, and it’s my own view that we will probably end up being the second city of the South Island.”

Queenstown Lakes District Council has already surpassed the 50,000 threshold needed to apply to the Local Government Commission to be renamed a city council, another symbolic step towards city status.

However, the commission said it would need to be satisfied the district – which incorporates both Queenstown and Wānaka – is a “distinct entity and a major centre of activity” that is “predominantly urban” before approving any application.

“If the commission considers that the application should be approved it must then refer the application to the Minister of Local Government for preparation of an Order in Council to give effect to the commission’s decision.”

Tauranga’s council successfully applied to become a city council in 2004, but Whangārei, Rotorua, Gisborne, Hastings, New Plymouth and Whanganui still have district councils.

This week’s population estimates and most future projections are based off the 2018 Census, updated for births, deaths and migrations.

Long-term population projections are challenging. Stats NZ projects a mid-century district population of about 70,000 people, but latest council-commissioned projections suggest a much larger population.

“Projecting ahead, by 2050 we’re looking at about 120,000 residents on a peak day, and another 100,000 tourists. So we could have about 250,000 people moving in and around our little district,” Lewers said.

Former finance minister Grant Robertson – who recently took over as Otago University vice-chancellor – said that projected growth had prompted the university’s recent decision to expand its presence there.

He said the centre is expanding and diversifying well beyond the small tourist town it used to be.

“There’s absolutely no doubt Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell are growing very fast. There’s absolutely no doubt there’s massive opportunity here.”

Michael Sergel is an Auckland-based radio news director and senior journalist who has been covering business, politics and local government for more than a decade. He joined NZME in 2013.