The Remarkables Primary School hall was packed as close to 300 people turned out to discuss controversial plans to significantly expand Queenstown Airport's noise boundaries.
The airport recently announced plans to expand its noise boundaries into large residential areas and almost double the aircraft movements the present boundaries allow, by 2045.
The meeting, hosted by the Frankton Community Association, was touted as a way for the community to contribute to the association's submission on the proposal.
Guest speakers included Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd, who faced tough questions from the audience around the impacts of growth and comparisons between Queenstown and other under-pressure tourist hot spots around the world.
The health impacts of increased noise were also highlighted.
Dr Marion Poole from the Southern District Health Board said learning difficulties, sleep problems, and increased stress were all possible consequences.
She also said the increased noise boundaries could affect any possible development on the Lakes District Hospital site.
If the Queenstown Lakes District Health Board agreed on a variation to the district plan, lawyer Jayne Macdonald told the crowd a legal challenge would be pricey.
That challenge would best be fronted by the community association, as it would be able to pull together a fund to pay for experts on elements such as noise and health, she said.
Queenstown Airport Corporation was not invited to the meeting- association president Glyn Lewers says the meeting was for the community to share its views.
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Those people affected knew there was an airport before they bought there, and they should have known the situation would not get any better.
When Sydney Airport increased their noise envelope some years ago they were compelled to install double glazing and other sound inhibiting measures into all effected houses.
But that was when they were government owned so public money is spent easily. However, if this private company wants to intrude on more people they should be forced to undertake similar works. Alternatively they could always move their airport, these is plenty of flat land around Cromwell.