US-based Editor & Publisher (E&P) Magazine this week announced the 2025 Media That Matters list, and the Wānaka App - along with its software platform iAppNetwork - is one of only 15 organisations globally to be included.The annual list honours media outlets that are “serving their communities with passion and purpose” and showing that local news and information still matters in a rapidly changing world.Wānaka App co-founder Tony O’Regan said he was proud of the recognition, but ultimately saw it as a reflection of the community it was built to serve.“This platform was born out of a belief that Wānaka and the Upper Clutha deserve a trusted, local source of news and information - one that’s accessible, easy to use, and focused on what matters here,” he said.“This recognition is really a recognition of our readers, our advertisers, our supporters, and our community as a whole.”Since launching in 2016, the Wānaka App has grown to become a go-to source for breaking news, events, community stories and local updates. Its software platform - the iAppNetwork - now supports community media around New Zealand and Australia.“We’ve always believed in the power of local,” Tony said. “The comments, story tips, feedback and conversations we get from our readers every day help shape what we do. This is the community's app.”The E&P honour sits alongside other recognition for the Wānaka App, including its role in grassroots coverage of local government, housing, health, environment and community events. The Wānaka App was recognised in 2017 and 2019 for excellence in innovation at the Wānaka Business Awards, and again in 2024 for excellence in professional services.“We’re committed to being a community hub,” Tony said. “We want to support the wellbeing, resilience and identity of this place we all call home.”The full Media That Matters list is available here and includes organisations from across the US, Canada, and beyond.

Tourism and hospitality minister Louise Upston is celebrating the results of a recent marketing push in Australia, but the local tourism boss says the visitor increase can’t be credited to one campaign alone.Tourism New Zealand’s ‘Everyone Must Go’ campaign, launched earlier this year, aimed to deliver an additional 6,750 Australian visitors in autumn, and the minister said it ended up attracting 7,981.“‘Everyone Must Go’ has been a winner,” the minister said this week. “Tourism New Zealand stats released to me show it delivering an additional 7,981 visitors to smash its initial forecasts.”The campaign was the first under the government’s Tourism Boost initiative, with a spend of $800,000, and it showed how industry and government could work together to grow the economy and support local businesses, according to the minister.But Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods said increases in visitor numbers coming from Australia reflect decades of work.“We’ve built strong demand for Queenstown and Wānaka in the Australian market over the past 40 years and Australians continue to be our most important international visitor market,” he said.Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods said the RTO had put many, many years of effort into attracting Australian visitors. PHOTO: Lake Wānaka TourismHe also noted that the regional tourism organisation had a campaign positioning Queenstown Lakes region as a leading autumn and winter destination at the same time as the Tourism New Zealand one.“What we do know is Queenstown Airport experienced almost 60,000 Australian arrivals through March, April, and May, which is an increase of 14 percent on the same period last year, outpacing the New Zealand average of seven percent.”Queenstown Airport is the number one arrival port in New Zealand for Australian holiday arrivals, and almost half of all Australian holidaymakers visit the Queenstown Lakes district during their stay, he said.This demonstrates “the importance of Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism’s continued investment in this market.”Mat also pointed to broader collaboration underway with many other regional tourism organisations.“We continue to partner with eight regional tourism organisations as 'Southern Way' to promote the lower south as a touring destination, driving longer stays and dispersal,” he said.Currently, the campaign includes an itinerary flying into Dunedin on Jetstar’s new Gold Coast service, touring through Queenstown and Wānaka, and flying home from Queenstown Airport.

