Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has begun early-stage planning for Priority Development Areas (PDAs) in Wānaka - locations which have been identified for growth.Six PDAs were identified in the 2021 Spatial Plan, which provides a ‘roadmap to the future’, setting out a vision and framework for how and where the district will grow by 2050.As part of that work each PDA needs a structure plan - a 30-year roadmap to guide how an area grows, from where homes, shops, and parks go, to how people get around and where key services are placed and staged.Two of the four are already completed and QLDC is now turning its attention to South Wānaka and the Wānaka CBD-Three Parks corridor. Wānaka South (mostly undeveloped land located between Riverbank Road and the existing township) could eventually fit more than 5,000 homes, a local centre, and new transport links, according to QLDC. Meanwhile the Wānaka Town Centre-Three Parks corridor could add around 2,000 homes, along with more shops, offices, and community facilities.QLDC staff told the Smart Growth committee on Tuesday (March 3) it planned to deliver a single, integrated structure plan covering the two Wānaka PDAs.“At this stage we’ve only really just started beginning work,” the staffer said, adding that technical, ecological, hazard, and cultural reports are currently underway.They said they anticipate it will take around two years to complete the structure plan - and community input will be an important part of the process.“We’d really like to use this as an opportunity to have some really meaningful community participation as the structure plan progresses.”QLDC is also beginning work on a structure plan for Frankton.Staff said they intended to make some headway on the structure plans before discussing further with councillors and, later, beginning community consultation.Councillor Cody Tucker said there were many advantages to structure plans, which help to guide the placement of essential infrastructure and services to ensure development of well-functioning, cohesive communities.Though they set the direction for future development, structure plans do not change zoning.PHOTO: Wānaka App

It was fantastic to see medical imaging provider Beyond Radiology announce that it will be expanding its South Island presence to become the radiology provider and an anchor tenant in the new Wānaka Health Precinct.The Wānaka Health Precinct is delighted to have Beyond Radiology on board and excited that they will be making new medical imaging capability available locally. As a New Zealand owned, radiologist led business Beyond has recognised the incredible growth that we all know is happening in the Upper Clutha region and they can see how we lack access to important health services compared to the other New Zealand regions they work in.Beyond Radiology currently operates five clinics across Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch and is about to open a sixth clinic in Tauranga. Its services include MRI, CT, Spect-CT, X-Ray, ultrasound, and mammography and is an approved affiliated provider for Southern Cross, NIB and ProCare.Beyond prides itself on using leading edge technology. It installed the first and only EOS machine in New Zealand, enabling full-body imaging of standing or seated patients for weight bearing assessment of spinal, pelvic and lower limb alignment.Beyond intends to make high tech imaging services available in Wānaka. They already have two lead radiologists in the region available to anchor the new facility – as well as a queue of other staff lining up to move here. I reckon their biggest problem will be keeping staff in their other clinics when they realise there’s an opportunity to live in our little slice of paradise. Attracting a range of new medical specialties to the area has always been an important objective for the Wānaka Health Precinct. We’re actively curating a thriving community of innovative health providers able to offer high quality care right here in our own community. Because, by advancing what is within our control – the establishment of new private medical services in Wānaka – we pave the way for future local public health delivery.Beyond already works with Health New Zealand to deliver diagnostic imaging services for public patients elsewhere in New Zealand and would welcome the opportunity to deliver these services to the people of Wānaka and Upper Clutha should the opportunity arise.

Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust’s impact report for 2025 has highlighted a year of community engagement, environmental restoration, and education initiatives across the Upper Clutha basin.“This year we passed the milestone of our 65,000th native planted in the Upper Clutha since 2010 - that’s an average of more than 4,000 every year for the past 15 years,” Te Kākano chair Greg Nelson said.During the past year Te Kākano delivered a series of community planting days to restore local habitats, during which 5,236 eco-sourced native plants were planted.Greg said another highlight of the year was the continued success of the Interwoven project, which promotes harakeke (flax) as a sustainable alternative to plastic plant guards used in restoration work. Workshops taught participants weaving skills grounded in mātauranga Māori, creating practical tools that directly support habitat restoration. "The project demonstrates how traditional knowledge and environmental action can work hand in hand," Greg said.“You can see the beautiful weaved guards at some of the planting sites."These photographs show progress at Stoney Creek from years of Te Kākano planting.Te Kākano’s education programme continued to expand in 2025, delivering programmes on ecological literacy, kaitiakitanga, and practical skills.“Our work is grounded in community,” Te Kākano manager Loran Verpillot said.“This report reflects what we can achieve together - restoring ecosystems, strengthening wellbeing, and building practical skills for a more sustainable future.”The 2025 Impact Report also acknowledges the dedication of volunteers, contractors, partners, and supporters who made the work possible through funding, hands-on support, sponsorship and collaboration. The full 2025 Impact Report is available online.PHOTOS: Te Kākano

