Creating the perfect party – it’s not what you know in Queenstown…..
Creating the perfect party – it’s not what you know in Queenstown…..


Our jaw-dropping location for the evening started here…Tussock Point is possibly one of the most breathtaking views in New Zealand you will encounter and was our first location of the evening. Buses dropped over 100 members to 875 square metres of lush green grass, which falls away to a stunning view of Lake Wakatipu and the Kelvin Peninsula. Turn 90 degrees and you are faced with the iconic Remarkables Mountain Range. What better place to be celebrating our hard work and pre-wedding season madness than here??
Husband and wife team, Mike and Tineke have diverse backgrounds which come together perfectly for running a wedding and events venue which they so kindly offered to showcase us for this special event!
We then be moved down to Lake June, to the permanent 15 x 30 mar fixed Stella Marquee for the second half of the evening, where there was be more food, music and dancing to be had til dark! This site is suitable for events up to 500 people.

Gather & Gold’s magical Nordic tipis are the perfect centrepiece for creating a memorable and a visually spectacular event. They offer a range of floor plans and styling options to suit gatherings large and small, whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate event or private party. We were lucky enough to have one of these beautiful tipis at our first location of the evening for our members to enjoy, and everyone embraced the spectacular vibe and ambience that it provided under the huge canvas roof with a yummy beverage in hand….

New Zealand Trained Chefs with over 40 years of experience between them, Rach and Paula have catered both internationally as well as nationally. Being locals they know that they can offer a very professional team to create a memory that will last a lifetime. The girls understand the local climate and the seasonal foods that are on offer to keep their dishes fresh, simple and tantalising. They love to help out at any function or they can even just drop off your food to your desired location. We were extremely lucky that Double Thyme created some christmassy canapés for our arrival which were greatly enjoyed by the shade of the tipi!

Zamora is all about enjoying homemade food, they use natural ingredients in traditional recipes and add a modern twist. They combine the traditional South American and European recipes and techniques with fine New Zealand ingredients.
The meat that they use to cater their events all comes from their own deli butchery of which you can purchase to cook at home!
The Zamora boys cooked up a storm on their open fire Asador (South American BBQ) and provided uswith a variety of their famous meat cuts for this years cracker QWA 2016 Christmas Party!!!

Aspiring Catering believes in sustainable, environmentally friendly catering using hand-picked, local and organic products whenever possible. With only the best ingredients Lucy’s cooking style is designed to highlight the ingredient itself; giving our guests the chance to appreciate where they are even more.
With their mobile kitchen they are also able to cater in a variety of locations, as well as other services such as, hiring a photographer, arranging transportation, event planning from start to finish, venue selection, flower providers, other professional industry contacts, and hiring of tables, chairs, linens etc.
Aspiring don’t just provide the food for your event, they create an experience that you and your guests will love and remember – and Lucy and the team did a superb job of lining our tummy’s with sweet treats to die for amongst our christmas cocktail of craziness!

Bernie, the pistachio prince, is a cutesy pie, styley, art-deco-with-a-hint-of-scandi Mobile Caravan Bar.
He is known for his southern hospitality and charm, is a real romantic and loves a good wedding, dressing up, pumping out good tunes, and serving delicious drinks.
Entertaining on location is his speciality. Bernie loves digs in the countryside, but he’s not adverse to a backyard shindig either.
Being 100% mobile, Bernie is ideal for engagement parties, wedding receptions, post ceremony drinks or your recovery BBQ. Bernie is your go-to, get-the-party-started man van and promises to wow your guests and make your big day even more special. We cannot wait to have Bernie parked up on the brow of Tussock Point serving you a nice cold glass of wine or beer on party night!


From their home high in the Southern Alps, Cargo Brewery brings you an eye-catching range of perfectly balanced beers designed to refresh and satisfy. From the easy drinking Lager to the hop fuelled IPA, Cargo offers Queenstown’s premium craft beer range with a variety to suit all tastes.
Cargo Brewery and Kitchen was born from a love of great beer, fantastic food and fun times with friends – which is exactly why we thought they were the perfect choice to compliment our QWA Christmas bash this year!
Alongside Cargo was Gibbston Valley Wines.
Located in beautiful Central Otago wine country, just 25 minutes outside of Queenstown, Gibbston Valley is one of the region’s founding wineries. Their focus is always on handcrafting premium wines and honouring the traditions that have made us a world-renowned destination, since releasing Central Otago’s first commercial vintage in 1987.
Gibbston Valley wine is unfined, unfiltered and sustainably produced, and I think I can quite confidently say that it’s loved by all locals! We were ALL super excited to have Gibbston Valley onboard with the QWA and enjoyed sampling some their passion poured wines on the night!

