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Locals asked to ‘show up in numbers’ for health meeting
Locals asked to ‘show up in numbers’ for health meeting

26 June 2025, 5:06 PM

Upper Clutha residents are being encouraged to book to attend a free rural health roadshow in Wānaka next week (Tuesday July 1).The roadshow, which is being organised by the Ministry of Health, will include a Q&A session with associate health minister Matt Doocey. The event will also be attended by Mark Patterson, minister for rural communities.Health Action Wānaka (HAW), the group formed to advocate for improved access to health services in the Upper Clutha, says it hopes to pack out the Lake Wānaka Centre for the event “to show the minister just how important it is to our community that we have equitable access to healthcare”.Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board chair Simon Telfer told the Wānaka App the community owes it to HAW “to show up in numbers in support of their mahi”. Members of Health Action Wānaka’s steering group are hoping for a large turnout for the event next Tuesday. PHOTO: Supplied“As a group of volunteers they have put in countless hours to advance the health needs of the Upper Clutha. This event will continue the momentum they have created,” he said.Following a packed town hall meeting on health in March last year, Simon said, a large turnout at Tuesday’s event “will continue to send a clear message to the government and to health officials that the health inequities for those living in Wānaka and surrounds can not continue”.  “Decisionmakers need to see that we are real people with real challenges and I hope the question and answer session will get that message across loud and clear,” he said.Queenstown Lakes District Council deputy mayor Quentin Smith said locals don’t often get the chance to directly engage with government ministers so the roadshow provides a useful opportunity to support the call for better access to health services.  “I fully support the work of the HAW to advocate for a strategic approach to healthcare in our community and the appropriate investments of government in services and facilities to service our community,” he said.“I expect it will be very well attended and [am] hopeful but not confident of hearing some solutions to our well documented challenges.”The event will take place on Tuesday (July 1) from 12pm-1.30pm at the Lake Wānaka Centre.Interested locals must register with the Ministry of Health ([email protected]) to attend the free roadshow, to ensure there is space for everyone. More than 250 locals have already registered, which led the ministry to move the location from the Wānaka Community Hub to the larger Lake Wānaka Centre.Prior to the community Q&A event, HAW’s Trish Fraser will attend a private meeting with the ministers, joined by members of the youth mental health services NGO ADL.Earlier the same morning four HAW members will also meet with health minister Simeon Brown in Auckland. This meeting follows the release of HAW’s community health needs report in April, which revealed significant healthcare deficits, systemic barriers, and a lack of strategic planning in one of the fastest-growing communities in the country.Read more: Ministerial meetings for health lobby group

Rates increase ‘burdening ratepayers’ - councillor
Rates increase ‘burdening ratepayers’ - councillor

26 June 2025, 5:04 PM

An average rates increase of 13.5 percent has been approved for the coming year - but councillors aren’t happy about it.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) councillors adopted the Annual Plan 2025-2026 at yesterday’s (Thursday June 26) full council meeting, setting out the spending priorities for the year and the ratings impact.Councillor Niki Gladding criticised council staff, who she said had not spent enough time finding cost savings in the operating budget.“These rates increases are unaffordable for many people in the community,” Niki said.“I’m concerned we didn’t do a line-by-line analysis… operational expenses have such an impact on rates.”Councillor Lyal Cocks said QLDC used to “hone in” on the operating budget in “quite a big way”.“It is something we need to dig into,” he said.“We cannot carry on having 13.5 percent increases burdening our ratepayers.” Councillor Esther Whitehead said she was “still really uncomfortable” with the rates increase but noted that it had been agreed to in the Long Term Plan (LTP).Mayor Glyn Lewers said QLDC was having to walk “a very tight rope”.He noted that the council had faced external cost pressures over the past six months and “we’ve absorbed all those costs and still kept to the target in the LTP”.“The idea that we are frivolous in spending is absolutely erroneous.”Ratepayers can expect more regular rates invoices going forward, a QLDC staffer said.The first rates bill for the coming year will be due in August and they will be due in three month intervals after that, they said.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Public transport business case approved 
Public transport business case approved 

