New Zealand’s South Island has a new events centre, close to Queenstown in an area of spectacular natural beauty.
Te Puna Mahara – Cromwell Memorial Events Centre is set to open next month. It puts Central Otago’s raw beauty front and centre, delivering the best of one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most breathtaking, all-in-one business events destinations.
At MEETINGS 2026 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, yesterday, a strong proponent of Central Otago, Annabel Roy, described Te Puna Mahara as “set on the shimmering edge of the Kawarau River and framed by rugged landscapes, yet just 45 minutes from Queenstown”.
“This is a venue that trades the ordinary for something far more memorable,” she added.
Te Puna Mahara – Cromwell Memorial Events Centre
The Central Otago region, whose centres of population include the towns of Cromwell and Ranfurly, is renowned for its wineries and bike-riding trails. With incredible scenery and over 300km of off-road cycle and walking tracks, wineries and cellar doors, spectacular heritage sites, art galleries, boutique accommodation, great restaurants – and a fair few pubs – there’s something for everyone.
Now, the region has something else to offer. At its heart is a striking 400-seat auditorium built for conferences and keynote moments, supported by contemporary technical capability. Surrounding spaces are equally versatile – designed to host everything from workshops and executive meetings to exhibitions, sponsor activations and relaxed networking, all with a constant visual connection to the landscape beyond.
As day turns to evening, the experience can shift seamlessly to gala dinners for up to 240 guests, cocktail functions and awards nights, set against a stunning backdrop.
On-site catering ensures effortless delivery, while integrated museum and gallery spaces lend a sense of place, grounding events in the region’s rich stories.
Bold, immersive and undeniably scenic, Te Puna Mahara – Cromwell Memorial Events Centre offers more than a venue. It’s set to offer a Central Otago experience that leaves a lasting positive impression.
Edited by: Peter Needham at MEETINGS 2026 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland – © 2026.
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About the Author.
With more than 35 years in travel journalism, Peter Needham has filed stories from Fleet Street to Fiji, and just about everywhere in between. As Managing Editor (Australasia) for Global Travel Media, he shapes industry coverage with the steady hand of someone who’s seen fashions come and go and knows what lasts.
Since going freelance in 1993, his byline has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Reader’s Digest and Qantas’ inflight magazines. He edited Inside Tourism for seven years, wrote the long-running Travel Tales column for Vacations & Travel, and even crafted copy for Tourism Australia ahead of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
A Reuters, Guardian and AAP veteran, Peter has travelled widely from South American backpacking trails to a Saudi military hospital, gathering stories the old-fashioned way: by being there.
