Mark Sanders from the sports shop Southern Wild in Wanaka steps over his sandbagged front door to check on the shutdown of Helwick St yesterday afternoon. PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSON/KERRIE WATERWORTH : Ready and waiting for rising waters

The council temporarily closed public toilets on Queenstown’s lake front. : Ready and waiting for rising waters

Leo Devlin (10), of Queenstown, plays on freshly laid concrete blocks in Queenstown Bay, part of flood-preparation work done yesterday. : Ready and waiting for rising waters

Pallets of sandbags sit on Steamer Wharf in Queenstown . : Ready and waiting for rising waters

Debris is cleared from near the Log Cabin on Wanaka’s waterfront. : Ready and waiting for rising waters

Trustee Michael Sidey and architect Alistair Madill monitor the rising lake waters at the Wanaka Watersports Facility. : Ready and waiting for rising waters