Central Otago District Council (CODC) has endorsed a fifty-year vision that articulates the aspirations of the people of Central Otago.

Central Otago - Our Place in the World represents the voices of the people who participated in the research and engagement, through stakeholder workshops, ward-based focus groups and a wide-reaching public survey.

The two page vision document is summarised in three phrases;

“Feet on the Ground

Eyes on the Future

Hearts in the Right Place.”

The phrases tell a story about Central Otago peoples’ aspirations, captured in the vision for the region.

Young people shared their dreams for the future of this place, with Aukaha helping to ensure that mana whenua perspectives were visible in this glimpse of the future.

The Shaping Tomorrow Together project gauged what the community valued most about living in Central Otago. 

The results were presented in the Central Otago Community Survey report, which was shared with CODC during a public workshop last year. 

Insights revealed that a sense of security and personal safety, combined with a vibrant community spirit, were central to residents’ quality of life. 

Respect for the natural environment, for peaceful enjoyment and recreation was identified as a top priority. 

Affordability and the need to manage growth were highlighted as important. 

Embracing the future, while honouring Central Otago’s past, was another key aspect identified in the research report.

CODC group manager – community vision Dylan Rushbrook said this work is the first of its kind for Central Otago.

“It has provided a rich body of evidence and has been used to revise the Council’s community outcomes, which are included in the 2025-34 Long-term Plan, and provided the foundation for the updated Economic Development Strategy, which is currently underway.” 

Council’s endorsement is a significant milestone for the Central Otago District Vision project and cements its role as a foundation document for future strategic thinking about Central Otago,” CODC community development advisor, Rebecca Williams said.  

“Anyone working in, or for, Central Otago, can now access information that articulates the aspirations of the people that live here.”

Rebecca thanked everyone who had been involved in the project.

The next piece of work is the development of high-level indicators, to help track progress towards achieving these aspirations. 

These may include measures such as perceptions of safety and housing affordability. 

A copy of Central Otago - Our Place in the World can be found on the right hand side, towards the bottom of this webpage.

View presentation and survey results here.

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