26 June 2025, 5:00 PM

Otago Regional Council (ORC) has approved its Annual Plan for 2025-2026, which includes a business case to assess Wānaka public transport options.ORC chair Gretchen Robertson said the business case attracted strong public support and will go ahead. In late May ORC made the decision to restore $250,000 in funding for an Upper Clutha public transport business case to the current financial year, a U-turn that was celebrated by Queenstown Lakes District Council and local community groups.Dunstan Ward councillor Alexa Forbes told the Wānaka App this week she was pleased about the business case but she’d “much rather see funding in place for an actual public transport system”.Wānaka and the Upper Clutha “have been needing and wanting public transport for many years now…” Alexa said.Read more: Public transport plan to be considered by ORCThe Annual Plan will also bring an average rates increase of 5.5 percent - a drop from the 13.8 percent originally forecast in the Long Term Plan (LTP). The rates had been reduced by cutting some public transport upgrades, rereprioritising environmental implementation funding, reduced inflation costs, and work to gain efficiencies, Gretchen said. She said the Annual Plan will still continue the council’s vital work to underpin resilient and well supported communities. “Port Otago’s dividend has been increased [by] $2M which benefits all ratepayers, as it helps to offset costs that would otherwise need to be paid by rates,” she said. “Also benefitting ratepayers, $2M of council reserves will be used to pay for the first year of a new environmental fund.” Key changes in the year ahead include some targeted upgrades to public transport, increased environmental funding, and further work on natural hazards and engineering, and “a rates increase is still required to help fund this work”. “This includes the investment in climate change and biodiversity strategies, as well as rising costs in areas like insurance, depreciation, and property rentals.” The overall rates increase for 2025/26 is 5.5 percent but the rates impact for individual properties is different and can be influenced by a range of things including location and the services provided. ORC councillors adopted the annual plan at Wednesday’s (June 25) meeting.

A Parents First Steps into Teen Mental Health - Part 2 (Caregiver blog)
A Parents First Steps into Teen Mental Health - Part 2 (Caregiver blog)

