Events and Programming
Highlands – Experience the Exceptional is primarily a motorsport destination rather than a conventional concert, theatre or indoor entertainment venue. Its public programme combines national championship racing, endurance events, historic and classic-car festivals, grassroots sprint meetings, drifting, driver training, charity activities and family attractions. The calendar is supported by daily driving experiences, go-karting, museum visits and group activities, so there is usually something to do even when a major race meeting is not taking place.
Recurring programming includes the Highlands Festival of Speed, the Jackson Orchards Sprint Series, Track Laps Breakfast, national single-seater and sports-car racing, historic categories, car-club track days and occasional specialist events. The venue’s current calendar also includes quiz nights, charity events and automotive community gatherings, showing that its programming extends beyond serious competition. Track Laps Breakfast is listed for the third Sunday of each month, with published prices of approximately NZ$19–$49 depending on the option selected.
The period from 2021 to 2026 has seen a broadening of the park’s offer. In 2021, Highlands promoted its accessible “have-a-go” Sprint Series, which welcomed different makes and models and grouped competitors by lap time rather than engine size or marque. The series continued through 2022 and formed part of the Festival of Speed programme. Highlands also used the period to support young drivers through the Tony Quinn Foundation, with shoot-outs, grants and opportunities linked to higher-level racing.
In 2022, the venue continued with sprint racing, Festival of Speed activity, driver-development initiatives and track-based experiences. A notable technical moment came in January 2022, when Liam Lawson and a Rodin FZED set a very fast lap during a demonstration and testing programme. The park’s events are often designed to give spectators access to the paddock, drivers and cars rather than keeping the action at a distance.
The headline event of 2023 was the Highlands 6 Hour Enduro, staged from 3–5 November as part of the park’s tenth-anniversary celebrations. The meeting featured up to 32 GT3, GT4 and open-class cars, a Top Ten Shootout, a grid walk, support races, Aussie Racing Cars, Central Muscle Cars and a modern interpretation of the traditional Le Mans-style start. Shane van Gisbergen, Greg Murphy, Jonny Reid, Brendon Leitch and other recognised drivers were among the names associated with the event.
Highlands became the host venue for the 68th New Zealand Grand Prix in February 2024. That meeting brought Formula Regional Oceania, GR86, GTNZ, TA2NZ, Porsche, Mazda and historic single-seater categories to Cromwell. The 2024 programme also included the first Highlands outing for the NaZCAR Lemons endurance concept, a grassroots event built around inexpensive, fun and accessible racing rather than professional results.
In 2025, Highlands announced and hosted Mad Mike’s Southern Bash, the venue’s first major drift event. The format included open drifting, track cruises, gymkhana, drift battles, car displays and specialist machinery associated with Mad Mike Whiddett. The programme demonstrated that Highlands is willing to use its circuit for different driving disciplines instead of relying solely on conventional circuit racing. In December 2025, Liam Lawson also appeared for charity hot-lap activities involving the Aston Martin Vulcan and Lamborghini experience cars.
The 2026 calendar has included the NAPA 70th New Zealand Grand Prix in January, the Festival of Speed in March, regular Track Laps Breakfast sessions and the Jackson Orchards Sprint Series. The current published programme for the latter part of 2026 includes Highlands MEGA 9 to 5, a Cure Kids quiz night with Shaun Wallace, and the Jackson Orchards Sprint Series rounds scheduled for 21–22 November. Festival of Speed remains the most heritage-focused event, bringing historic and classic vehicles, muscle cars and older racing machinery together with modern track activity.
Announced programming beyond 2026 includes the NAPA 71st New Zealand Grand Prix from 29–31 January 2027, further Track Laps Breakfast sessions and additional Jackson Orchards Sprint Series rounds in February and April 2027. The confirmed direction is therefore clear: Highlands continues to prioritise racing, historic motoring, driving participation, family attractions and community events rather than touring music or stage performances.
Tickets and Booking
Tickets vary substantially by event. Some sprint meetings and community-oriented activities have been free to attend, while major race weekends use advance tickets, weekend passes, day passes and hospitality packages. The 2026 New Zealand Grand Prix offered free Friday access, with higher prices for late or on-the-day purchases. Motorhome parking for that event was listed separately at NZ$50 plus booking fees, with limited spaces and a first-come basis.
