Reports of someone in trouble in Queenstown yesterday turned out to be false alarm, with police confident calls for help were actually those of a bleating goat.

A police media spokeswoman said a search and rescue operation was launched about 12.30pm.

She said a concerned member of the public contacted police saying they "thought someone was yelling for help in the bush" on the Gorge Rd, near Arthurs Point.

"Police spoke to the person who called it in. Police at the scene were confident it was goat calling, not a person."

Police ended the search at 1.30pm.