Uncertainty remains over future funding arrangements between Port Otago and the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust.The Otago Regional Council - the sole shareholder of Port Otago, admitted a breakdown in relations between the two in September 2025, after a ‘letter of expectation’ was sent to the port for the $350,000 annual payment to be transferred directly to the helicopter trust.But issues continued and the last quarterly payment was missed at the end of last year, so the ORC had to step in and make it happen, out of its general reserves.Now five months on, there are still issues, which were discussed at its monthly meeting last week.Cr Gary Kelliher originally opposed the ORC motion last year to transfer paying the funding until the partnership was sorted between the port and the rescue helicopter trust, saying they were at the mercy of the directors.Last week Gary brought to light the fact that there was “some uncertainty,” still with the situation, and suggested that if the negotiation failed, they needed to return the financial responsibility back to the regional council.But deputy chair Kevin Malcolm said he was given an assurance on February 17 by the Port Otago chair that the payments for the 2026/7 year has been resolved.“I think this will just add to our frustrations,” he said, regarding Gary’s suggestion to add an extra level of protection to the arrangement.But chair Hilary Calvert supported the motion, “because they ought to be able to make this work.”Gary said they have a responsibility for that extra level of protection, and the regional councillors voted to make sure that was now in place.The Otago Regional Council funds the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust $350,000 a year. IMAGE: FileMeanwhile, The Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter service will have a shortfall of about $2 million going into the next financial year, as it seeks to renew vital air ambulance contracts.HeliOtago director Graeme Gale told the Otago Regional Council in late 2025 that its 4-year contract with Health NZ/ACC will expire in October 2026, and there were no negotiations underway yet for its future.He said the Government contract for air ambulance services in the South Island was split between HeliOtago and Garden City Helicopters in Christchurch, and the Southern operation was able to subsidise the funding shortfall from the other areas of his commercial flying business.With five helicopters based at the Taieri airbase and a further two in Queenstown, the total missions over the past year increased from 2057 to 2165 - with hospital transfers the highest on 946, accidents 621, medical emergencies 490, and Search and Rescue 108.Graeme said he was concerned about future funding, and the new technological advancements meant they now faced a major funding shortfall more than ever.The air ambulance funding contract with the Government, which starts in October 2026, will be for the next 10 years.