A useful broad guide is that smaller public activities and recurring sessions generally range from free to around NZ$49, while track-lap, car-club and driving experiences cost more. A two-lap car-club visit has been advertised from approximately NZ$65 per driver, children’s activities can start from about NZ$15, and high-performance driving experiences have been promoted from roughly NZ$204 to NZ$399 or more depending on the car and format. Prices change by season, driver, vehicle, duration and event.
For popular race weekends, booking early is sensible because pre-booking can be cheaper and limited products such as motorhome spaces, hospitality and hot laps may sell out. Check whether a ticket covers the whole weekend, a single day, paddock access, a specific experience or only general admission. Motorsport events do not normally use assigned theatre-style seating, so the value of an early ticket is usually access, price and availability rather than choosing a numbered seat.
Venue terms allow prepaid experience bookings to be changed or cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before the reservation, subject to the published conditions. Within 24 hours, changes may be discretionary and can incur up to the full booking cost. Gift vouchers can be used for Highlands products but are not valid for event tickets and expire three years after purchase.
About Highlands – Experience the Exceptional
Highlands Motorsport Park opened in 2013 in Cromwell after construction began in 2012. The development was driven by motorsport entrepreneur Tony Quinn, who reshaped earlier plans for a Central Otago circuit into a larger multi-use park. Contemporary reports placed the development cost at approximately NZ$20–$25 million and described the site as covering about 88 hectares. A public opening in 2013 attracted thousands of people, with racing identity Jim Richards involved in the ceremonial launch.
The park was conceived as more than a race track. It combines a permanent circuit, multiple shorter configurations, a museum, café, go-kart circuit, mini-golf course, driving experiences, corporate spaces, accommodation and specialist automotive facilities. The setting is a major part of its identity: the track sits among Central Otago hills, dry high-country landscapes, plantings, a lake feature and broad views towards the surrounding ranges.
Highlands’ National Motorsport Museum is one of the venue’s defining features. Its collection includes significant race and road cars, with the park promoting more than NZ$25 million worth of vehicles for private functions and museum experiences. The building uses floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed structural elements and polished concrete floors to connect the collection with the circuit outside. The café and viewing deck look across the track, making the museum complex the social centre of the site.
Track, Seating and Layout
There is no published overall spectator capacity comparable with a stadium or concert hall, and Highlands does not operate a single fixed seating bowl. The track can be configured for different types of racing and driving activity. The venue’s current information lists a National Circuit of 3.13km, a Clubman Circuit of 2.14km, a Sprint Circuit of 1.93km and a Sportsman Circuit of 2.15km. Independent circuit documentation describes the original full course as approximately 4.1km, with multiple layouts capable of operating separately or together.
For spectators, the best viewing position depends on the event. The café deck is the most comfortable confirmed viewing point, with food, drinks, tables and a broad outlook across the circuit. Pit-lane and paddock areas are valuable during events that include grid walks or open garage access, while circuit-side areas provide the strongest sense of speed. Event maps and staff instructions determine which areas are open on a particular day.
There is no conventional reserved “best seat” system for most race meetings. Bring a portable chair only where the event rules permit it, and expect to move around the site during a long race. The café, museum and pit-lane areas offer different acoustic experiences: the café and museum provide shelter and conversation, while open circuit positions deliver the full sound of race engines. The park’s permanent function spaces are better suited to meetings, dinners and corporate presentations than to large-scale touring concerts.
Architecture, Production and Technical Facilities
Highlands’ architecture is deliberately automotive and view-oriented. The museum and café complex uses large areas of glazing to frame the circuit and Central Otago landscape, while the pit-lane conference room has a glass frontage, outdoor deck, block-out curtains and lift access. The museum’s polished concrete, exposed rafters and vehicle displays create an industrial exhibition environment rather than a traditional auditorium.
Published venue specifications confirm a 176-square-metre pit-lane conference room with a 246-square-metre deck. It can accommodate up to 150 people cocktail-style, 100 theatre-style, 120 at long banquet tables, 70 at round banquet tables or 56 in cabaret seating. The private GT Lounge measures 86.2 square metres and is listed for up to 30 cocktail guests, 25 lounge-style guests or 16 in boardroom layout.
The museum has approximately 2,271 square metres when vehicles remain on display and about 844 square metres when the central cars are removed for a seated function. Published capacities include up to 300 guests for café or cocktail-style use, 80 at long tables and 70 at round tables. The café interior is listed at 120 square metres, with a 216-square-metre deck and a lawn area of about 281.6 square metres.
