Central Otago police have extra tools to control highway disorder around both the Alexandra Blossom Festival and the New Zealand Merino Shears.

The Teviot Valley has now been included in the Central Otago Alcohol Restrictions in Public Places Bylaw, after issues from out of town hoons in recent years.

Alexandra Police spoke to the Central Otago District Council yesterday as part of its submission, and said the issues weren’t from drivers, but their passengers engaging in alcohol-fuelled behaviour enroute to the festival.

Sergeant Adam Elder said the influx of carloads from Gore, Invercargill and Dunedin - known as the ‘Around the Mountain’ trip, last year resulted in vandalism of the Millers Flat School, and the tavern.

Regarding the NZ Merino Shears, the disorder was mostly focused around drinking in stationary vehicles in the carpark and broken glass.

In 2024 there was also a serious assault with a weapon and an arson at Raes Junction, and Cr Sally Feinerman, said she had people urinate on her property who were quite intimidating.

Senior Sergeant Clint Wright said they wanted to separate the blossom festival from the disorder, and incrementally they have seen a better result in recent years.

Cr Martin McPherson, also the Blossom Festival organiser, said they had come a long way since police were making huge arrests at the actual event itself, “but by giving the police the tools we will see a decline in anti-social behaviour.”

A report to the council from senior strategy advisor Alix Crosbie, said nine submissions were received in support of the extended alcohol restriction zone and six against.

The Teviot Valley has been added to the Blossom Festival Temporary Alcohol Restriction Zone and that timeframe had been extended to include the Merino Shears the following weekend.