A proposed gold mine is on the fast-track list. Proponents say it will bring jobs and money to the region, but opponents say it will be an economic 'short-term sugar hit ... with long-term consequences'.Plans for a large, open cast gold mine in Central Otago are pitting locals against each other, while a mining industry executive says New Zealanders are too negative and catastrophise projects they don't understand.Australian company Santana Minerals has applied for fast-track approval to build an open cast mine in the Dunstan mountain range, an hour's drive east of Queenstown, after discovering what it calls the largest single gold deposit in New Zealand in more than four decades.According to the documents submitted to the fast-track panel, Santana will build four open mine pits. The largest, Rise and Shine Open Pit will be one kilometre long, 800 metres wide and 200 metres deep. There will also be three shallower pits, a processing plant that is one kilometre long and 120 metres wide, and a tailing storage facility to store mineral waste dust.It says the project will employ hundreds of people and be worth $6 billion in revenue and more than $1b in taxes and royalties for New Zealand.The fast-track panel is set to decide by late October and, if approved, it will be the first new mine to get the go-ahead under the accelerated process.Opponents fear it will destroy threatened plants, scar the unique landscape and pollute the land and water. They say New Zealand will not get all the economic benefits because Santana is an Australian company, and they warn it will open the door to more mining in the region.Two main groups are campaigning against the mine with backing from famous residents including actor Sir Sam Neill and painter Sir Grahame Sydney, as well as the former prime minister Helen Clark.One of the groups, Sustainable Tarras, has already been fighting plans to build an international airport near the town. It calls the Santana proposal 'David versus Goliath' and is asking for donations to fund experts to fully understand the economic, environmental and social impacts of the mine."We are fighting this hard," it says on its website.Artist Gregory O'Brien, who organised a fundraising exhibition for the group, says the "proposed desecration of a heritage area for purely monetary gain is an outrage to all of us, as it is to the citizens of Central Otago and to all New Zealanders"."Painters, photographers, writers, film-makers, choreographers and other arts practitioners from within Central Otago and further afield are incensed at the churlishness of both the mining consortium and the Government's ruinous 'fast-track' (aka 'Highway to Hell') legislation."The environmental cost of such a cold-blooded, extractive exercise is simply too high, as is the social impact and down-stream legacy."On the other side, Santana Mine Supporters, a Facebook group with 6,800 members says Central Otago "deserves opportunity - higher-paid local jobs, stronger regional businesses, and meaningful investment back into our community. We also believe development must be done properly, with high standards, transparency, and long-term accountability."RNZ Central Otago reporter Katie Todd has spoken to many locals, including farmers who see it as a positive move for the region and a continuation of the area's mining legacy.She says the application has been drawn out."Santana Minerals were asking for it to be considered within 30 days or so and we've recently learnt it's going to be more like 140 days."In part that's because of iwi opposition. Kā Rūnaka, which is a collective of Otago hapū, has raised concerns about potential Treaty settlement breaches and their concerns were described by the panel convenor of the fast-track application as significant and immutable."So that's going to be something to watch," says Todd.Matthew Sole of Central Otago Environmental Society says communities are divided over the mine."There's a lot of tension in the community," he says. "There are certainly a lot of people for it."It's the comments you receive on social media when you try and put up a counter argument and the difficulty I find with it is it's actually hard to have a conversation."Sole says many people are under financial pressure and are concerned about the country's future."I take a wider, longer term view that we've got to move on from exploitation to economies that have a right relationship with our environment. I think we've got to change away from these extractive processes to more enduring relationships and regenerative relationships with the land."Sole has produced a YouTube video of the area that will be mined and points out unique, threatened plants and remnants of past mining endeavours that are part of its precious heritage that he says are at risk. He says the old mining era cannot be compared to today's."We're talking about two different things. The early mining was largely mining of individual endeavour and it was largely with human hands with the use of water," he says.The impact of modern mining is "devastating, it has lost its context and meaning because of the vast industrial scale by massive machinery. We're not comparing like with like".In a story for Newsroom last week, Jill Herron wrote that nearly a million hectares across Otago, and another 100,000 in Southland, are now at various stages of being "pegged" by gold mining companies.But chief executive of New Zealand Minerals Council, Josie Vidal, says people have no need to panic and "possibly none" of the areas that have been identified on a minerals map drawn up by Earth Sciences New Zealand will be mined.Heightened interest in the area is driven by the record price of gold, she says. She believes many will be hobby gold miners and doubts there would be any other large mines like Santana that are at a serious stage."There's a lot of interest in gold of the traditional gold mining areas of which Otago is one, and there's quite a lot of interest from smaller prospectors who could do quite well out of getting a fairly small amount of gold because the price is so high."She calls the Santana proposal "a bog standard gold mine"."I'm mystified by the attention. It's a gold mine like any other. There's no reason for it not to proceed."When The Detail asked Santana for an interview, it replied in an email with a number of conditions.On balance and representation it said, "Please confirm who else will be featured or interviewed, and whether local voices and businesses many of which support the project - not just high-profile critics - are being included to reflect the full spectrum of community sentiment".It later declined our interview request but referred us it its 9,400-page application.In an email, it said it welcomes scrutiny."What we cannot support is the amplification of assertions that have already been addressed, in writing, in data, numerous interviews and expert reports - simply because they are emotive or convenient to repeat and you haven't bothered to fact check their claims."If the program's objective is balance and informed debate, then the technical evidence must sit alongside the sentiment."