The venue does not publish a concert-style inventory of line-array speakers, moving lights, stage dimensions or permanent theatrical production equipment. Confirmed technical provisions are more appropriate to conferences and private functions: Wi-Fi, a wall-mounted 75-inch screen in the pit-lane room, block-out curtains and audio-visual equipment available by quotation. The venue also has professional race timing, event commentary and motorsport safety infrastructure, but those systems should not be assumed to include full concert production.
Getting There and Parking
Highlands is at the corner of State Highway 6 and Sandflat Road, Cromwell, Otago. The park is approximately 45 minutes from Queenstown by road, while Queenstown Airport is commonly described as around 40 minutes from Cromwell. Driving is the most practical option because the site is spread over a large area and public transport does not operate directly to each spectator zone.
Coach services connect Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell, but no dedicated public-transport stop at the circuit is published. Visitors arriving by coach, bus or minivan can arrange group access in advance, including a commentary lap of the circuit. Private transfers and taxis from Queenstown or Cromwell are practical alternatives, particularly when attending an event where alcohol is being served.
Parking arrangements vary by event. The venue advertises free car parking for group and function bookings, while event-day parking can be redirected to different entrances or paddock areas. On race events, spectators may be directed through Sandflat Road or Cemetery Road, and vehicles must follow staff instructions. The venue can tow vehicles that block gates, garages or roadways.
Self-contained motorhome parking is offered for selected major events rather than as a permanent general facility. For the 2026 New Zealand Grand Prix, spaces were limited, priced at NZ$50 plus booking fees, available from Thursday morning until Monday morning and subject to a separate weekend-pass requirement. Dogs were not permitted in that motorhome area.
Inside the Venue
The main visitor experience combines motorsport with tourism attractions. Highlands has a fully licensed café open seven days from 9am to 4pm, with fresh local food, coffee, wine, beer, cider, soft drinks and an outdoor viewing deck. The café can be entered directly or through the museum complex, and its outlook across the circuit is one of the most comfortable places to spend time between track sessions.
Other on-site features include the National Motorsport Museum, a 650-metre outdoor go-kart circuit, an 18-hole themed mini-golf course, a virtual-reality room, simulators, reaction-test activities, children’s play facilities and the distinctive “Loo with a View”. The toilet block uses one-way glazing and individually themed facilities, making it one of the park’s best-known pieces of visitor design.
Event entry may include bag searches. Alcohol cannot be brought onto the property, although beer and wine are available from public bars at applicable events. Smoking is restricted to a designated outdoor area, pets are not permitted on the property because of circuit noise, and fireworks are prohibited. Non-commercial photography is allowed at public events, but photographers inside controlled areas must follow vest, boundary and accreditation rules.
Accessibility and Inclusive Facilities
Accessibility is mixed across the large site. A 2025 visitor accessibility review recorded a mobility parking space near the main entrance, a level main entrance, a lowered reception desk, an accessible café and a ground-floor museum route. The same review found the upper museum level was reachable only by stairs and identified uneven, steep or narrow routes around go-karting, mini-golf and some toilet facilities.
The review also reported a hand-controlled supercar as an inclusive feature, allowing a visitor with limited mobility to participate in a track experience. It found an accessible toilet in the museum complex but described other toilets, including the “Loo with a View”, as difficult or unsuitable for wheelchair users. Because the venue covers multiple buildings, gravel areas, hills and track-side zones, visitors with mobility, sensory or fatigue-related needs should confirm the route and accessible facilities for their specific event before booking.
Nearby Amenities
The on-site café is the simplest pre-event option, particularly for daytime activities. For a longer visit, Cromwell and nearby Bannockburn provide cafés, bars, restaurants, cellar doors and Central Otago wine experiences. The Cromwell Heritage Precinct includes lakeside dining and cafés, while Bannockburn is close enough for a meal or tasting before returning to the park.
Accommodation is available in Cromwell, including hotels, motels, apartments and self-contained options. Central Park Apartments and motel units are beside the motorsport and speedway precinct, while Harvest Hotel and other town-centre accommodation provide access to restaurants and cafés. Major race weekends can put pressure on local rooms, so booking early is particularly important for the New Zealand Grand Prix, Festival of Speed and large endurance meetings.
