By Leanne Malcolm
The central Otago resort towns of Queenstown and Wanaka are packed with holidaymakers enjoying a break from the rain and earthquakes.
Queenstown Bay was packed full of sun worshippers today, as they prepared to celebrate New Year's Eve.
A high percentage of them are here to escape the Christchurch earthquakes and to enjoy the bars and clubs that were wiped out in their shattered home city.
The hot dry weather has attracted up to 50,000 extra visitors to Queenstown this New Year's, and police are ready for any trouble, bringing in 60 extra staff from around the South Island.
However, they hope behaviour will follow the pattern of previous years, with few arrests.
"Traditionally, Queenstown has been a really great place to come," says Sgt Steve Watt. "We have seen Queeenstown flourish as a great New Year destination. Everyone normally has a great time."
Otago's been enjoying record high temperatures for the past fortnight, and Wanaka too is riding a heatwave.
After a quieter-than-normal winter, tourism operators are welcoming the hordes of holidaymakers with open arms.
The lakes and the camping grounds are full with visitors looking to put a tough year behind them. Wanaka's Glendhu Bay provided welcome dry, sunny weather to campers fleeing the flooding at the top of the South Island.
The earliest rain forecast for the area isn't until next Thursday, and that'll please these visitors to Queenstown, some of whom told 3 News they couldn't be anywhere better to see out the old year.
3 News