Two Wānaka residents have spent a “terrifying” night stuck in a Abu Dhabi hotel room, with the windows shaking from nearby bombing. Deb Jamieson and her son Rocco (19) had stopped in Abu Dhabi for a week in the sun after Rocco competed in the Milano Cortina Olympics.Rocco made the finals in the snowboard Big Air event.The pair were planning to fly to Seoul yesterday (Tuesday March 3) on Etihad Airways, then back through Abu Dhabi on March 10 on their way to Zurich, but their flight was cancelled following military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel on Saturday.“It’s been a terrifying night,” Deb told the Wānaka App. “We feel helpless and stuck. “The bombing felt close last night (Monday March 2). The glass in our hotel room was shaking. Word was they were targeting the Abu Dhabi US military base.” Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on United States assets in the region following the strikes which killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Deb said her sister-in-law and a friend are trying to book backup flights with other airlines.“... it takes ages to get through,” she said.  “The airlines don’t provide any info other than what you can see online, either that the flight is still scheduled or canceled. “Family have been ringing the consulate in NZ and being told to register with Safetravel which we’ve done but no further information.”She said Wānaka friends put her onto the NZ Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, whose wife Louise Dempsey has been “kindly messaging updates about the airspace opening etc”. Yesterday RNZ reported that President Donald Trump has warned of a “big wave” of strikes against Iran yet to come, and multiple Middle Eastern countries have threatened escalation of the conflict.PHOTO: Supplied

Children entering their first year of school across the Upper Clutha this term have been welcomed with free literacy packs, thanks to a Rotary Club of Wānaka initiative.The project is designed to support children and their families at a crucial stage in learning, helping build strong foundations in reading, writing and early numeracy from the very beginning of their schooling.“We are thrilled to be able to provide this new initiative for five-year-old children in the Upper Clutha region,” Rotary Club of Wānaka president Marie Fitchett said.“Early literacy has a lifelong impact, and we hope these packs will give children and families a helpful start.”Each literacy pack includes a reading folder, a story book, magnetic letters and numbers, a white magnetic board, and a parent information booklet. The packs also contain ideas to help families encourage early literacy and introduce basic financial literacy concepts at home.Wānaka Primary School principal Rob Rush thanked the Rotary Club of Wānaka and praised the initiative’s focus on early learning.“Laying solid foundations in early literacy is the key to future learning success,” he said.“We are thrilled to have these packs for our five-year-old learners. “It means they have the resources to be able to develop their literacy knowledge at home with their parents and whānau.” The literacy packs were delivered to students last week.Marie Fitchett said the initiative reflected the club’s commitment to supporting young people and strengthening communities.The project received additional funding support from the wider Rotary District.PHOTO: Rotary Club of Wānaka

A project under development for ten years is coming to fruition at Wānaka Airport.An aviators’ memorial wall, situated in front of the airport cafe, Cross Winds, has been a labour of love for volunteers Jools Hall and Ralph Fegan.The airport had a “fair few rocks” scattered around the area to commemorate various people, and Ralph came up with the idea of bringing them together in one place.“We just wanted to get them on the wall and tell their stories,” Jools told the Wānaka App.“Everyone on the wall has an incredible aviator story behind them and we felt it was important to tell them.”She and Ralph made a list of potential names, with the criteria being anyone who had worked at the airport or was associated with it. This included retired World War II pilots who volunteered their time during the Warbirds Over Wānaka airshow.“We’re asking families to reach out to us,” Jools said.“We’ve got our list… it’s not exhaustive… but we haven’t got people’s contact details.”Anyone who has ideas for who should be represented on the memorial can contact Ralph ([email protected]).Ralph and Jools emphasised the memorial is “not a cemetery”, but a remembrance wall. “It was important for us to do it aviation-based - why these people were remarkable within the aviation community,” Jools said.Wānaka Airport “is not just an airport”, the two agreed: “It’s got so much history - so much pioneering history.”Because there is a limit to how much space is available on each plaque, there will eventually be a QR code at the site linking to the Wānaka Airport Users website, where each person’s stories and photos can be found.“There are a lot of people who have lost loved ones, who quite often come out to the airport and just sit and watch the goings on - to feel connected,” Jools said.“Our goal was to have somewhere that’s permanent as the airport changes and grows - and who knows what’s going to happen to the airport. This is somewhere permanent, a great place for people to come and have a coffee.”Ralph designed the memorial so people can sit on the wall and read about the history. While the wall has been in place for some time, the plaques are “a work in progress”.Ralph and Jools don’t want the cost involved in preparing a plaque to be prohibitive, and say there will be financial support for those who need it.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A section of the Motatapu Track has been rerouted ahead of this weekend’s Motatapu race series, when thousands of people will cross parts of the track on foot and bike.The track was rerouted to avoid a large, slow-moving slip, Department of Conservation (DOC) operations manager Charlie Sklenar said, after a recent routine assessment found it was at risk of becoming larger during storm events.“We've been monitoring the slow-moving slip for a number of years,” Charlie said. “Safety is our highest priority, so when a recent reassessment found it was at risk of further movement, potentially damaging the track, we made the call to close this section and reroute it to a safer location.”DOC staff worked with the landowner to identify a new path, and a team of rangers was deployed to the remote spot to complete the work in mid-February.The track was rerouted by 350m to avoid the slip, located between Highland Creek Hut and Roses Hut.Marker posts have been moved to the new section, vegetation planted across old entrance points, and directional signs at each end of the re-route are in place to ensure users can easily follow the new route.Even without the annual Motatapu race series, the track - a historic route linking Wānaka and Arrowtown and crossing private land - is very popular, and forms part of the Te Araroa Trail."Judging by the amount of foot traffic while staff were undertaking the work, it won't be long before this new section is well and truly worn in," Charlie said.Motatapu race series organisers have extended the entry deadline for most of Saturday’s (March 7) races.It’s not too late to enter the 42km Trail Run, 47km Mountain Bike, 15Km UDC Finance Miners Trail and the 4km Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run, with entries open until midnight today (Wednesday March 4).PHOTO: Supplied

