Queenstown is a place of extraordinary natural beauty. Surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, you're never far from pristine wilderness. This unique environment is not just a backdrop for our adventures; it's a living, breathing ecosystem that we're privileged to enjoy. As stewards of this remarkable place, we recognise the importance of preserving its wonders for generations to come.

Our region is home to ancient ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth. From geological marvels like our glaciers to endangered species such as the whio (blue duck), and cultural treasures like Arrowtown, we're custodians of a rich natural and historical heritage.

Doing Our Best to Keep This Place Special

As we look to the future, we're excited about the opportunity to enhance and protect what makes Queenstown special. That's why we're embarking on a journey to become a regenerative tourism destination, with the ambitious goal of being carbon zero by 2030.

We're thrilled to see that many of our visitors share this vision. Your enthusiasm for responsible travel and your desire to contribute positively to the places you visit are inspiring. In this spirit of collaboration, we'd like to share three ways that visitors like you are helping to preserve and enhance Queenstown's natural beauty, support our local community, and work towards a sustainable future.

1. Tread Lightly While You’re Here

We're delighted to see a growing trend among our visitors towards more mindful travel. Fortunately, Queenstown is well-equipped to support this eco-conscious approach. Many of our local accommodation providers, attractions, and eateries are at the forefront of sustainable practices, making it easier for you to enjoy your stay while minimising your environmental impact.

Choose Low Impact Activities

There are many fun things to do in Queenstown that don’t cost the earth. Get out in nature, breathe that mountain air, and feed your soul. We’ve put together a guide to low impact local adventures from hiking, biking, and climbing, to stargazing and photography. And if you’d like to choose local activities championing sustainable practices, here’s a few to consider.

Stay in Low Impact Accommodation

Queenstown has a wealth of low impact accommodation options from luxurious hotels to cosy cabins. Here’s a guide to some of the great local accommodation providers leading the way in protecting the environment and supporting the local community.

Sherwood Queenstown

Reduce Waste

Reducing your waste is a simple way to reduce your impact on the local area. Bring your reusable cups and takeaway containers and support the many Queenstown cafés going single-use cup free. Buy delicious local produce with minimal packaging at the Remarkables Market, which is on the journey to become New Zealand’s first zero waste market.

If you’re looking for books, clothes, or a gift, this guide to local op shops will help.

Stay Longer & Travel Slower

Lower your impact simply by allowing the time to explore further by active or public transport. There are so many incredible walking and biking trails here waiting to be explored and it’s a great way to experience Queenstown’s incredible landscapes first-hand. Queenstown’s bus network is also well connected, meaning you can travel from central Queenstown to places like Frankton, Arthurs Point and Arrowtown, and it’s just $2 per journey if you have a Bee Card.

Stay a little longer, take your time to relax and experience Queenstown like a temporary local. Check out these longer itineraries for ways to immerse yourself in the area.

Walking in the Queenstown Gardens

2. Volunteer and Meet the Locals

Volunteering offers a wonderful way to connect with our community and experience Queenstown from a unique perspective. It's a chance to work alongside locals, contribute to meaningful projects, and create lasting memories.

Love Queenstown publishes a schedule of local volunteer events. Check out a few of our favourites below.

• If you’re a keen cyclist, don’t miss Queenstown Mountain Bike Club’s Wednesday night digs, where people get together to maintain the trails, followed by chips and a yarn. 
• The Whakatipu Reforestation Trust run planting days establishing an ecological corridor of native bush and forest stretching from Arrowtown to Lake Whakatipu.
• Join a beginners trapping course to learn the skills to keep your corner of Aotearoa predator free.
• The Whakatipu Wilding Control Group hold regular volunteer conservation events to remove wilding pines around the Whakatipu.
• Lend a hand at the Pasta Café, a drop in hub that feeds seasonal workers for free over the winter ski season months from July to August.

Volunteers helping build new trails at QMTBC's Wednesday Dig Nights

3. Donate to Love Queenstown

Love Queenstown raises funds and awareness for local environmental efforts, ensuring every visitor to Queenstown has the opportunity to give back and play a part in the protection and regeneration of our environment.

Since it began in 2023, Love Queenstown has granted over $23,000 to grassroots environmental organisations in our region, rallied the tourism community, together planting over 4,000 native trees, and shared one-of-a-kind volunteer opportunities with countless visitors.

By donating to Love Queenstown, you're supporting an array of community organisations who are passionately protecting our stunning alpine environment - ensuring it's here to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Love Queenstown Tourism Industry Planting Day

We invite you to be part of this exciting journey. You can donate here or learn more about Love Queenstown's Impact and future plans.