What Makes This Venue Special
Highlands’ strongest point of difference is the combination of serious motorsport infrastructure and an unusually accessible visitor experience. Spectators can watch international-level racing, walk among rare cars, eat beside the circuit, take part in a driving experience and bring children to a museum, kart track or mini-golf course during the same visit.
The park’s history is also unusually visible. Its first race meeting, the 2013 Highlands 101, established an endurance-racing tradition that returned in spectacular form for the tenth-anniversary six-hour event in 2023. Festival of Speed keeps historic vehicles in the programme, while the Tony Quinn Foundation and road-safety initiatives connect the venue with driver development, youth opportunity and safer driving.
Highlands also matters locally because it brings competitors, spectators, corporate groups, volunteers and automotive tourists into Cromwell. The venue says its corporate activity supports local charities and community causes, while its mental-health initiative funded school support and workshops in Cromwell. Volunteers such as Pete Simmons, who began helping at the first 2013 race meeting, illustrate how the park has developed a community around its event calendar.
Visitor Tips and Information
Arrive early for major race meetings, especially if you want to park near the museum, choose a café-deck position or explore the paddock before the busiest sessions. Wear comfortable shoes suitable for gravel and grass, bring sun protection and weather layers, and expect Central Otago conditions to change quickly. Ear protection is sensible for children and anyone sensitive to sustained engine noise.
Children under 16 must be supervised by a responsible adult, and under-16s are generally not permitted in the designated pit area during race meetings. Drivers must hold the licence and insurance required by New Zealand law, while anyone under 16 operating a car or motorcycle requires prior written approval. There is no published formal dress code for spectators.
Do not bring alcohol, pets, fireworks or drones without the required approvals. Do not cross spectator fences, climb barriers or enter pit lane unless the event specifically opens those areas. Event layouts, gates, parking and accessible routes can change, so the instructions issued for the particular meeting take priority over the venue’s ordinary daily arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highlands a concert venue?
Highlands is primarily a motorsport park and automotive attraction, not a traditional concert venue. Its programme is built around racing, driving experiences, car festivals, endurance events, drifting, grassroots competition, quiz nights and corporate functions. The museum, café, pit-lane room and outdoor areas can host private events, but published information does not establish a regular touring music or theatre programme.
What are the biggest annual events at Highlands?
The most recognisable recurring events are the New Zealand Grand Prix, Festival of Speed, Jackson Orchards Sprint Series and Track Laps Breakfast. Highlands also stages specialist endurance meetings, driving events, charity activities and occasional drift or car-culture festivals. Event size and spectator access vary, so a major championship weekend feels very different from a small sprint meeting.
How much do Highlands events cost?
Pricing depends on the event. Some sprint and community activities are free, while Track Laps Breakfast is listed around NZ$19–$49. Car-club laps and driving experiences cost more, with published examples from approximately NZ$65 for a car-club package and NZ$204–$399 or more for performance-car experiences. Major race weekends use separate day, weekend and hospitality pricing.
Can I buy tickets at the gate?
Some events may offer gate sales, but pre-booking is safer for major race weekends and limited experiences. Highlands states that advance booking can be cheaper than paying on the day. Check whether your chosen event requires a separate experience booking, camping pass, motorhome space or hospitality upgrade. Do not assume a museum or driving ticket includes race-event admission.
Does a race ticket include reserved seating?
Most Highlands race meetings are not organised like a theatre with numbered seats. Spectators generally use permitted viewing areas, the café deck, paddock zones or circuit-side positions according to the event layout. A specific event may add temporary seating or hospitality areas, but the venue does not publish one permanent stadium-style seating plan or overall spectator capacity.
Where is the best place to watch racing?
The café viewing deck is the most comfortable confirmed option because it combines a wide track outlook with tables, food and drinks. Pit-lane and grid areas are better for close-up access when the event allows them, while circuit-side zones provide more noise and speed. Arriving early gives you the best chance of choosing a preferred permitted viewing position.
Does Highlands have a permanent grandstand?
Published venue information does not provide a permanent grandstand capacity or detailed fixed-seat inventory. Highlands is designed as a dispersed circuit venue, with viewing areas around the track, a museum and café complex, pit-lane access at selected events and possible temporary event infrastructure. Check the particular meeting’s map if covered seating or hospitality is important.