The 2026 Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange will take centre stage at the upcoming Wānaka A&P Show, bringing together farmers, rural professionals, innovators and industry leaders to explore the future of agriculture.What began as a single event at the inaugural Agri Exchange last year has grown into a six-event programme within the wider show, featuring exhibitor displays, networking opportunities, and a programme of discussions. “This growth reflects strong sector interest and highlights the value of creating space for meaningful conversations, collaboration and connection across the rural sector,” Wānaka A&P Show organisers said.The Agri Exchange will focus on practical solutions and forward-thinking ideas, with an emphasis on sustainability, leadership and innovation. The event series will include the Leaders Breakfast, a Farmers Focus session hosted by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the AGMARDT Innovators Drinks, and the Bridging the Urban Gap forum. A strong line-up of exhibitors will showcase emerging innovation from rural New Zealand. Exhibitors will include AIMER Farming with AI-driven pasture management technology, Nature Point with satellite-based soil organic carbon insights, and Romene, transforming wool and milk into premium skincare products. Meanwhile MyNativeForest will highlight voluntary carbon forestry opportunities, while ReFlow will present next-generation effluent management systems. The Fairlight Foundation will focus on women in leadership and workforce development, alongside platforms such as The Common Ground and Ag Assist, which support sector-wide resilience and connection.The Agri Exchange’s expanded programme is designed to encourage deeper engagement and robust discussion over the two days, organisers said, providing farmers and visitors with practical tools, fresh ideas and valuable connections.The Wānaka A&P Show will take place next week: March 13-14. PHOTO: Wānaka A&P Show