A new music and lifestyle festival celebrating the best of Central Otago is coming to Gibbston Valley this summer.The Valley will debut on Saturday, January 24 (Auckland Anniversary Weekend) at The Church Cellar Door, offering a full day of live music, wine, food and scenery in one of the region’s most spectacular settings.“The Valley is about bringing together the best of what Gibbston has to offer - music, flavour, scenery and atmosphere,” festival director Nathan White said.“This isn’t just another summer gig. It’s an elevated experience in one of the most iconic spots in the country.”The event is being produced by Ripe Events, the team behind Wānaka’s Ripe Wine & Food Festival, and is being designed with a long-term vision of becoming a summer fixture in the region.Wines will be served by Mount Edward and Canyon Brewing will be pouring craft beer on the day.The Church venue has hosted other large-scale events, and organisers said the festival will be a seamless experience for concertgoers with site access and traffic management being ‘upgraded’.The full artist lineup - including New Zealand icons, household names and rising stars - will be announced soon.The festival is expected to draw as many as 5,000 people and will run from midday to 8pm. Tickets go on sale on September 1, 2025.The Valley will follow the end of the long-running Gibbston Valley Summer Concert, which held its final show earlier this year. That event is planning a move to Wānaka in 2026.Read more: Gibbston Valley Concert moving to Three Parks PHOTO: Supplied

Central Otago District Council (CODC) has issued a formal warning to the company behind a proposed gold mine near Cromwell, saying it is carrying out activities that don’t comply with the district plan.The letter, sent on June 25, was addressed to the landowner and occupier of Bendigo Station and outlined several breaches at the site.Council acting group manager of planning and infrastructure Quinton Penniall told the Central App the company had until August 1 to either stop the unconsented activity or apply for the correct permissions.He said Matakanui Gold - which operated as a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Santana Minerals - had since applied for retrospective consent for an existing site office, geology compound, and storage area. The company’s application, lodged on July 18, also sought permission for wider mineral exploration across 20 properties in the area, he said.“As of now, council has not formally accepted this application under Section 88 of the Resource Management Act 1991,” Quinton said.The council’s enforcement action was triggered by a public complaint and details Matakanui Gold itself provided during other consenting processes, he said.In a statement provided to the Central App, a spokesperson for Santana Minerals said the company was “actively engaging with the Central Otago District Council to address the matters raised in their letter”.The spokesperson said Matakanui Gold had developed plans to shift its exploration base to nearby Ardgour Station for the duration of any future mine granted under the Fast-Track Approvals legislation.“We submitted the early works resource consent application to CODC on May 16 in accordance with the district plan to establish new buildings and facilities,” the spokesperson said.“We believe this solution will satisfy the issues raised by CODC. We are yet to receive those consents.“We are committed to working collaboratively to resolve any concerns and to ensure a long-term, compliant solution is in place.”Vocal local opponents of the mine claimed the district plan breaches revealed a “cavalier approach” to consenting and represented the latest incident to further undermine Santana Mineral’s credibility with the community.A spokesperson for Sustainable Tarras said residents living closest to the proposed mine site had raised concerns about the unconsented activities, which the group then brought to the council’s attention.The mine is being pursued under the coalition government’s new fast-track approvals legislation, designed to speed up consenting for major projects.A Santana spokesperson said the fast-track application was “imminent”, and that the company expected to submit it in the coming weeks once all required reports had been received.Meanwhile, Sustainable Tarras maintained the streamlined process was not appropriate for what it described as a “highly complex and highly environmentally impacting project”.Ardgour Station and Bendigo Station are neighbouring rural properties in the Dunstan Ranges, just north of Cromwell, forming the core footprint of Santana Minerals’ proposed Bendigo-Ophir gold project.Santana Minerals announced earlier this month it had purchased Ardgour Station outright, which is earmarked for the mine’s supporting infrastructure, including the processing plant and tailings storage.

