Prominent Queenstown businessman and ex mayor Queenstown mayor will be inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in August.
It is just the latest gong for the tourism magnate who as mayor from 1983 - 89 is credited with saving the tiny Village Green on the town's waterfront.
Late last year, his family company Trojan Holdings sold its AllWaste-branded operations in Queenstown, Central Otago and Southland to major New Zealand refuse and recycling firm Smart Environmental.
Davies said he was selling as his family was more interested in their tourism assets, which include Coronet Peak and The Remarkables skifields, Milford and Routeburn Track guided walks, Mount Cook’s Hermitage Hotel and a share in AJ Hackett Bungy NZ.
“We just looked at it and thought it’s just one of those things we don’t have to be involved with,” he told Mountain Scene.
“It was better to be out of it and concentrate on other things.”
Meanwhile, his plans to transform a 158.8ha site into a new $30 million championship golf course development near Arrowtown is also under resource consent application.
The plans seek a total of 91 residential units, to be built in clusters around the site. Five separate duplex villas for short-stay golfers' accommodation are also planned.
However, there is opposition to the move from those who live in the exclusive Bendemeer subdivision, which neighbours the proposed course. They were concerned about the potential loss of privacy and reduction in amenity, particularly during construction along with disruption of peace and quiet.
Davies was knighted in 2013 for services to business and tourism.
Photo: Otago Daily Times
2018: $130 million