Queenstown police arrested 25 people during New Year's Eve festivities in the resort, while an alleged sexual assault at a campground is under investigation.
Sergeant Keith Newell said inquiries into the alleged assault, reported shortly after midnight at the Queenstown Youth Park, were continuing. Most incidents responded to by police in Queenstown were alcohol-related, he said.
''The demographic is pretty consistent - 15- to 25-year-old males, all intoxicated. This is the ugly side of alcohol; everyone arrested was affected to some extent.''
Offences included fighting, possession of a weapon, alcohol-related driving incidents and disorderly behaviour.
One drunk reveller seen by police lying in the middle of the road, and arrested for intoxication, was ''lucky not to get run over''.
A 30-year-old Australian man was arrested for possession of a knife after police were called to a party.
Several fights were reported in Queenstown Mall, including one involving a 16-year-old Cromwell youth.
The number of fights was ''disappointing'', Sgt Newell said.
The only female arrested, a 22-year-old, was taken to the police station about 12.30am to ''detox for her own safety''.
At 8.20pm, an 18-year-old local man was arrested for allegedly selling cannabis.
On the roads, a 25-year-old Napier man was processed for drink-driving in Camp St, while police are appealing for witnesses after a driver fled from the scene of a crash at the Fernhill roundabout.
St John spokesman Kelvin Perriman said paramedics treated about 30 people in Queenstown between 10pm and 3am.
About eight patients were taken to Lakes District Hospital.
Most call-outs involved intoxication, minor assaults and fractures and lacerations from falls.
- with Louise Scott