The Winehouse is host to an amazing array of events from corporate meetings to mini exhibitions, garden parties, private functions and of course, stunning weddings all year round. Surrounded by nature with spectaculor views in an exclusive location, the Winehouse is a unique venue that welcomes and charms guests from all over the world.
So it is with great pleasure and excitement, I announce to you all – the first sampling of the Winehouses’ brand new selection of wines was available at the QWA Christmas Party 2016!

Hirepool is one of the most reputable and trusted brands in the hire industry.
This integrity is forged upon their commitment to deliver the best products of the highest quality and the best service experience.
They combine great equipment with an efficient and reliable service. Their comprehensive range of equipment includes chairs, tables, marquees, toilets, sound, lighting, staging, vehicles, fencing, dance floors, portable buildings and full event management services.
No event is too big or too small for the Hirepool Events team, and this year they kindly sponsored the must haves!


Whether for personal celebrations, such as a wedding or a birthday, or for promotions and VIP entertainment, The Amazing Travelling photo booth guarantees to amaze your guests with their outstanding booths and associated paraphernalia. Some of their favourite features are personalised guest envelopes, acrylic frames – a quirky display option for photos – can double as place-cards for table settings, and gifts for your guests to take home as lasting mementos! Albums, double photo strips, and a variety of backdrops to suit your theme!
The Amazing Travelling Photobooth gives everyone the chance to get up close and personal, and no party would be complete without the opportunity to put on a wig, halo, feather boa, dive mask and pull your silliest face in an Amazing Travelling Photobooth – so it’s a good job Dan came prepared with all his gear and we had no idea! What better way to capture the memories from the best QWA party EVER!!!!?!?!?!


Over the hill and not too far away, Shirley at Wanaka Wedding Flowers offers a bespoke service creating flower bouquets and arrangements that enhance your dress and help to make your day a beautiful and seamless experience.
Her inspiration is sourced from the mountains, lakes and vegetation around her but more especially, you. She is extremely passionate about her work and any ideas or guidance you have is welcome. It helps her to get a feel for your individuality and style, as well as being able to spend time searching for props and products of choice.
No matter whether your theme is vintage, classic, modern, bohemian or country rustic they want you to fall in love with your flowers – and at this years party we most definitely fell in love with the festive fauna Wanaka Wedding Flowers displayed!


It was important we had someone there to snap all the memories we were making and who better than Dan Childs – the man who never misses an opportunity to capture the tiny details, the stunning scenery – nor the craziness of our Christmas Party that was yet to come!
In the words of the man himself – “I am the guy at your wedding that you have only met a couple of times and yet will spend most of your day with you. The guy that is recording one of your most, if not the most important day of your life, capturing all the emotion. A guy that has been lucky enough to be recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography as an award winning photographer. A guy who will shoot anyone of your family members at your request.’
Need we explain why we thought this man was the perfect photographer to capture the shenanigans of the QWA’s most fun filled party to date?



Queenstown Transport Charters are Queenstown’s local transport specialist, providing private transfers and luxury european hire vehicles.
They operate a fleet of small and medium vehicles, catering for everything from individual airport transfers to large conferences, weddings and events. Clients love their dedication, attention to detail, flexibility and that our service represents excellent value.
Weddings in Queenstown and Wanaka are spectacular and Queenstown Transport Charters will ensure guests make it to your big day in comfort, style and always on time! From beautiful wedding cars and SUVs to luxury minivans and coaches for guests, they have it covered.
This year we had the luxury of travelling up to our stunning venue High Country NZ in one of their beautiful minivans to get Christmas started in style!!!

Enjoy a journey aboard Neville and Margarets grand lady, lovingly restored to her full glory. Brought back to life on a journey of exploration into the culture and treasures of the Queenstown region. Providing tours around the Wakatipu basin, you will visit charming galleries and discover quaint communities.
The 1937 Chevrolet bus arrived in New Zealand in 1942 and was in service for three decades. This was originally one of six buses operated by Routeburn Valley Motors, transporting passengers from Kinloch, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, to the Routeburn track.
Travelling with the unique, convertible top down you can enjoy an open-air view of the magnificent surroundings and alluring beauty of the region. Rich and golden, moody and blue or full of sunshine and glory, bright and crisp with snowy peaks on craggy mountaintops, each day and season offers a fresh new scene.
Quite frankly – this is the most traditional way to travel to a QWA event! The generosity of Margaret and Neville offering us their gorgeous grand ladies meant that those who wanted to indulge can do so, knowing our kind and caring loyal members would get them there and back in safety and style!Our jaw-dropping location for the evening started here…Tussock Point is possibly one of the most breathtaking views in New Zealand you will encounter and was our first location of the evening.