Is there parking at Highlands?
Yes, vehicle parking is provided, but its location varies according to the event. Group and function information describes free car parking, while race-day staff may direct spectators through Sandflat Road or Cemetery Road to different areas. Do not block gates, garages or roadways. Special motorhome parking is offered for selected events and is booked separately.
Is motorhome camping available?
Motorhome parking is available for selected major events rather than automatically included with ordinary admission. For the 2026 New Zealand Grand Prix, self-contained motorhome spaces were listed at NZ$50 plus booking fees, with limited capacity and a Thursday-to-Monday stay window. A separate weekend pass was required, and dogs were not allowed in that parking area.
Can I reach Highlands by public transport?
Coach services connect Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell, but no dedicated public-transport stop inside the circuit is published. From Cromwell, a pre-arranged taxi or private transfer is more practical than relying on a scheduled connection. Visitors travelling from Queenstown should allow roughly 45 minutes by road and longer if transferring through Cromwell.
Is there food and drink inside Highlands?
The Highlands Café is open seven days from 9am to 4pm and serves local food, coffee, wine, beer, cider, soft drinks and other refreshments. It has indoor seating and an outdoor viewing deck. Major events may also add public bars or temporary catering. Outside alcohol is prohibited, so use the venue’s licensed facilities where available.
Are pets allowed at Highlands?
Pets are not permitted on the property under the venue’s event policies. Highlands cites the noise and activity of the circuit as reasons for discouraging animals. This rule is particularly important during race meetings, when engines, crowds, vehicles and pit-lane activity create a stressful environment. Make alternative arrangements for pets before travelling to the park.
Can children attend Highlands race meetings?
Children can attend family-oriented activities and many public race events, but under-16s must be closely supervised. Children under 16 are generally excluded from designated pit areas during race meetings, and they cannot operate cars or motorcycles on site without prior written approval. Some major events have offered free admission for children or young people, but this varies.
Is Highlands wheelchair accessible?
Some parts of the venue are accessible, including the main entrance, reception, café and much of the museum ground floor. A visitor review also identified a mobility park near the entrance and a hand-controlled supercar. However, other routes contain gravel, slopes, steps or narrow points, and the museum upper level is stair-access only. Confirm the route for your event.
Is the “Loo with a View” wheelchair accessible?
A 2025 accessibility review found that the famous “Loo with a View” was not accessible for the wheelchair user who visited. The review also identified an accessible toilet in the museum complex, while some other toilet blocks presented steps or difficult approaches. Visitors who need an accessible toilet should plan around the museum facility rather than assuming the themed block will work.
Can I take photographs at Highlands?
Non-commercial photography is allowed at public events, subject to safety restrictions. Photographers inside controlled or track-adjacent areas must remain within approved boundaries and wear any identification vest issued for that location. Commercial photography and media access require prior approval. Drones require a flight plan and safety plan submitted three weeks before an event.
Can I bring my own alcohol or food?
Outside alcohol is not permitted anywhere on the property, and entry gates may conduct bag searches. Beer and wine are available from public bars at applicable events, while the café provides food and drinks during its operating hours. The published policies do not give a general outside-food ban, but event-specific conditions may impose additional restrictions.
What should I wear to a Highlands event?
There is no published formal dress code. Practical clothing is more useful than smart attire: comfortable closed shoes, sun protection, warm layers and weather-resistant outerwear suit the outdoor track environment. Central Otago can be hot and bright during the day and cold later, especially outside the summer season. Ear protection is worthwhile for children and noise-sensitive visitors.
Can I drive my own car on the Highlands circuit?
Ordinary visitors cannot simply enter the circuit independently. Car clubs can arrange touring laps behind a pace car, while the venue offers structured U-Drive, hot-lap, taxi and performance-car experiences. Drivers need the required licence and insurance, and all track access must follow Highlands, event and motorsport-safety instructions. Check the product conditions before assuming passengers are included.
Does Highlands offer corporate or private hire?
Yes. The venue offers the pit-lane conference room, GT Lounge, café, museum and outdoor areas for meetings, dinners, cocktail functions, launches and team-building programmes. Activities can include go-karts, supercars, U-Drive cars, blindfold buggies, Subaru WRX experiences, reaction tests and virtual reality. Published capacities range from small boardroom groups to 300-person museum functions.