25 June 2025, 9:00 PM

Part 2: When the Storm Moves In: Living the “New Abnormal”I want to tell you something you might not believe yet: you’re doing better than you think.If you’re here, reading this, you’ve probably already taken those terrifying first steps to help your teen. You’ve called the GP, contacted therapists, spoken to school. You’ve started to piece together a new language, a new way of showing up. And now… now you live in what I can only call the new abnormal.It’s a weird, wild place to be.This post is about what comes next—not for your child, but for you. For your partner. For your other children. For your wider support crew. Because when your teen is in crisis, you don’t get to pause your life. You have to keep living, feeling, working, parenting, partnering, showing up. And none of it is easy.1. The Emotional Roller CoasterThis stage is emotionally feral. You’ll feel everything, sometimes all in the space of an hour. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure of grief and fear and love:SadDesperateBored (yes, that too—waiting is boring)HopefulFuriousPatient and endlessly impatientEmpathetic and completely numbYou’ll cry over a cereal bowl, then put your “everything’s fine” face on for work. You’ll sit next to your teen, aching to reach them, then walk into the hallway and scream silently into your fists.It’s exhausting—but you’re not broken. You’re adapting. You’re in training. This part of the journey is where you learn how to stay standing in the storm.2. Be Prepared (Even If You Don’t Know What For)There were times we felt like we were drowning. We scrambled for stop-gap solutions and watched them fail. We made plans, then tore them up.Eventually, we realised something painfully simple: our only job was to say “I love you and I’m here.” That’s it.It sounds easy. It’s not. It’s firefighting. Long stretches of silence and anxiety, followed by bursts of adrenaline and panic when something spirals. It’s unbearable, but you do it because you must.Looking back, I wish I’d felt more empowered to call on everything available. We hesitated to call 111 or go to ED. We were embarrassed. We didn’t want to seem dramatic. We didn’t want to upset our son more.But I want to tell you this clearly: if you’re worried, make the call. Take them to ED. Call the police if they’ve gone missing. Even if everything calms down in the waiting room, it was still the right thing to do. It tells your child: “I see you. I believe you. You matter.”3. You Become the Punching BagThis part is hard to write, but I promised honesty.When your child is in crisis, their pain has to land somewhere. And often, that place is you. They lash out. They say things they don’t mean. They beg you to go away, then fall apart when you do. It’s whiplash—and it hurts like hell.My partner and I coped like two little figurines in one of those old cuckoo clocks. Only one of us was emotionally available at a time. When I was hopeful, he was in despair. When he found strength, I fell apart.It caused tension. Arguments in whispers behind closed doors. Jealousy when one of us could comfort him and the other couldn’t. But it also gave us a way to take turns. To carry each other. To hold the line together, even when we were barely hanging on ourselves.You’ll say the “perfect” thing one day and be met with eye rolls and fury the next. It’s a volcano ride. You won’t always get it right. Keep showing up anyway.4. Create Dorky, Safe MomentsFind your family glue—however small or silly it might be.We became Catan fanatics. Ridiculously so. Our teen would sit with us and argue about sheep and wheat and occasionally laugh. It was safe ground. No pressure. No “How are you feeling today?” Just us, muddling through an imaginary game board, being a team.Find your thing. A weekly movie night, cooking together, video games, whatever works. These rituals won’t fix everything—but they anchor you. And your child needs to see life go on.5. Don’t Forget the Rest of Your FamilyI neglected myself completely in the beginning. No surprise there. But I did try to manage how much pressure was falling on everyone else.Our younger son—his little brother—became a quiet rock. He offered banter, normality, laughter. I worried it was too much for him to hold. But over time, I saw it shape him into someone strong, kind, and wise beyond his years.Still, I made space for him to just be a teenager too. I’d take him out, just us two. Let him vent about school and forget for a moment that his brother was struggling.You don’t have to be perfect at this. You won’t be. But try to remember; you are not just supporting your child—you’re holding up a whole web of people. Check in with your partner, your parents, your friends, your siblings. They might not know how to help, but they’re probably worried too.6. This is Not ForeverThis might be the hardest truth to hold onto when you’re in it. There’s no handbook. No timeline. You want it to be over, and you want to know how to fix it—and neither of those things are in your control.But this: it is not forever.The skills you’re learning now—holding space, showing up, enduring the hard bits—they’re skills for life. They are painfully earned and endlessly valuable. They are what will carry you all through this.One day, you’ll look back and realise you survived something unimaginable. And not just survived—but grew.Your family’s story might not look like ours. That’s okay. There’s no single way through. But I promise you: love, persistence, and a healthy dose of dark humour will get you further than you think.More soon.This post is the second in our journey. Read the first blog here. The next chapter will explore what recovery starts to look like, how the fog begins to lift, and what it means to slowly trust again.With love and in solidarity,A parent still learning, always lovingKeep in [email protected]

Creative designs for ‘long overdue’ new jetty
Creative designs for ‘long overdue’ new jetty

25 June 2025, 5:06 PM

Four designs for a structure to replace the ageing jetty on Lake Wānaka’s foreshore have been produced by a landscape architect, with the hope they will inspire Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to incorporate a new jetty in its remaining lakefront upgrade.“The current jetty is well past its use-by date—visibly deteriorated, limited in functionality, and no longer up to the standard this stunning spot deserves,” QLDC deputy mayor Quentin Smith told the Wānaka App.“While this isn’t yet a formal council project, the concept strongly aligns with several strategic pieces of work already in play: the Lakefront Development Plan, the independent Heart of Wānaka visioning work, and the ongoing review of waterway access and facility needs.”Quentin said a recent catch-up with RMM Landscape Architects director Brooke Mitchell had “sparked some creative thinking from the RMM team about what a new, fit-for-purpose jetty in Roys Bay could look like”. One design option is ‘Traditional: The Wharf’. RMM landscape architect Gerard O'Connell said the conceptual designs (which the business developed pro bono) explored what a future jetty could look like, and how it could connect to the town and provide for a growing range of activities and a diverse local community.  The designs put a new jetty a short distance west of the current jetty and aligned with Helwick Street, to create a strong physical and visual connection from the town centre to the lake.The four designs are a ‘traditional heritage’ design based on a wharf; a toki (Māori adze) inspired design; a design inspired by the concept of Kotahitanga (unity); and a design inspired by the huruhuru (feather) and korowai (cloak), intertwined with the symbolism of the kea feather.The designs each incorporate access to swimming, boat mooring and social engagement.Toki: The WharfWānaka Property Owners’ Group spokesperson David Crawford said the project was “a fantastic thing for Wānaka and long overdue”.“The jetty that’s there is well overdue for a spruce up,” he told the Wānaka App.“We’re really impressed with the design. You put up a concept like this and it evolves. We’re really rapt about the opportunity to explore and get all our members’ opinions on it.”Quentin said it was “refreshing to be part of something so positive and forward-looking”.“I’m hopeful this early design thinking will help lay the groundwork for a future upgrade and feed directly into stage four of the lakefront project and the long-term improvements to our town centre and lakefront experience."Huruhuru: KorowaiIMAGES: Supplied

