Local charitable trust Food for Love has received a multi-year grant to support its mission to provide meals to people in the community who need a helping hand.Central Lakes Trust (CLT) has granted $121,266 to Food for Love each year from 2025-2028, a total grant value of close to half a million dollars.The grants will help Food for Love meet increasing demand for its service.Food for Love general manager Jodie Stuart said the trust delivered 9,000 meals last year and expects that number to increase to around 12,000 this year.“As the Upper Clutha’s population continues to grow, so does the need for our services,” Jodie said.“Funding like this ensures we can meet increasing demand and continue supporting families and individuals during their times of need - whether they are recovering from illness, injury, or facing unexpected challenges.”The Food for Love operational grant for 2025 was one of $1.024M in grants awarded at CLT’s first board meeting for the year.CLT chief executive Barbara Bridger said the funding round focused on charitable organisations “with their operations, programmes, and projects to benefit the community”.“It’s encouraging to see such a wide variety of organisations stepping up to address the needs and opportunities within our region.”A second local charitable organisation, Path Wānaka, received an operational grant of $23,600.Many other recipients - including KiwiHarvest, Volunteer South and more - have a presence in Wānaka.A project grant of $7,500 was also awarded to Disc Golf Wānaka.PHOTO: Teresa Cotter

Stored water and a transistor radio are some of the most important things to have on hand to prepare for an emergency.That’s the word from Geoff McLeay, one of the members of the Wānaka Community Response Group (WCRG), which was part of a recent emergency preparedness event in Wānaka.“There is a whole [list] of items we should all have but those are number one and number two in my opinion,” Geoff said.Other things to include in a household emergency kit include medications, a first aid kit, cash, a torch and non-perishable food.Around 500 people attended the emergency preparedness event.Members of the public learned about these essentials and more at GET READY, which took place last Saturday and Sunday (February 1-2) outside Mitre 10 MEGA.Emergency service personnel, including members from local fire brigades, police force and coastguard, plus Emergency Management Otago and the WCRG, were on-site to provide information and advice to attendees.The purpose of the event, Geoff said, was to make “the community more aware in terms of preparedness in the event we have a major event like an alpine fault”.Search and Rescue Dogs Avalanche (SARDA) dog Wizzid with Maisie and Theo.The emergency risks in the local area include a major earthquake on the alpine fault, fire, flood, tsunami, snowstorm and landslip.The better prepared the local community is - on an individual, household and community-wide level - the less reliant it will be on emergency services and food demands, the WCRG says.Queenstown Lakes councillor Lyal Cocks (who is also a member of the WCRG) was one of the 500-or-so people at GET READY on Saturday and he said events like it serve as a crucial reminder.“We get complacent when things are going good,” Lyal said. “It’s important to keep reminding people a disaster could be just around the corner.”“The more prepared we are the better we will come through.”From left: Councillor and Wānaka Community Response Group member Lyal Cocks with fellow Wānaka Community Response Group members Claire Akin-Smith, Mick Hollyer, Linzi Ebbage-Thomas and Geoff McLeay, plus St John staff member Michael Spears, Jane Fletcher (also from the Wānaka Community Response Group), and second St John staff member Chris (last name withheld).People can find emergency preparedness information here.They can also access community response plans for Wānaka, Lake Hāwea and Hāwea Flat, and Makarora.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A 278-lot subdivision has been billed for a 37.2ha site within the Northlake Special Zone (NSZ).Earlier this month WFH Properties submitted a resource consent application for stages three to seven of the ‘Pembroke Heights’ subdivision.Stages one and two of Pembroke Heights are already underway, with a resource consent issued and earthworks underway.The first two stages comprise 78 lots, while an area in the south-east of the site has been earmarked for a potential ‘stage nine’.If all nine stages are completed Pembroke Heights could feature around 400 lots.Application documents submitted on behalf of WFH Properties for stages three to seven said the subdivision would “contribute to a diversity of housing opportunities in the Upper Clutha”. The subdivision site is located in the south-west of the NSZ, which is around 220ha in total.It was designated by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in 2016 ‘to provide for a predominantly residential mixed use neighborhood’. QLDC has already approved a land use consent application for bulk earthworks for stages three-to-seven of Pembroke Heights.It is currently vetting WFH Properties’ application for resource consent.IMAGE: Supplied

Central Otago REAP has launched an initiative to support the emotional wellbeing of students across primary schools in Central Otago, including the Upper Clutha.There is increasing demand for mental health support for tamariki (children), REAP said, and the Awhi Atu Student Support Programme aims to provide direct support to help students thrive in both their academic and personal lives.Two fully qualified and experienced counsellors, Jenny Brown and Lisa Foggin, will visit participating schools on a weekly or fortnightly basis to offer confidential counselling services to students, helping them to build stronger coping strategies, and enhance emotional wellbeing.Central Otago REAP education lead and schools and ECE coordinator Julie Musumeci told the Wānaka App that participation in the programme had been offered to all primary schools in the Upper Clutha area (Wānaka Primary School, Holy Family School, Te Kura o Take Karara, and Hāwea Flat School), and so far Wānaka Primary School has taken up the offer. Julie said the Ministry of Education does not currently fund counsellors in primary schools, which leaves a significant gap in mental health support. “Recognising the need for action, Central Otago REAP—a not-for-profit, community-based organisation—has stepped in to ensure that local children receive the professional guidance and care they need, at no cost to their families,” she said.“The Awhi Atu programme is part of a broader effort to support the wellbeing of tamariki, and to give every student the chance to grow, thrive, and flourish.”Jenny and Lisa said they were both excited to begin their roles and are looking forward to getting to know the children of participating schools. For further information about the Awhi Atu Student Support Programme, contact Julie on 021 544 894.PHOTO: Supplied

It was a wildlife watcher’s dream as a menagerie of creatures were spotted in Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs in Wānaka on World Wetlands Day on Sunday (February 2).Seen in the pristine spring creek were a koaro, a longfin eel and brown trout, and among the birds there were bellbirds, a covey of California quail and a brood of mallard ducklings.There were also 300 humans who picnicked, played and discovered more about nature at the family fun event hosted by Otago Fish & Game and Friends of Bullock Creek with a group of partner organisations.The two-hectare wetland is the site of a former Fish & Game hatchery and an ongoing restoration project with Friends of Bullock Creek and the Department of Corrections.Fish & Game Central Otago operations manager Jamie Ward said the event was a success, showing the importance of wetlands and the work of local organisations caring for the environment.“Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs is loved and valued by Wānaka locals,” Jamie said.Visitors wandered through the QEII-covenanted site learning about the work of Fish & Game, Friends of Bullock Creek, Wai Wānaka, Te Kakano, Wānaka Backyard Trapping, Tiaki Bees, Otago Regional Council, Otago Catchment Community and Queen Elizabeth II National Trust.“Thanks to all our partners and volunteers who made this event happen, and to the Fish & Game councillors who made an appearance,” Jamie said.He acknowledged Friends of Bullock Creek trustee Andy Oxley were for her “vision, drive and enthusiasm” to make the day a success.“We have been thrilled at the support of the event by the Wānaka community and most particularly by many of our neighbours for whom Bullock Creek is literally in their backyard,” Andy said.“Since 2016, when Friends of Bullock Creek Trust began to restore the Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs to its native state, we have been lucky to be collaborating with other inspirational local environmental groups: in particular Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust, Wai Wānaka, and Wānaka Backyard Trapping (now Predator Free Wānaka).”“Friends of Bullock Creek are also incredibly grateful for all the hard work of our volunteers and financial support from Corrections NZ, Central Lakes Trust, ORC EcoFund, Otago Catchment Communities and Patagonia.”Jamie said only nine per cent of New Zealand’s original wetlands still existed.“As a not-for-profit organisation, Otago Fish & Game advocates to restore and protect freshwater ecosystems with evidence-based, sustainable management, guided democratically by our community of anglers and hunters.”

Wānaka’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (23) has secured her third World Cup snowboard win by claiming the FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup in Aspen, Colorado this morning (February 3). Zoi’s win comes just a week after she won gold at the 2025 Aspen X Games, landing a ‘never been done before’ backside triple corked 1440 in the women’s snowboard slopestyle competition.  As the top qualifier in today’s final, Zoi earned the advantage of dropping last into each of the two finals runs. She put down a solid first run that had her sitting in the top spot, but with a couple of bobbles on the rails. Kokomo Murase of Japan put down a strong second run, which bumped Zoi off the top spot. She managed the pressure and put down her winning run, tidying up the rail section and then lacing back-to-back double corked 1080’s on the last two jumps.“I watched her [Kokomo’s] last run and knew it was going to knock my first run score so I knew that I needed to clean up that rail section and I am stoked how it came out, stepping it up from X Games last week,” Zoi said. Zoi won by a significant margin as the only woman to score in the 80’s with an 87.80. Kokomo finished in second place with Great Britain’s Mia Brookes rounding out the star-studded podium in third.The men’s snowboard slopestyle World Cup finals also went down in Aspen this morning, with Kiwi’s Dane Menzies (Wānaka based) and Rocco Jamieson (Wānaka) dropping in. Dane had a career best result, finishing in fourth place and putting down a frontside 1800 for his first time in a slopestyle run. Rocco finished in twelfth.Watch Zoi's winning run here.The action continues this morning with Fin Melville Ives (Wānaka) and Luke Harrold (Lake Hāwea) dropping into the freeski halfpipe World Cup finals.PHOTOS: FIS Park & Pipe.

An upgrade to the Wānaka Recreation Centre’s (WRC) floor will not begin until mid-2026 at the earliest, despite concerns from members of the sporting community.A number of Upper Clutha community submissions made to the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Long-term Plan (LTP), including several from the netball fraternity, asked the council to improve the floor, which has been in place since the WRC opened in 2016.The council acknowledged some submissions “from a small range of user groups” wanted the existing solid floor replaced with a wooden sprung floor.The submitters “suggested there had been injuries on the indoor courts attributable to the surface”, QLDC said, and a formal complaint had also been lodged.Council staff said 116 injuries have been reported since 2018. Although the rate of injury has increased in recent years, almost doubling from 26 to 50 injuries recorded between 2023 to 2024, the recorded injuries represent less than 0.1 per cent of the total number of WRC users.QLDC said 85 per cent of reported incidents were sports-related injuries, including sprains, strains, knee injuries, and player contact.“Statistics on recorded injuries at WRC suggest that pivoting sports, such as netball, handball, and basketball, pose a higher risk of injury compared to other court-based activities,” the council said.Aspiring Gymsports laid floor mats for their public performance at the WRC in 2021.The WRC’s existing indoor courts have a multi-purpose floor called ‘Rebound Ace’, which was “selected for its versatility” and cost-effectiveness.Council staff said although a sprung floor created a number of benefits for active users it also had disadvantages for community facilities that were designed to cater for a wide range of purposes, events and activities.A sprung floor improves shock absorption, enhances player comfort and performance and provides excellent ball response, but is also costly to install, susceptible to damage and requires regular maintenance, staff said.QLDC has allocated $524K for the floor upgrade project, including $500k for a new wooden floor and, although the project’s business case is complete, the funding is not available until year three (2026-2027) of the council’s current 10-year plan.As well as the floor replacement the business case also considered the potential implications for other features in the indoor courts such as ramps/floor levels, floor sockets for sports equipment, basketball hoop heights and so on, council said.Council staff said the courts have seen a lot of action since the centre opened in 2016 and remedial work, such as renewing the lines on the courts, was carried out last month.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

The addition of an occupational therapist to the Community Link team will provide another service at the one-stop community support and connection centre.Community Link manager Kate Murray said she was delighted to welcome Ana Amador to the role, where she will support families, whānau and individuals to overcome barriers to their wellbeing and achieve their full potential. “Her passion for helping people and her unique blend of professional experience and cultural insight will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our community services,” Kate said.“Ana’s dedication to supporting individuals through life’s challenges perfectly aligns with our mission to help the Upper Clutha region thrive.”Ana, who is originally from Mexico City, completed her three-year occupational therapist training at Otago Polytechnic starting in 2018.After graduating, she spent three years working at not-for-profit youth services provider ADL, focusing on community mental health, particularly supporting youth with mental health challenges.Ana said she was particularly passionate about helping people navigate complex systems and services.“I want to help the community when people need a helping hand,” Ana said. “For many, these services can be complicated, especially for those who aren’t used to them.”At Community Link, Ana will work across a range of areas including youth, children, schools, hospitals, mental health, older people, disabilities and addictions. Ana said her personal experiences as a woman from Mexico have equipped her with the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. “Coming from a different culture has helped me understand how to remove barriers and be open-minded,” she said. “I come to this role with an open heart and no judgment, and I hope that’s something that will help as I grow into the role.”Kate said Community Link was “excited to see the positive impact Ana will have in her new role”.Learn more about Community Link here.PHOTO: Supplied

The organisers of an adventure sport festival held for the first time last year are planning an even bigger and better second edition.The inaugural MagicLand Adventure Sport Festival took place last March at Glendhu Bay, featuring everything from paragliding, speed flyers and paramotors to aerial performance acrobats.Organisers Dan Pugsley and Vicki Zadrozny, who live in Hāwea, said MagicLand was inspired by their travels in Europe, where they attended events like Veko-Extreme Sports Week in Norway and the Buttermere Bash - Paragliding and Air Sports Festival in the UK.Following the success of MagicLand 2024, they are getting ready to hold the second festival at Glendhu Bay in March.“After last year being a total smash out the gate, we're hoping this year will be even better,” Dan said.The festival will play host to Acrofest, New Zealand’s official aerobatic competition; there will also be skydiving, speed flying and base jumping; as well as F1 Super Boat displays and aerial artist performers.MagicLand celebrates ‘the thrill of pushing boundaries’.It will also host the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Fly 50 exhibition (the first time it has been held in the South Island).Camping at Glendhu Bay Holiday Park will be open all week (starting Monday March 24) and on Friday and Saturday (March 28-29) the festival will be in full swing, with eight musical acts set to perform, plus food, entertainment and more.Dan said the festival was a celebration “of the thrill of pushing boundaries”.Find all the details about MagicLand 2025 here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Local elected representatives have welcomed certainty around Dunedin’s hospital rebuild but confirmed that advocacy for local health services will not stop.Health minister Simeon Brown confirmed on Friday (January 31) the government will downsize the Dunedin Hospital inpatient building from the original proposal, but provide a capacity to expand.The new hospital will provide 16 fewer overnight beds than the current hospital and 59 fewer than the design approved in 2022. The new plan will, however, provide more theatres and emergency department capacity.Read more: Dunedin to get scaled-back hospital, Health Minister Simeon Brown confirmsSignificant public backlash followed last year’s government announcement that it was considering scaling back plans for the new hospital, including in Wānaka, where a protest march attracted around 300 people.Queenstown Lakes District mayor Glyn Lewers told the Wānaka App yesterday it was positive to see the minister “providing certainty on what is to be built”.“Without seeing the detail, my initial reflection [is] it is a pragmatic response,” he said. “My focus is on securing the appropriate health services we need as a district, closer to home.”Glyn said there will be a combined Otago and Southland mayors forum next Wednesday (February 5) in Queenstown which would provide an opportunity for the Southern mayors to discuss the announcement. Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) chair Simon Telfer also welcomed Friday’s announcement after months of uncertainty on the future of the regional hospital.Wānaka residents marched in opposition to the possibility of a scaled-back hospital build in September 2024. PHOTO: Wānaka AppSpeaking as chair rather than on behalf of the board (which has not yet discussed the issue), Simon said he hoped construction would meet the timeframe outlined (construction to resume by the middle of the year, completion by 2031 at the latest).“Having a tertiary level hospital in the region is important for those living in the Upper Clutha,” Simon said. “But the advocacy continues for our community to be able to access equitable hospital level care closer to home too - either in Wānaka or Cromwell.”Health care advocacy group Health Action Wānaka (HAW) told the Wānaka App the group was “cautiously optimistic” about the announcement. “While we recognise the scope of the build announced today is not what was promised, it is certainly a better outcome than the significant downgrade that had been mooted by the government in September last year,” HAW steering committee chair Monique Mayze said, adding the group would take a firmer position once it had learnt more.“A fit-for-purpose tertiary hospital in Dunedin is essential for people living in the Upper Clutha, alongside equitable access to publicly funded local services, which we will continue to advocate for,” she said.

More than 150 remote predator traps set to protect native species in Mt Aspiring National Park have been systematically tampered with, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says. In early January, high trapping lines between Dart Valley and the west Matukituki Valley were checked by Matukituki Charitable Trust volunteers and Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff, who found the entrances to all 45 traps blocked off by strategically placed rocks.Staff have since found all the traps from Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut and down the Rees Valley have also been triggered or had rocks placed in front of their doors. “This means someone has made the effort to disarm more than 150 remote traps in total across two locations,” DOC Whakatipu operations manager David Butt said. At this time of the year this line of traps catches numerous predators, including stoats, he said. “This is a critical time to have protection for native species through trapping. The people who have done this to the traps will be responsible for an increase in the death of many individuals from our taonga species.”  An introduced species, stoats are the number one killer of many of New Zealand’s endangered native species. “We have a team of hardworking DOC rangers, Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff and volunteers who put in a lot of hard graft to ensure our trapping network is effective,” David said. “It is very concerning [that] someone – or potentially several people - covered challenging terrain and clambered through bush to find these traps and block them off so predators cannot enter. It means we will see an increase in predators.”DOC’s Takahē Recovery Group is working to establish a new population of the birds on and around Tititea Mt Aspiring.There are concerns those birds will be at risk if traps in the area are found to be compromised as well, DOC said. Trapping is considered a humane method of removing introduced predators from national parks to protect native birds, lizards, and invertebrates.  DOC has urged anyone with any information about the traps that have been targeted to call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).PHOTO: Supplied

Today (Saturday February 1) marks one month until the Motatapu race takes place.The annual event attracts sportspeople who run, walk or ride on trails that pass through the Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe stations.The Motatapu is known as the bucket-list off-road event, attracting elite athletes, weekend warriors, first-time competitors and junior runners - and this year’s competitors promise a range of exciting races.On the start line this year for the Rab 52km Ultra Run will be Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist in track cycling, Eddie Dawkins, who has recently taken up running ultra marathons. Pro-mountain bike racer Katy Winton, who has represented the UK and Scotland on the world circuit of Enduro, is also taking on the Ultra Run.Second-place finisher in the women’s 2024 Ultra, Hannah Wall, is back for a rematch and no doubt keen to see if she can bring her previous run time of 08:09:18 any closer to mountain running legend Ruth Croft’s course record of 6:38:04.Majell Backhausen, who won the 2017 Ultra in an impressive time of 06:27:07, has also thrown his hat back in the ring and will be chasing down Weston Hill’s record-setting time of 06:04:05 from 2023.The Motatapu will feature five adult events (the 52km Rab Ultra Run, the 42km Allpress Espresso Trail Marathon, the 47km Mondraker Mountain Bike, the 47km Mondraker E-Bike and the 15km UDC Finance Miners Trail) plus the kid-friendly 4km Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run. PHOTO: SuppliedMeanwhile in the Mondraker 47km Mountain Bike Kim Hurst will be one to watch in the women’s mountain bike field, with multiple wins at the Karapoti Classic and the Whaka 100 to her name, plus several national and world championship titles.Third place finisher in last year’s 47km Motatapu Mountain Bike event, 15-year-old Levi Gear is on a mission to shave an extra 10 minutes off his time and beat Anton Cooper’s 2010 result of 1:58:28. He’ll need to get past former Junior and U23 National MTB Champion Cameron Jones who is also taking on Motatapu for the first time this year. These competitors are among the professional athletes who will make up some of the 2,500 people signed up to take part in the five adult races at the Motatapu (there’s also a 4km Junior Trail Run for kids).There will also be family groups, first-timers, and returnees who have competed every year since the event’s inception.Motatapu race director Gemma Peskett said she’s pleased with how registrations have been tracking.The 52km Rab Ultra Run is sold out but it’s not too late to throw your hat in the ring for the other races. Find all the race details and entry information here.

The government has confirmed its replacement for the beleagured Dunedin Hospital inpatient building will be downsized from the original proposal.While the number of inpatient beds will be reduced, health minister Simeon Brown, said there was capacity to expand."The site will also be futureproofed so new beds and services will be able to be brought online when needed."The new Dunedin Hospital will be able to adapt and expand in years to come to ensure it responds to changing needs."Last year, a government-commissioned report found plans for the long-awaited hospital could not be delivered within the $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion budget set in 2017.It projected the costs would balloon to $3b, a figure the coalition described as unaffordable.Upper Clutha community members gathered at the Wānaka Fire Station in September armed with placards to protest the proposed changes to Dunedin Hospital. PHOTO: Wānaka AppIt meant the government went back to the drawing board on the hospital, with construction of the inpatient building paused.Options were to scale back the size of the inpatient building, or a staged development which included refurbishing the current ward building while also constructing a smaller clinical services building.The inpatient building on the old Cadbury factory site was originally proposed to have 410 beds, with a 53-bed emergency department.The potential cutbacks prompted protests. An estimated 35,000 people marched through Dunedin's streets to plead with the government to deliver the hospital as originally planned.Brown said the government listened to the Dunedin community and was committed to building the hospital they needed.."The site will also be futureproofed so new beds and services will be able to be brought online when needed. The new Dunedin Hospital will be able to adapt and expand in years to come to ensure it responds to changing needs," he said.The new hospital will provide:351 beds, with capacity to expand to 404 beds over time20 short-stay surgical beds, a new model of care22 theatres, with capacity to expand to 24 theatres over time41 same day beds to provide greater capacity for timely access to specialist procedures58 ED spaces, including a short-stay unit and specialised emergency psychiatric care20 imaging units for CT, MRI and Xray procedures, with 4 additional spaces availableThe current hospital has 367 overnight beds, 17 theatres and procedure rooms, and 31 ED bays, according to a Te Whatu Ora document from 2023.The final design, approved in 2022, had 410 overnight beds, 26 theatres, and 53 ED bays.A PET scanner, as originally proposed by National during the election, was nowhere to be seen in the announcement.There will be no changes to the number of floors to be built. Some services, like pathology, oncology, education, and administration will remain at the existing hospital.Brown said there were few suitable sites for the new hospital to be located, and while the Cadbury site had numerous issues such as contamination, flood risk, and access issues, he was confident they could be overcome."It's clear that using this site to build a new hospital would be far less disruptive than constructing a new complex at the existing hospital," he said.

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) 2024 senior students have achieved excellent NCEA results, principal Nicola Jacobsen says.Provisional results indicate MAC students had an 84.1 percent pass rate at NCEA level one, above the national pass rate of 70 percent (as provided by the NZ Qualifications Authority (NZQA)*).For NCEA level one literacy and numeracy - part of the curriculum for the first time this year - MAC students had a 90.4 percent pass rate, compared with 74.5 percent for numeracy and 76.5 percent for literacy nationally.At NCEA level two, MAC had a 91.3 percent pass rate, again above the national pass rate of 72.7 percent.At the third and final NCEA level, MAC’s pass rate was 82.3 percent, again higher than the national pass rate (68.2 percent).Seventy percent of MAC students received university entrance, compared to 48 percent nationally.Until last year MAC’s results were compared to schools in a similar decile range (8-10) but NZQA has moved away from the decile system and ‘schools with fewer socio-economic barriers’ is now provided as a comparison.MAC’s pass rates in 2024 were higher than ‘schools with fewer socio-economic barriers’ in all year levels.Nicola said students’ 2024 results reflected the college’s strong commitment to academic excellence and followed a trend of strong results in recent years.The MAC 2024 pass rates were similar to 2023, when 88 percent of MAC students passed level one, 90 percent passed level two, and 89 percent passed level three.In 2022 MAC’s pass rate was in the late 80s at all three levels.One of MAC’s goals last year was to focus even more on supporting students to achieve their endorsement goals, Nicola said.“Our efforts have paid off with an increase from 6.5 percent excellence endorsements in 2023 to 18 percent in 2024,” she said.She noted that gender-based data showed that male students achieved higher at NCEA Level 2, but lower than female students for NCEA Levels 1 and 3, and university entrance.Nicola thanked staff and students for all their hard work.“I am so proud of our students for their effort and resilience in pursuing their studies, and grateful to our staff whose skill and passion provides our students with such exceptional support.”The NZQA will publish the final (non-provisional) results at the end of February.*Only 64 percent of year 11 students participate in a full level 1 NCEA programme nationally, and of that group, 70 percent attained the qualification, NZQA says.PHOTO: MAC

Community facilities, a new bridge, a bus shelter, and historical plaques are just a few of the potential goals the Albert Town Community Association (ATCA) has on its impressive to-do list.New ATCA chair Lucy Mitchell, who was elected at last Sunday’s (January 26) annual general meeting at the Albie Tavern, believes the committee is up to the challenge.When the former chair for the last four years, Heather Thorne, announced she would be stepping down, Lucy (vice-chair at the time) put her name forward but was “nervous” about the commitment.ATCA chair Lucy Mitchell with her dog, Ted. PHOTO: SuppliedShe said under Heather's leadership the previous committee had achieved a lot, from planting and developing irrigation at the Gunn Road Bike Park to revamping the ATCA website, erecting historic plaques and making progress on rubbish bins in the commercial area.“I didn’t want to see that progress wane. I hope I’ll do a good job”, she said.In addition to the seven committee members elected, including three new faces, Elaine Kelly has retained her role as secretary, as has Stuart McKay as treasurer.The seat of vice-chair remains vacant for now but, Lucy said, she’s hoping one of the committee members will take on the role.The committee’s first formal meeting is scheduled for the first week of March, but Lucy plans to bring everyone together informally to have a chat about goals.“Our first meeting will be brainstorming and setting priorities,” she said.“I want to be really strategic about what we put our energies into so we don’t spread ourselves too thin.”One of the goals is to arrange access to community facilities.Unlike all other Upper Clutha communities, Albert Town doesn’t have a community facility and the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has no plans to provide one. Riverside Park Community Facility is privately owned but its management is willing to share the facilities, including a meeting room. “We'd like to have our committee meetings there and community gatherings and events but, most importantly, we need a location the community can go in response to an emergency,” Lucy said.A community facility would also help enhance Albert Town’s sense of community, she said.The committee has been working on an arrangement with Riverside Park but needs QLDC to contribute funds to help cover the cost of the arrangement.QLDC councillor Lyal Cocks is involved in negotiations and said it was a logical step for council in lieu of providing a community hall.Other projects the committee might consider progressing include advocating for the plan to replace the aging James Horn (Albert Town) Bridge, adding QR codes to the six historic plaques already installed around Albert Town and add more plaques, and erecting a bus shelter in the commercial area for school students.

Wānaka Backyard Trapping, a community-led initiative dedicated to protecting Wānaka’s native wildlife, has rebranded as Predator Free Wānaka.The name change reflects the organisation’s ambition to create a “predator-free halo” across the Upper Clutha region, Predator Free Wānaka chair Guy Kennedy said.Guy said the change highlights the organisation’s commitment to fostering a thriving environment for native wildlife, helped by its membership of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.Guy KennedyThe move also aligns the group with the national Predator Free 2050 initiative. “We felt we’d outgrown the Wānaka Backyard Trapping name,” Guy said.“Most of the trapping work we do is done at scale and on public QLDC [Queenstown Lakes District] and DOC [Department of Conservation] land.“We felt a refresh of the name and logo would demonstrate our ongoing commitment and enthusiasm to predator control in the Upper Clutha.” The rebrand comes with a renewed focus on community engagement and expanding efforts to combat invasive predators in both urban and rural areas, Guy said.Members are encouraging residents and businesses across Wānaka to get involved by participating in trapping programmes, volunteering other skills, or supporting the initiative through donations. Predator Free Wānaka is a community-driven initiative committed to reducing invasive predators and restoring Wānaka’s native biodiversity through education, resources, and collaborative action. Find more information about Predator Free Wānaka here. PHOTOS: Supplied

Upper Clutha schools, from the smallest - Makarora School with 11 students, to the largest, Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) with 1,320 students - are preparing for the new school year.Makarora School principal Rachel Brown said the school, which includes new entrants to year 7 students, was expecting two more new entrants later in the year.“We are enjoying our new music playground and looking forward to a new complex climbing frame,” Rachel said. Plans for the year ahead include joining Tarras School for a triathlon and Hāwea Flat School for athletics day, as well as joining in the Festival of Colour school programme, she said.The area’s smallest school, Makarora, will begin the year with 11 students - but two more are expected as the year goes on.Tarras School will have 22 students at the beginning of the year, and principal Alice Casey said the roll is expected to reach 27.“We've recently appointed a second teacher so class sizes are starting at 11 - we're delighted to have small classes and are looking forward to another great year,” Alice said.“We've currently undergoing some building renovations and will have fresh classrooms to start the year.”Next up is Te Kura o Take Karara, which has a starting roll of 317 and is expected to reach 350 to 360 by the end of the year.Principal Jodie Howard said the school is looking forward to enhancing its established play garden and nursery projects with the students and community groups. “We are also working with Wai [Wānaka] to become joint guardians with other organisations of a nature space in Cardrona where we want to continue to restore the native planting, observe the river that flows through the space and to use it to play and explore in,” she said.Last year’s fundraising means the school can purchase vans to take groups of children to the retirement villages, early learning centres, the nature space at Cardrona, and the waterfront for community events, Jodie said.Hāwea Flat School will have a starting roll of approximately 375 students, and a year of steady growth will take that to around 435 students by year’s end, principal Tania Pringle said.“The primary focus will remain on providing high-quality student learning experiences,” she said. “The school looks forward to continued positive engagement with the community.”New Wānaka Primary School principal Rob Rush said he was excited to begin the school year on Monday (February 3).  “As of today, we have 463 students enrolled and ready to start on day one,” he said. “We will be starting with 19 classrooms and this will grow as new entrant learners turn five and start throughout the year.”The first major event for the school will be a community welcome picnic on the evening of Monday February 10 (5pm), providing an opportunity for the school to welcome new children and their families as well as a chance to meet Rob.MAC, the Upper Clutha’s only high school - and one of the largest in Otago, will be starting the school year with 1,320 students - 20 more than at the beginning of 2024.Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the increase reflects new enrolments across all year levels, not just new year 7 students.“This year, we will continue our focus on achieving academic excellence, supporting student wellbeing, and developing student leadership capabilities,” she said.Holy Family Catholic School was approached for comment.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Igniting a conversation about developing Wānaka’s town centre, planning for the airport’s future, and advocating for an arts facility are all on the list of priorities for the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) for 2025.WUCCB chair Simon Telfer told the Wānaka App the board’s main priorities this year are safe pedestrian/active transport crossings points (on the lakefront, Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Hedditch St, and near the food trucks’ area on Ardmore Street); sports fields development (including lights at the Wānaka Recreation Centre, artificial turf, and Ballantyne Road remediation/master planning); and roading infrastructure (Golf Course Road roundabout, Hāwea’s Capell Avenue extension, the Ballantyne Road Corridor, and the McDougall Street roundabout).  Wānaka Airport future planning is also on the list.“We made a lot of progress on some of these priorities last year but it needs to be noted that they are multi-year initiatives,” Simon said.The board’s second tier of priorities has a wide scope. These include advocating for the completion of a Parking Management Plan for Wānaka, and “leading the conversation” on the Wānaka Town Centre Masterplan development, which has stalled since a community-led advisory document (the Heart of Wānaka Plan) was lodged with the board in July 2023.Read more: Heart of Wānaka group hands over ‘living document’“It’s an ongoing conversation with the community,” Simon said. “I’m concerned that without a clearly articulated strategy for the town centre it risks losing its way, particularly with Three Parks’ rapid growth and offering.”Simon said the board also plans to make progress on the design and funding for stage four of the Lakefront Development Plan - a shared pathway in front of the CBD, and establish a ‘community empowerment fund’ from the Wānaka Asset Sales Reserve (a pool of money to fund capital expenditure for the benefit of Wānaka residents). Read more: Who holds Wānaka’s purse strings: Board seeks control over asset fundWānaka Upper Clutha Community Board members (from left) Lyal Cocks, Barry Bruce, Simon Telfer (chair), Linda Joll, mayor Glyn Lewers (not a member), Chris Hadfield, and Cody Tucker (member John Wellington absent). Deputy mayor Quentin Smith (not a member) in front..Simon said he believed the amount of the fund should be the balance of the asset reserve, which currently sits at around $4M.“There are some potential land sales over the next couple of years that will, again, add to that Wānaka specific asset reserve,” he said. Simon said the board also plans to advance environmental works, including Bullock Creek stormwater infrastructure, as well as continue to advocate for a proposed Wānaka Performing Arts Centre, which was not included as a line item in Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) 2024 Long Term Plan.Read more: LTP: Arts advocates disappointed, but council work continuesFinally, the board hopes to deliver the Mt Iron Reserve Management Plan, and make progress on active transport initiatives - including innovations like scooters, foldable bikes, and electric skateboards.Simon said a range of priorities were completed last year, including stage five of the Lakefront Development Plan (the path past the Wānaka Marina), pedestrian and walking improvements through Stoney Creek area (including the new bridge), the Schools to Pool pathway, the Riverbank/Ballantyne Roads roundabout, the Domain Road roundabout in Lake Hāwea, and the Ballantyne Road sports ground remediation contract.The board’s first meeting for the year is still weeks away (Thursday February 20). Local body elections - for the WUCCB and Queenstown Lakes District Council - will be held in October this year.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A local woman plans to swim the length of Lake Wānaka - 44km - to raise funds for freshwater conservation and the next generation of swimmers.Wānaka Swim Club member and part-time coach Livi Schmid is tackling “the greatest challenge of my career” in the long-distance swim next month and she has already received donations towards her goal of raising $20,000, to be split equally between WAI Wānaka and the Wānaka Swim Club.“Every contribution will help protect our freshwater resources and support the swim club’s work in developing young swimmers,” Livi said.Livi chose to support those organisations “to shine a light” on the declining health of the lake and to inspire the next generations of swimmers to take on their own challenges.Originally from the USA, Livi chose to make Wānaka home two years ago and it was while coaching at the club she discovered “a first sense of community” since moving to New Zealand.She saw “firsthand the positive impact on local youth through the sport of swimming,” she said.Although she’s swum since childhood, lake swimming is a relatively new experience.Livi Schmid PHOTO: Elie Babin“I started lake swimming for the first time last summer. It's been a challenge to learn the technique and battle unpredictable conditions,” she said. Livi said being able to talk to experienced lake swimmers such as Cameron Stanley, who set a record swimming Lake Wānaka in 2020, has been invaluable: “He's been a great mentor and given me a good idea of what the training entails.” Fitness training and swimming 40-plus kilometres in the lake each week is the basis to her preparation but it has been the mental challenge she has found “especially difficult”. She said handling full time work, fundraising, and publicity on top of training for this marathon effort “can feel overwhelming at times” but having the support of family and friends and causes she believes in keeps her going.“I have been a swimmer my whole life, and I wanted to see if my body and mind could handle it. If not now, when?” the 24-year old said.  On the day, Livi plans to have at least two support boats, two kayakers, and up to three support swimmers “who will get in and out of the water with me”.“It takes a village to take on a challenge this size, and I'm so lucky to have mine.” Livi has established a Givealittle page for the ‘Liv to Swim’ event and she has already received $5,700 towards her goal: “I'm thrilled with the progress we've made so far, and if we can even reach half of the $20k goal, I will be ecstatic.”Donations can be made here.  The swim is scheduled for the weekend of February 15 - depending on weather and lake conditions.