AA Southern Lakes District Council

Working on behalf of AA Members

Our objectives

• To focus on all mobility issues affecting our AA membership within the Lakes District.
• To represent the Lakes District issues / concerns at AA National level.

About our area

The Southern Lakes District has seen spectacular growth over recent years, which has placed high demands on existing transport infrastructure.

This has resulted in congestion and delays, not only in Queenstown and Frankton, but also become an increasing problem in Wanaka and elsewhere in the region, with many towns in the area forecast to continue growing in coming years.

In the past, the AA has tried to represent AA Members' interests in the Queenstown Lakes District area from our AA bases in Dunedin and Southland. However, it was decided in 2021 that with the rapid growth that has occurred throughout the region, stronger representation was needed and so the AA Lakes District Council was formed with its first official meeting in October 2021.

AA Council's role

The AA Southern Lakes District Council’s purpose is to act as a conduit between local authorities (particularly Queenstown Lakes District Council, Waka Kotahi-NZ Transport Agency, and Otago Regional Council) and the AA Membership, and advocate on behalf of all mobility groups.

In this regard, in the recent past submissions have been made to the joint Road Land Transport Committee advocating for continued investment in roading projects throughout the region and long-term planning for the Lakes District.

Our AA Council is represented on the 'Shaping Our Future Transport' forum and the Active Transport Group within the district.

We will continue to develop our links with local authorities in our area as well as neighbouring local authorities in the wider Otago and Southland regions via our representatives from these areas. 

Road safety and roading advocacy

This is a major focus for our AA Council.

As the QLDC (Queenstown Lakes District Council) and CODC (Central Otago District Council) develop their transport plans, the AA Lakes District Council will contribute by making submissions on behalf of AA Members.

Specific current issues we are working on include: 

• Ladies Mile area
• Town Master Plan for Queenstown
• Albert Town bridge widening
• State Highway 6 roundabout in Wanaka 
• New roundabout at Cromwell at the junction of State Highways 6 and 8

AA Southern Lakes District Councillors

• Jeff Donaldson (Wanaka) - Chairman/National Councillor
• Wade Paterson (Queenstown) - Vice Chair
• Vergne Wilson (Wanaka)
• Dale Paterson (Queenstown)
• Jono Young (Cromwell)
• Stephen Patience (Cromwell)
• Heath Copland
• Graham McNabb
• Glenys Donaldson (Wanaka) - Secretary

AA Southern Lakes District geographic area

The map (link below) shows the geographic area our AA Council covers. 

Specifically, our southern and western boundary takes in the following towns: Kingston, across to Shingle Creek, up Lake Roxburgh, up the length of the Manuherikia river, including the towns of Alexandra, Cromwell, Queenstown, and Wanaka.

AA Southern Lakes District boundary map

Contact for AA Members

Secretary Glenys Donaldson: southernlakes@aa.co.nz