Live closures, delays and roadworks on the state highways around Queenstown — SH6 through the Kawarau Gorge, SH6A and SH8 — from Waka Kotahi's official feed, so you know before you drive.
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Queenstown funnels onto a handful of state highways, and in a slip, a crash or a winter storm the question is simply whether you can still get out of the valley. This reads Waka Kotahi's live road-events feed for the highways around town and shows what's closed, delayed or under works right now — so you don't have to wait for the 6:30am email.
The state-highway network around Queenstown is open, with roadwork and advisories.
Waka Kotahi lists 1 roadwork or advisory on this route. As of 15 Jul, 21:44.
These are the state highways around town: SH6 east through the Kawarau Gorge (the Devil's Staircase) to Cromwell and the north, SH6 south to Kingston and Southland, SH6A between Frankton and the town centre, and SH8 up the Lindis toward Canterbury. The Crown Range Road to Wānaka is a council-managed road and does not appear in this feed — see the Snow on the Passes tool and the QLDC road reports for that one.
| What | Where | Until | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoadworkRock Face Stabilisation | SH 6 Kawarau Gorge (Gentle Annie) | 17 Jul, 18:00 | 10 Jul, 6:46 |
Waka Kotahi is the live source — check it before you drive
Almost everything funnels through Frankton and onto SH6 or SH6A. When the Kawarau Gorge or SH6 south closes there's no quick alternative, and a closure can effectively cut the town off — so it's worth a look before a long drive.
Snow, ice and slips close the alpine stretches through winter. Carry chains when it's forecast cold — since 2026 there's a $750 fine for not carrying them on council roads in snow or ice — and never drive around a road-closed sign.
Checked 15 Jul, 21:44 (GMT+12). Sourced from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, licensed for reuse under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Events can lag the road, and very new ones take a few minutes to appear.