Landowners, iwi, community groups and environmental organisations can learn more about Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) ECO Fund and how to submit a strong application in free, upcoming webinars.The fund supports community-led projects around the region that protect, enhance and promote the environment and there is $918,000 available in the upcoming funding round.The two webinars will have different focuses, ORC councillor Chanel Gardner said, with the first webinar - taking place tonight (Tuesday March 3) - about “clarity”.“We want potential applicants, including those who have applied before, to understand what the fund is designed to achieve in 2026, what’s changed, and how to position their project well before applications open.”Next week, ORC will host a ‘preparing a strong funding application’ webinar to help applicants strengthen their submissions and maximise their impact.“Whether you’re new to funding or experienced, this session will walk through what makes a proposal clear, credible and aligned with council priorities. We encourage all applicants to take part,” Chanel said.Since 2018, the ECO fund has supported 194 projects from 420 applications, distributing just over $3.64M (out of $10.45M requested) across eleven application rounds.An annual review process occurs, to set up the funding categories for each year which align with council’s strategic directions.Funding categories include hill country erosion management, scaling up for biodiversity, sustained rabbit management incentives, biodiversity enhancement on protected private land, weed removal and revegetation, and a general fund.Applications for the 2026 ECO Fund will open on March 16.Find more information about the ECO Fund and the details of the webinars here.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Eight masters from the Wanaka Rowing Club (WRC) returned from Saturday’s (February 28) Masters and Juniors Regatta at Oreti River with an impressive haul of medals.Favourable tide and wind conditions allowed the full programme to be completed in the morning, and WRC crews delivered strong performances against crews from Invercargill, Waihopai, Port Chalmers, and Whakatipu.Wānaka rower Shane Gibson had a standout day, claiming first place in the Men's Single Sculls and topping the podium again in the Mixed Double Sculls alongside Elizabeth Lampen Smith.He added another win in the Men's Double Sculls with Chelsea Lodge and secured a third-place finish in the Men's Quad with Chris Menzies, Elizabeth Lampen Smith, and Max Paulin.The WRC Women’s Double Scull pairing of Lizzie Ritchie and Sandra Read also took out first place, while the Women’s Quad (featuring Lizzie, Sandra, Sandra Binney, and Jo Underwood) finished fourth in its event.WRC’s junior crews are training hard under head coach Rob Bruce for the upcoming South Island Secondary School Regatta on March 6, which will be followed by the season finale, the Maadi Cup, two weeks later. Both events will be held on Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel.To support their Maadi Cup campaign, junior rowers are running a silent auction and firewood raffle, featuring various prizes kindly donated by local businesses. Support the fundraiser here.PHOTO: WRC

More people in Wānaka can now access routine diagnostic imaging closer to home, with publicly funded X-ray and ultrasound services available from this week, health minister Simeon Brown and associate health minister Matt Doocey said. “Until now, patients in Wānaka who were referred by their GP or primary care provider for a funded X-ray or ultrasound have not been able to receive those services locally,” the health minister said. “That has meant travelling outside of Wānaka for routine diagnostic tests, adding time, cost, and stress for patients and their families. “[Now] GPs and other primary care providers can refer patients for funded imaging right here in Wānaka. This will help people access the tests they need more quickly and begin treatment sooner.” The new service is expected to provide around 1,400 X-rays and 1,500 ultrasounds over the next 18 months.“This expansion has been delivered through outsourcing arrangements that increase local capacity and make better use of available services, ensuring patients can receive timely diagnosis and treatment closer to home,” the health minister said. The associate health minister said the new service directly responds to feedback gathered during last year’s 13 Rural Health Roadshows, which included one in Wānaka where the community made it clear that access to diagnostic tests was a major barrier to care, he said. “We’ve listened to that feedback and taken practical action.”Waitaki MP Miles Anderson said during the roadshow “we heard from local health advocates and the community about the need for increased diagnostic services”, which he pushed for. “It is great to see those voices being heard and decisions being made to respond to the specific needs of the Wānaka community.”Local health advocacy group Health Action Wānaka (HAW) said it was “thrilled” that Wānaka will have publicly-funded radiology services going forward.Access to publicly funded x-rays and ultrasounds was one of three ‘quick wins’ the group proposed to the health minister in July last year.Patients will need to be referred through the existing Community Referred Radiology Programme.Urgent imaging will continue to be provided at Dunstan Hospital in Clyde.PHOTO: File

Snow Sports NZ has signed a funding agreement with the TAB, allowing the country’s sole sports betting operator to run betting markets on sanctioned snow sports events. In July last year, a law change was implemented so that TAB NZ became the only legal provider of sports betting for people in this country.“The agreement we have signed means Snow Sports NZ will formally allow TAB NZ to run betting markets on the snow sports events we sanction, with some of the return coming back to us as a sport,” Snow Sports NZ announced last week.Snow Sports said athletes had been consulted “in the lead-in to this decision and appropriate integrity monitoring and safeguards will be put in place”.  “There may be some promotion of this activity on our channels and at events,” the organisation said. Snow Sports NZ Board would confirm how the money would be invested back into the sport once it “understands the quantum of funding coming back from the TAB”.The announcement comes just days after the New Zealand Snow Sports team secured three medals at Milano Cortina 2026, equalling Beijing 2022’s medal tally - the team’s most successful Games. More than 30 sporting organisations in New Zealand already have similar agreements in place. Millions of dollars in funding goes back to New Zealand sporting bodies annually from the TAB’s betting products and other gambling sources. IMAGES: Supplied/Snow Sports NZ

