Charges may be laid over fire which destroyed historic homestead near Queenstown

Central Otago detectives are hoping to know whether there'll be charges laid over the Mt Aurum Homestead fire in Skippers Canyon within a fortnight.

The fire in the early hours of New Year's Day razed the historic homestead built in the gold mining era in the early 1860s.

A police spokesperson has told 1 NEWS police are waiting on the fire investigator's report, which is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

"That report and witness statement will be considered when it comes to charges," the spokesperson said in an email.

Yesterday a couple believed to have been staying in the building on the night of the fire contacted police, and police said it appears the fire was accidental.