Crimeline: From assault to stolen snacks and trampolining 
Crimeline: From assault to stolen snacks and trampolining 

25 June 2025, 5:04 PM

Wānaka Police have dealt with a range of issues this week, from serious assault to someone grazing from the supermarket bulk bins - and even a “swift escape” from a group of men who broke into the Glendhu Bay Holiday Park air cushion in order to jump on it.Wānaka Police acting response manager Dylan Hannah-Jones says police have spent a few days cleaning up “after people have made pretty average decisions while on the booze downtown”. Two men were arrested for committing a serious assault in the early hours of Saturday morning (June 21) on Ardmore Street.“Another man was arrested after making threats towards someone, and we are investigating after a doorman was headbutted in town,” Dylan said.In addition, police apprehended four drunk drivers over the weekend. “Remember, a tuktuk to get home is cheaper than taxis for six months after you lose your licence,” Dylan said. Police also attended four crashes in the Cardrona Valley where some drivers ran out of grip in bad conditions and ended up upside down or turned around.“Please slow down and be patient,” Dylan said. Police trespassed the man who was found eating from the bulk bins in New World. “They aren’t there for your eating pleasure – it is considered theft. Police will have a focus on theft from our supermarkets, especially as we enter the busy winter season.  “Hungry thieves beware.”Dylan posed the question: Are you ever too old to jump on an inflatable cushion? “The temptation was too much for three men at the Glendhu Bay Holiday Park who broke into the locked box that contained the air pump, inflated the cushion, and had a play,” he said. “They managed a swift escape into the darkness before police arrived.” Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.PHOTO: Supplied

It’s a dog’s life in Queenstown Lakes
It’s a dog’s life in Queenstown Lakes

25 June 2025, 5:00 PM

Residents have less than a week left to complete renewal and registration documents for the tail-wagging members of their household.There are 6,194 registered dogs in the Queenstown Lakes District, equating to roughly one dog per seven-or-so residents.Those dog owners have been sent emails advising them of the need to register new furry family members and renew registration for their loyal sidekicks by June 30.While they’re at it, they can also register for Scuttlemutt - a twice-yearly e-newsletter all about dogs in the district.Huntaways are the fourth most common breed in the district.The latest information from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) shows that popular names Charlie, Frankie and Luna reign supreme for name choices for Queenstown Lakes’ pooches, with Luna, Bella, Poppy, Ruby, Molly, Max, Archie and Daisy filling out the top-10 list.The district’s dog owners have a soft spot for labrador retrievers, which is the most common breed in the district, with 980 dogs.Working dogs border collies and huntaways take second and fourth spot, while golden retrievers (third) and Jack Russell terriers (fifth) round out the top five.Bailey and Fernie at the David Reid Homes office.QLDC says registering and renewing dogs supports a range of canine-connected initiatives.It funds dog training sessions in Wānaka and Queenstown, yearly community dog events, a dog bark-collar loaning service, poo bags and dispensers at local tracks and trails, as well as three full-time animal control officers, school education on dog safety and more.Find more information on dog registrations and renewals here and sign up for Scuttlemutt here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Big issues on council agenda for final meeting of financial year 
Big issues on council agenda for final meeting of financial year 

24 June 2025, 5:06 PM

Councillors will consider a range of significant items - from the Annual Plan to the draft Freedom Camping Bylaw - at tomorrow’s (Thursday June 26) full council meeting in Wānaka.The agenda also includes a negotiation approach for the Regional Deal, a tri-council bid for a deal with central government for support with infrastructure and tourism; the Queenstown Airport Corporation’s (QAC) statement of intent for the coming year; and Community Fund allocation recommendations.The Annual Plan, which sets out spending priorities and determines rates for the year, has been developed this year without the usual public consultation process.Formal consultation on the draft wasn’t necessary because there was no change to the average rates increase of 13.5 percent signalled in the Long Term Plan nor any change to the “level of service” provided by the council, according to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) corporate services general manager Meghan Miller.Aside from a few changes to user fees and charges, most of which are in line with Customer Price Index (CPI), and an increase to developer contributions in line with inflation, it remains mostly unchanged - and residents can expect the 13.5 percent rates increase as indicated.Meanwhile, if councillors adopt the draft Freedom Camping Bylaw tomorrow it will go out for public consultation in July and could be in effect before the summer.QLDC’s former freedom camping bylaw was quashed in the High Court last year, leaving the district with few freedom camping restrictions over the past summer.The new bylaw, which QLDC has been working on for some time, is “the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problems associated with freedom camping”, according to the agenda item’s covering report. Local groups and organisations will be awaiting the outcome of this year’s Community Fund, which councillors will have the final say on tomorrow.The annual fund, which supports charities, clubs, and not-for-profit organisations doing good in the community, has $180,000 to allocate district-wide for the 2025-2026 year.At least ten Upper Clutha community groups made their case for a slice of the Community Fund pie in May - from sports clubs to predator management groups and native planting organisations.Local event organisers will also be keen to hear back on this year’s Event Fund (which provides funding to groups hosting events that benefit the district), which will also be finalised tomorrow.As is usually the case, the final council meeting of the financial year is a full one - there are a total of 14 items on the agenda - and councillors could be in for a long afternoon.The full council meeting will take place at the Lake Wānaka Centre’s Armstrong Room from 1pm.

Public transport plan to be considered by ORC
Public transport plan to be considered by ORC

24 June 2025, 5:04 PM

Otago Regional Council (ORC) councillors will consider a range of public transport changes - including moving forward the introduction of public transport for Wānaka - at today’s (June 25) council meeting.The hearing panel for ORC’s Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) has made a range of recommendations which councillors will consider following submissions from more than 500 Otago residents, ORC regional planning and transport general manager Anita Dawe said.Submitters had also asked for “better intraregional connections”, Anita said, including services between Wānaka and Queenstown, Dunedin and Dunedin Airport, Outram and Central Otago, and others. “The RPTP recommendations include [that] council consider these potential new services in the future and accelerate introducing public transport services for Wānaka to a six to ten year timeframe,” she said.Other recommendations across Otago include a range of fare changes for public transport in Otago and moving to a zone fare structure further down the line.In late May ORC made the decision to restore $250,000 in funding for an Upper Clutha public transport business case to the current financial year, a U-turn that was celebrated by Queenstown Lakes District Council and local community groups.Anita told the Wānaka App this will also be considered today.“The Wānaka/Upper Clutha business case funding for the 2025/26 financial year will also be considered in a separate item on adoption of the Annual Plan 2025/26,” she said.Councillor Michael Laws said he had moved the motion to restore local business case funding because it deserved it as the fastest growing ward in Otago.Fellow councillor Alexa Forbes told the Wānaka App this week that she was pleased about the business case but she’d “much rather see funding in place for an actual public transport system”.Wānaka and the Upper Clutha “have been needing and wanting public transport for many years now…” Alexa said.Councillors will consider both items relating to Wānaka public transport as part of the full council meeting taking place in Dunedin at 10am. PHOTO: Supplied

Snow Sports launches website for female athletes 
Snow Sports launches website for female athletes 

