Crowds of revellers were drawn to Wanaka’s lakefront last night to see in the New Year, and police and support workers said they were mostly happy and well behaved.

The rain forecast earlier in the week for New Year’s Eve held off, and Queenstown Lakes District Council’s organised entertainment on the foreshore - with a DJ stage at one end and bands at the other - was jam packed with people by 11.30pm.

The entertainment provided on the foreshore drew people into the town centre, and the fenced off area (which ran the length of Ardmore Street from opposite the Waterbar to the Dinosaur Park) was managed by security to ensure people weren’t bringing in alcohol.

Bars and pubs were also providing security to ensure all patrons were of legal age and not already intoxicated.

At 11:15pm Trout Bar staff member Toni, who was manning the gate to the bar, said many there were locals, some were regulars, and everyone was having a good time and not causing trouble. Earlier in the evening she had to move on a few people who were intoxicated, but otherwise it had been an uneventful evening for her.

One of the Red Frogs New Year’s Response coordinators working in Wanaka from December 29 to 31, Shannon Thomson of Cromwell, said things had been going “pretty well”.

Volunteers with the Red Frogs organisation kept revellers hydrated with water and fed on pancakes.

It was the fifth year Red Frogs have been in Wanaka for New Year, working alongside the police and security, and volunteers weren’t sure what to expect with COVID-19 this year.

On New Year’s Eve the Red Frogs set up on the foreshore opposite Subway, and reported a busy time, with a lot of families. 

Compared with the first two nights “it’s definitely been busier,” Shannon said. 

During the first night the volunteers supplied 280 litres of water, more than 1200 pancakes, and they interacted with more than 2300 people.

“Overall everyone has been pretty well behaved.” 

“We’re a referral service. If people turn up here feeling worse for wear, we’ll ask the medics to assess them and if all they need is a bit of care and comfort, someone to hold their hair back, give them some water, a bit of time out, that’s what we’re here for. 

“And we haven’t been having too many through needing a lot of help, which is great. So those messages of eating [and] drinking water are getting through, which is awesome.” 

At midnight, a spectacular display of fireworks began from a pontoon on the lake. The usual collateral damage of car alarms and lost pets were reported following the display.

Fireworks lit up the downtown area.

A police spokesperson confirmed there were five arrests in Wanaka on New Year’s eve: three for disorder, one for drug related offending, and a warrant to arrest. 

“In general police were pleased with the behaviour of revellers, there seemed to be larger groups of youths than in previous years,” he said.

The morning after: a young reveller sleeps it off.

“Police noticed several youths drinking alcohol unsupervised this week, there was also a significant amount of property damage around Wanaka.”

And while rubbish bins might be full to overflowing in the town centre, a lot of hard work had occurred in the wee hours to clean up the streets and foreshore by New Year’s Day.

Rubbish bins were overflowing the day after - but the streets were clean.

The day before Pembroke Park had been awash with discarded bottles, cans and rubbish - but today (January 1) it is pristine in comparison.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App