Queenstown-Lakes District residents are more willing to donate an organ than other New Zealanders - possibly because they are better off.

The 19-year-old Australian tourist who fell from a Queenstown hotel after he tried to climb from a second-floor balcony to the rooftop has died overnight.

The 19-year-old Australian visitor to Queenstown who fell from a hotel balcony remains in a serious condition in Dunedin Hospital, police say.

A popular former Auckland and Queenstown restaurateur was on board the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

Herald readers recommended a bunch of great Kiwi activities for Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins. We sent him to see the best of Queenstown with competition winner Dave Floyd.

We asked Herald readers where to send Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins to introduce him to life in New Zealand. Tomkins looked through the entries and picked the one suggested by Dave Floyd - a bungy jump in Queenstown. Here's the footage of his leap out over the Nevis River - the highest bungee in Australasia.

The World Cup final cost some football fans a day's skiing yesterday, with scores of skiers turned away from Cardrona skifield, despite good weather.

The World Cup final appears to have cost some football fans a day's skiing.

About 45,000 people will inject an estimated $57 million into the Queenstown economy over the next 10 days during the 2014 Queenstown Winter Festival, which opened with a bang last night.

A former taxi driver has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to what police believe was a false claim he had been attacked and robbed of $700.

Let's call them what they are: junkets, writes Toby Manhire. They might be effective, they might bring in crucial votes, but the whole approach leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Eleven UN ambassadors are being schmoozed in Queenstown in an attempt to win support for a New Zealand seat on the UN Security Council.

A house has gone up in flames in Queenstown this morning.

The body of a missing Queenstown woman has been found by searchers in Lake Wakatipu.

Plans for a $240m Fiordland monorail have been derailed by Conservation Minister Nick Smith, who says the project does not stack up economically or environmentally.

A Queenstown police constable has pleaded not guilty to an offensive language charge relating to an alleged incident involving a taxi driver.

Owners of The Remarkables skifield are laying long-life cast-iron piping throughout the trails in what they call a vote of confidence in the future of the ski business.

Aviation website privatefly.com has named its top 10 scenic airports at which to land. Our very own winter wonderland Queenstown gets a mention.

An Australian film crew believes it captured two UFOs on film near Queenstown, and have posted the video online.

A new mini-terminal has been opened in Queenstown to handle an increase in the number of private jets coming to the resort town.

Sausagegate? The PM was snapped at the weekend dispensing free sausages at a National Party conference just 100m from pupils fundraising by selling the same product.

Airlines have welcomed the prospect of flying into Queenstown after dark now the resort's airport has safety clearance for night flights.

Experts have gathered in Queenstown to discuss Antarctic ice sheets and how a fast-increasing human population may change the frozen continent's pristine wilderness.