Staff from Otago Regional Council (ORC), Central Otago District Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), and QLDC Harbourmaster teams took part in a joint freshwater oil spill response exercise at Waterfall Creek last week (Wednesday February 25). ORC investigations team leader Peter Kelliher said the training of as many as 20 staff focused on deploying a containment boom around the confluence of Waterfall Creek and Lake Wānaka.A containment boom is an important technique used to limit the spread of oil during a spill event. “The exercise was an excellent demonstration of local authorities working together to strengthen preparedness and response capability across the Central Otago districts,” Peter said. “This was a great example of councils collaborating to ensure we’re ready to respond quickly and effectively to oil discharges, whether they come from vessels on the lake or from road incidents near waterways.” The joint exercise forms part of ongoing regional readiness activities aimed at protecting Otago’s freshwater environments and supporting coordinated emergency responses.

Aspiring Athletics Club (AAC) athletes attended the Otago club championships in Dunedin recently (February 14-15), with some recording personal best (PB) performances.AAC head coach Michael Beable said athletes had to contend with wind and rain, and cool temperatures, but some “shone through”.These included Lily Lake (14) with a PB in the 100m (13.17s), Ruby Swamy (14) with PBs in the long jump (4.79m) and 100m (13.54s), Jared Anoka (13) in the 100m (14.02), and Ryan Enoka (19) in the MU20 shot put (10.29m - 6kg weight).Not to be outdone by the juniors, local physiotherapist and new AAC member Tim Smith had “a standout performance” in the Masters’ 45-49 category at the Otago champs, Michael said.“[He won] his 60m in a remarkable 8.01s - 32 years since his last competitive sprint.”Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) students in the training group now shift their attention to the Otago Secondary School Championships in Dunedin on March 13-14. Those who finish in the top three in their events will qualify for the South Island Secondary School (SISS) Championships in Christchurch on March 28-29, capping off their season.However the SISS competition might be “a bit too soon” for long-sprint specialist Phoebe Laker, now in Year 13 at MAC, Michael said. “She has been working hard over the holidays, in rehab mode, to recover from a lower limb injury incurred late last year,” he said “Current holder of the NZ U18 and Australian U17 400m titles, as well as all the Otago Women’s 400m records from ages 13 to 19, Phoebe should be returning to competition before too long; hopefully, in time for the Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane in April, and then the Oceania Championships in Darwin in May.” Meanwhile, Ryan Young, a long-time member of the AAC, continues to impress as an emerging national triple jumper, Michael said.Ryan finished second in the Senior Men’s event, behind Yuto Adachi from Japan, at the Christchurch International Track Meeting (ITM) at the Nga Puna Wai Sports Complex on Saturday February 24. “Ryan leapt to within 2cm of his personal best, producing an excellent 14.49m into a strong headwind (-1.9m/s), further underlining his potential,” Michael said. He said it was encouraging to see Ryan finish 26cm ahead of third-placegetter Matt Walsh, who had claimed the triple jump title at Athletics New Zealand’s inaugural short-course national championships in Hastings last month.Ryan’s next goal is to do well at the NZ National Championships in Auckland, March 5-8.PHOTOS: Supplied