24 June 2025, 5:00 PM

Snow Sports NZ has launched a new website aimed at supporting the development of female snow sports athletes. The Mountain Women website provides simple, practical resources to give women and girls the knowledge and skills they need to take their training to the next level, Snow Sports NZ project manager Louise Johnson said.    Its launch is the first major release from Snow Sports NZ in implementing its Women and Girls strategy, in response to feedback from female snow sports athletes provided through a survey last year.“We’re stoked to launch these resources as we gear up for the winter season,” Louise said.“Being able to bring experts together to respond so directly to what our female athletes told us they wanted, has been brilliant.”  The website, developed by leading industry experts, covers female athlete health, nutrition, strength and conditioning as well as mental skills.The resources are designed to help female athletes train safer, smarter and better and get the most out of life beyond sport.   “Providing a safe and inclusive environment for our wāhine and kōhine is what this initiative is all about,” Sport Sports NZ CEO Nic Cavanagh said.“The launch of this website and the resources within it are the first step in our commitment to work alongside our resort and club partners to improve our snow sports environment for all.“There is a lot of work still to be done but this is an awesome start.” The next step in Mountain Women is for Snow Sports NZ to develop and share a snow sports athlete skills profile so all athletes, their families and coaches know what to focus on to progress. The project is part of Snow Sports NZ’s mission to better support women and girls and help make snow sports a place where they're celebrated and supported to thrive, Nic said.See the new site here.PHOTO: Snow Sports NZ

Future of Wānaka Airport up for discussion
Future of Wānaka Airport up for discussion

23 June 2025, 5:06 PM

Consultation on the future review of Wānaka Airport has begun, with online surveys now open and public drop-in sessions planned for this week.The review will look at the airport’s long-term role, its economic impact, and its integration into New Zealand’s aeronautical network. It will also set the vision, values, objectives and preferred outcomes for Wānaka Airport. “It's really important that as many people as possible in our community share their ideas,” Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board chair Simon Telfer said.Wānaka Airport is owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and operated by Queenstown Airport Corporation under a management services agreement. In July 2024 QLDC signalled its intention to develop a long-term plan for Wānaka Airport, and went on to engage consultants Egis to undertake the Wānaka Airport future review. Egis said this is an independent review, and the consultants want to hear what is important to the Wānaka community, airport operators and users to help shape the airport’s future potential. Egis posed the questions: “What does living, working and playing in this unique landscape mean to you? What role should the airport play in your future?”Two drop in sessions are planned: on Friday (June 27) between 4-7pm at the studio space in Paetara Aspiring Central, and on Saturday (June 28) between 9-11am at the meeting room in the Wānaka Recreation Centre.Options for giving feedback include an interactive activity, where respondents can drop a pin on Wānaka Airport features to identify spatial elements, facilities, services or activities in response to question prompts. There is also an online survey asking about travel patterns, community lifestyle values and airport values.Have your say here.PHOTO: Supplied

Climate change projects on track - regional council
Climate change projects on track - regional council

23 June 2025, 5:04 PM

Most of Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) climate change initiatives are on track, according to a new report assessing progress on the council’s climate strategy.The report, which covers the six months since the ORC Climate Strategy was adopted in December 2024, found that of the 53 actions in the plan, six have already been completed, 43 are ‘on track’, and four are currently ‘off track’.ORC strategy manager Hilary Lennox said the off-track actions were largely awaiting central government policy decisions.It “reiterates that climate is a strong focus in all the mahi of ORC”, she said.The strategy outlines actions aimed at reducing the council’s carbon emissions, improving environmental monitoring, and supporting the region to adapt to climate change.An assessment of ORC’s greenhouse gas emissions is currently underway, with results expected later this year. This will inform a future emissions reduction plan.Work is also progressing to expand ORC’s environmental monitoring network to better track climate-related changes such as groundwater levels, sea level rise, and air quality.A number of climate adaptation projects have also reached significant milestones, including the South Dunedin Futures programme and the Glenorchy Head of the Lake project.The strategy’s actions span several council departments, from engineering and emergency management to transport and public engagement.The report on the ORC Climate Strategy will be presented to ORC councillors this Wednesday (June 25).PHOTO: Wānaka App

‘Magic’ Matariki celebration
‘Magic’ Matariki celebration

23 June 2025, 5:00 PM

Wānaka’s lakefront was the setting for a special gathering on Friday (June 20) as the community came together to celebrate Matariki with kapa haka, bonfires, hāngi, and live performances.Kahu Youth operations director Anna Sutherland told the Wānaka App the celebration was “magic”.“It’s such an important event for our community as it brings te ao Māori to life and gives us all a chance to come together, share kai, reflect and look ahead as we welcome the Māori New Year,” she said.The name Matariki is taken from the cluster of stars which rises in midwinter. Kahu Youth has hosted the annual Matariki celebrations at the lakefront since 2010.In the years since it began, the local Matariki celebrations have grown from something that attracted a small gathering to becoming a central event on the community calendar.The celebration lasts from early afternoon until dark, when people regroup at the lakefront bonfires to stargaze.Local youth play a crucial role making the celebrations possible each year and 2025 was no exception, Anna said.“We had 60+ young people volunteer their time in the lead-up and on the day,” she said.“Their tasks included preparing kai for the hāngi, running weaving workshops and Matariki craft activities, supporting at the hāngi pit, face painting, and even MCing the event.”Long-standing Matariki volunteers also “supported and guided rangatahi in their volunteer roles, passing on their knowledge and creating space for youth to step up and lead”, Anna said.Watching tamariki and rangatahi performing kapahaka at the community stage was “another highlight”, Anna said.The Matariki celebration is founded on three key principles: remembrance, giving thanks, and looking to the future. PHOTOS: Deanna Gerlach

Dry bores and dust storms: community groups raise more concerns over lake level proposal
Dry bores and dust storms: community groups raise more concerns over lake level proposal

22 June 2025, 5:06 PM

Community groups have added their voices to concerns raised by the Guardians of Lake Hāwea about Contact Energy’s plans to apply via the fast-track approvals process to lower the permitted lake level by up to six metres.A representative of volunteer-run community water schemes in Hāwea Flat told the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board on Thursday (June 19) that the proposal could result in the area’s water supply drying up.Hāwea Flat resident Meredith Smith was representing the Kane Road Utilities Society, one of a number of small community volunteer-run bore water schemes that supply drinking water to approximately 600 residents in the area.“These bores all take their water from the Hāwea Flat aquifer which is fed by Lake Hāwea,” she said.Contact Energy, which operates the Lake Hāwea hydro dam, currently holds resource consent to manage the lake level between a low of 338 metres above sea level (masl) and a high of 346 masl, with a contingency of another two metres lower if Transpower considers there is a major threat to security of electricity supply (described as contingent storage).Contact Energy has proposed reducing the normal range to as low as 336 masl and the contingency storage to 330 masl.A 2023 report from Otago Regional Council on Hāwea Basin Groundwater identified a risk that if the lake level falls below 337 masl it would affect the flow of groundwater from the lake into the Hāwea Flat aquifer, resulting in dry bores in Hāwea Flat, Meredith said.Hāwea Flat’s water supply comes from bores which draw from the Hāwea Basin Aquifer.She requested the board ask Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to “actively oppose” the Contact Energy proposal, saying that while QLDC staff have said Hāwea Flat’s private water supplies are not within the council’s jurisdiction, the Local Government Act requires councils to consider risks to the community’s access to drinking water.“They must provide opportunities for any person to alert them at any time to concerns about a community’s access to drinking water – that’s why I’m here,” she said.Meanwhile, Guardians of Lake Hāwea chair Geoff Kernick (who also attended the meeting with fellow guardians Don Robertson and John Langley) told the Wānaka App the issue was “moving fast”.The group has written an open letter to Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge, saying it is “totally opposed” to any changes to the resource consent relating to operating levels and contingency storage for Lake Hāwea. The letter also raises concern about the impact of lowering the lake level on the Hāwea Basin Aquifer, saying ORC data indicates that “lowering the limits of the lake level will put at risk the Lake Hāwea and Hāwea Flat urban water supply as well as irrigation and stock water across large agriculture areas”. Geoff told the Wānaka App that Contact was calling its fast track referral application a Security of Supply [SOS] application, “inferring that by accessing more water from Lake Hāwea they can address New Zealand’s SOS problems when they occur”.“Our research shows that the SOS can be managed through a raft of other means and that the costs borne by the environment and the Hāwea community far outweigh the benefits,” he said.The group’s letter to Contact lists “irrefutable” adverse effects of degradation of outstanding natural landscape, dust storms which would have significant impact on landowners, and mortality of animal and plant life.Short term SOS can be managed using conservation plans (if needed) and medium to long term SOS managed by wind, solar and grid scale batteries, the letter said.The Guardians said they also believe any potential threat to supply in the next few years can be managed with a conservation campaign, mandatory time of use charging, and demand supply provisions.“We urge Contact Energy to be a good neighbour and abandon this proposal,” the group said.Read more: Concern about ‘dramatic’ proposal to lower Lake Hāwea levelPHOTOS: Wānaka App

Chamber music festival returns 
Chamber music festival returns 

22 June 2025, 5:04 PM

Tickets are now on sale for the chamber music festival At the World’s Edge (AWE).The festival will return to Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes for the fifth time in October with a programme that explores the complex relationship between music and nature, organisers say.“As a festival rooted in the landscapes of the Southern Lakes, we’re constantly inspired by our surroundings,” AWE festival director Justine Cormack said.“It’s a privilege to celebrate five years of extraordinary performances with artists and audiences who share our belief that music, like nature, can shift our perspective and stir something deeply personal.”The festival will open with a weekend in Wānaka and the world premiere of a newly commissioned string quintet by John Psathas; the ambitious two-cello work is one of two new pieces commissioned for AWE 2025. It is one of seven performances - including celebrated chamber works, lesser-known pieces, and bold new compositions - plus a series of free events.Performances will come from the country’s most acclaimed chamber musicians including pianist Michael Houstoun, cellist James Bush, and Composer in Residence John Psathas, joined by a cast of renowned international artists including UK violinist Anthony Marwood, US violist Yura Lee and Australian harpsichordist Erin Helyard.Read more: AWE Festival ‘a brilliant experience’AWE’s series of public performances, workshops and talks will extend the conversation beyond music, with architect Fred van Brandenburg set to share insights into biomimicry and design and Olympic freeskier Jossi Wells planning to explore the parallels between performance, creativity, and the alpine environment.Following the main ticketed performances, AWE continues with a week of school visits, during which AWE artists bring chamber music directly to students of all ages across the region.At the World’s Edge will run from October 4-12, with performances in Wānaka, Queenstown, Cromwell and Bannockburn. Find more information and book tickets at the festival website here.PHOTO: Nat Symonds

Celebrating our volunteers
Celebrating our volunteers

22 June 2025, 5:00 PM

Local volunteers have been celebrated for their contributions to our community during National Volunteer Week/Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu, which ended yesterday (June 22).“Volunteers are found everywhere in our communities,” Volunteer South Queenstown Lakes community connector Carol Morgan told the Wānaka App.“They are first responders in emergencies, coaches of sports teams, cleaners of our lakes and restorers of our native habitats, providers of baking and meals for those in need, mentors for tamariki and rangatahi, and supporters of those going through tough times.”Volunteer South has collected more than 50 celebration stories from across the region to showcase the impact of volunteering. These include the Cardrona Adaptive Snow Sports Programme, which has been running successfully for more than 20 years.Adaptive supervisor Katharina Mueller said the programme “couldn’t operate without the help of passionate volunteers who provide on-snow support for people with various physical, cognitive, and sensory abilities”.“Each morning … volunteers assist, encourage, provide a safe environment, and help each guest have a great time up the mountain,” Katharina said. “Whether guiding a sit-ski or offering hands-on support, the volunteers’ impact is profound.”Volunteers include Dylan, a backpacker from the US, who spends her days helping participants in group lessons feel included and supported; retired nurse Ali, who helps participants navigate the bustle of the slopes; and long-standing volunteer Dean, who is known for his skill with the sit-ski.“It’s not just about skiing or snowboarding - it’s about creating possibilities, joy, and connection,” Katharina said.Community Link foodbank coordinator Nicola Plumridge shared her comments about Wānaka Community Workshop’s “quiet champion and community hero”, Barry.“He might prefer to stay out of the spotlight, but Barry’s generosity and quiet dedication speak volumes. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t look for recognition - yet everything he does helps our community thrive,” Nicola said.Barry: the “heart and soul” of the community BBQ.Barry is a volunteer at the Community Workshop; the “heart and soul” of the community BBQ; a talented craftsman who donates his work to the Hospice Shop; a generous provider of boxes of kindling; and a gardener who donates fruit and vegetables to the foodbank, Nicola said.This year’s theme for Volunteer Week was ‘Whiria te Tangata - Weaving the people together’, and Carol said volunteer work “strengthens our communities and truly ‘weaves the people together’ and it should be recognised and celebrated”.Volunteer South supports, promotes, and strengthens volunteering across the southern region, building stronger, more connected communities.PHOTOS: Supplied

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