Stamp of approval for gondola

A lantern parade and a Chinese dragon which wound its way through Queenstown streets during last year's Winter Festival has given rise to a stamp depicting the Skyline Gondola entwined with New Zealand-influenced Chinese lanterns.

New Zealand Post design manager Alan Hollows said the state-owned postal service released Chinese New Year stamps before the event each year.

Last year, the Dunedin Railway Station made the cut and this year Queenstown is the only location to feature - the other three stamps show Chinese calligraphy, a lantern and a snake.

Mr Hollows said the 2012 Winter Festival was an inspiration: ''There was a nice link to the Asian community''.

The Queenstown stamp is priced at $2.40.

The Chinese New Year on February 10 marks the start of the Year of the Snake.