An incredible amount of growth and change has happened in Wānaka over the past decade, and it has been a privilege for the Wānaka App team to cover it all.In March 2016 - the Wānaka App’s debut - Three Parks was largely paddocks, the Wānaka Recreation Centre hadn’t been built, people were still debating whether the Wānaka Watersports Facility was a good idea or not - and ‘that Wānaka Tree’ was largely unnoticed.In our first week we covered hearings on the planned watersports facility, medals for snow sports star Adam Hall, and local takes on the nation-wide flag referendum.Few people were anticipating a global pandemic, and the risks of the Alpine Fault were not as well understood or discussed as they are today.Since then, we’ve seen the district expand, subdivisions mushroom, the shopping centre shift, the Upper Clutha’s role in the wider district come under scrutiny, and our representation change. The Wānaka App has been a voice in covering issues as diverse as the health of our deep lakes, the fight for a local birthing unit, and the Education Review Office report which led to major changes at our only secondary school.Our editorial on the McDonald’s debate, which drew attention to health service inequities in the district, helped spark community advocacy for improved access to health services - which is now beginning to bear fruit.There have been contentious issues which we’ve done our best to report on fairly and impartially, while keeping the community informed - and finding time for light-hearted, personal stories too.We’re grateful to all the people in the community who have taken the time to share their stories with us. Delivering news and information has been a constant journey of innovation, from the early days of a simple mobile app, to a full platform development to deliver a sophisticated mobile app experience along with an online experience at wanakaapp.nz. The weekly Wānaka Newsletter was added in 2021 providing another way for readers to keep up to date with what’s happening in the community.Today the Wānaka App’s channels record more than 130,000 reader sessions every month and around 800,000 page views.Despite all the changes around us, the Wānaka App team has remained constant. Our owners, Tony and Pip O’Regan, continue to innovate and serve the community. Caroline Harker, our first editor, set us on course for the first year, when I took the helm. Maddy Harker has been reporting from the beginning, and Diana Cocks joined the team soon after (she is now focusing her time on helping preserve Wānaka’s history). Melanie Cusens - a new recruit to the team - has recently joined us as a casual reporter.We look forward to being witness to (as well as part of) the next decade. Thank you so much for reading.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) draft annual plan delivers an overall zero rates increase in 2026-27 - a significant drop on the 8.7 percent increase forecast during the Long Term Plan process.Councillors sought to keep rates as low as possible, ORC chairperson Hilary Calvert said.“We’re confident we can deliver for Otago’s people and environment within the zero-budget increase proposed,” she said. Factors helping to reduce rates include “cost savings and efficiencies in work programmes, extended timeframes for some work and finding alternative revenue sources”.While the draft annual plan has no increase in the value of the overall rates amount collected, rates for each property varies depending on things like location and the services provided. For the median-value residential property within Queenstown Lakes (ones which are not subject to a public transport surcharge, like some in Queenstown), rates will drop by 1.01 percent.A rates estimator will be added to the ORC website by mid-March so people can look up their estimated rates.As no significant changes have been made to what was consulted on in the Long Term Plan for the 2026/27 year, councillors have chosen not to go to the expense of formally consulting with the community on the draft annual plan.It will go to council for adoption in late April 2026.Hilary noted that the government is proposing significant reform in the local government sector, but any changes will take some time to happen. “In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to work hard for Otago, including providing public transport, monitoring Otago’s air, land, waterways and natural hazards, compliance monitoring and enforcement, river management, flood and drainage schemes, harbourmaster functions and emergency management response,” she said. PHOTO: Wānaka App

A Wild West-style home built with strawbale walls, recycled bridge beams and salvaged farm machinery parts has hit the market in Albert Town, drawing attention for its unique design.The property was purpose-built to resemble an American ranch, with much of its design shaped around reclaimed materials its owners collected.New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty sales associate Luc Ravel said the home was “created as a personal project and a piece of craftsmanship” rather than following a trend.Mike Wight and his late partner Sandra Tumaru were inspired by ranches they saw while travelling through the American Southwest on their Harley Davidsons.“They spent years collecting materials before they even finalised a design - bridge beams, telephone poles, salvaged timber, antique doors - and then built the home around those pieces,” Luc told the Wānaka App.“So rather than buying materials to suit a house, the house was shaped by the materials and the story behind them.”The residence includes multiple living areas, a media room with a fireplace, three bedrooms, and a loft fitted with built-in beds for guests. Two separate garages and a drive-through courtyard provide off-street parking and storage.A 50sqm entertaining pavilion, completed in 2020, has a full kitchen, pizza oven and industrial-style cooktop designed for larger gatherings.Details throughout the home reflect its handcrafted approach. “One of the most memorable is the breakfast bar - it’s made from leftover structural timber and fitted with antique tractor seats mounted on custom pipework,” Luc said. “Another standout is the straw-bale windows framed with gears from an old tractor. “They’re subtle details, but they show the level of thought and craftsmanship that went into the build.”The property at 9 Balneaves Lane, Albert Town, is being marketed by deadline sale.“We’ve seen enquiry from a wide range of people, but the property is likely to appeal most to someone who values craftsmanship and character, and who wants a home with a story rather than a conventional modern build - particularly at a time when many new subdivisions around town have covenants that limit creativity and individuality,” Luc said.PHOTO: New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty