Ski fields, gondola shut as Queenstown presses emergency button

Ski fields, gondola shut as Queenstown presses emergency button
Forestry slash made up a significant part of the debris washing through the town. (Image: NZME/Supplied)
Brent Melville
Flights were continuing into Queenstown airport, although ski fields Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, the Skyline gondola and a slew of businesses remained closed after the resort area moved into a state of emergency on Friday morning.The Queenstown Lakes district council followed Southland in pushing the emergency button after a full day of stormy conditions, which saw 61 millimetres of rainfall in the district, with wind gusts up to 63 km/h on Thursday.Queenstown primary school, kindergartens and preschools were closed, and more than 100 peo...