Five years after announcing a Wānaka to Christchurch passenger service, Sounds Air has announced the service will be cancelled at the end of September, blaming “out of control” aviation costs.Sounds Air managing director Andrew Crawford told Radio NZ this morning (Monday July 21) that despite “very, very good” booking numbers for the service, the airline had no choice but to cancel its Wānaka to Christchurch and Blenheim to Christchurch services.The move means the loss of “about ten staff” in Wānaka and Christchurch, he said.“Since Covid, aviation has been out of control cost-wise,” he said.“We are really faced with no choice. In the last three months we’ve had another half a million dollars of annual costs imposed on the business.“At some point you have to say ‘no more’.”Andrew said he was “really worried” about the number of people on the regional flights who fly to access healthcare.“It’s a big part of our business,” he said.“All these regional services provided connectivity, and a big part of that is health care.”Sounds Air withdrew other regional services in December 2024.“In some ways it’s a relief,” Andrew said, because “the pressure on the business, staff, and shareholders is extreme”.In addition to sky-rocketing maintenance costs, exacerbated by the low Kiwi dollar, Andrew also said it was a “serious problem” getting aircraft engineers.He said Sounds Air airfares had increased by 22 percent since Covid and they could put them up another 22 percent and “it still wouldn’t be enough”.The company will get rid of its nine-seater aircraft and concentrate on offering its original services in the Cook Strait area.The Sounds Air Wānaka to Christchurch service was announced in August 2020 and began operating in November 2020. The service will close at the end of September 2025.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka’s Three Parks Outdoor Arena may host the long-running Greenstone Entertainment summer concert from next year, after organisers confirmed plans to move the event here.The large-scale concert has attracted more than 15,000 people each year for the past 15 years, featuring major acts such as Cold Chisel, Crowded House, Alanis Morissette and ZZ Top, and contributes around $12M to the region’s economy annually.Organisers Amanda and Dean Calvert said the move came after being told the Gibbston site would be developed for housing.“We're absolutely delighted to have secured Three Parks Outdoor Arena as our new home for the next five years,” Greenstone Entertainment CEO and founder Amanda Calvert said. The Three Parks Outdoor Arena siteThree Parks Outdoor Arena is owned by Wānaka businessman Allan Dippie and recently hosted 50,000 people for Wheels at Wānaka.“Allan is such a community driven person and without his foresight the concert would have likely moved away from the region," Amanda said."The expansion into Wānaka marks an exciting new chapter for us, and we're confident it will become a highlight of the South Island summer calendar.”Dean said it had been “extremely hard” to find a suitable new venue.“We started the whole thing back in 2011 in Gibbston and have built the concert into one of the most renowned for our demographic in the country,” he said.“But the region has been on that journey with us... land is so valuable now. And it's not just the concert site, it's the infrastructure needed to bring 15,000 people to that site.”“We hadn't been able to find anything and were on our way out of town... when Allan popped up and said 'come and have a look at this venue’.”Allan Dippie said the venue was excited to be teaming up with Greenstone.“Their impeccable track record for putting on world class events that attract major international artists have made this joint venture an easy decision,” he said.“Three Parks Outdoor Arena will offer a true outdoor amphitheatre experience like no other and we look forward to welcoming concert goers next year.”Greenstone has applied for consent for a 30,000-person capacity, although Dean said they were unlikely to hit that number. The consent application is currently being vetted by Queenstown Lakes District Council.There were traffic issues around the three-day Wheels at Wānaka event. A full traffic management plan has been drawn up for the concert consent and Dean says the site provides better access than Gibbston, on a notorious stretch of SH6.Related: Extravaganza of machinery draws thousandsThe 2026 concert tour dates and artist line-up will be announced soon.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has appealed a decision by the Environment Court ordering it to pay more than $120,000 in costs to local developer Tussock Rise - a move that reignites a dispute dating back nearly a decade.The council confirmed it had lodged an appeal, challenging the Environment Court’s ruling, which found QLDC’s conduct justified a higher-than-normal costs award to Tussock Rise.“QLDC’s appeal sets out a number of alleged errors in the costs decision,” a QLDC representative told the Wānaka App.“The decision to appeal was taken after careful consideration of the issues, and the impact of such a decision on ratepayers and the PDP [Proposed District Plan] process.”The Environment Court ordered QLDC to pay Tussock Rise in a decision issued in June, but the stoush dates back to 2016, centering over the zoning of a 9.3-hectare property owned by Tussock Rise.After Tussock Rise purchased the land, it sought to rezone it from Industrial B to Business Mixed Use, but QLDC rejected that request. When QLDC later proposed General Industrial Zoning over the same site through the PDP, Tussock Rise appealed.The council initially tried to have the appeal struck out, but the court disagreed and allowed the case to proceed, awarding $5,000 in costs to Tussock Rise at this stage. After a substantive hearing, the court ruled in favour of Tussock Rise again, leading on to the most recent decision to award the six-figure sum to Tussock Rise.Environment Court Judge PA Steven said she was satisfied “there were special circumstances in this case that justify an award of costs”; agreed with Tussock Rise’s legal counsel that QLDC had “advanced arguments without merit and evidential support”; and said some of the council’s actions had demonstrated a “disregard for due process”.Read more: QLDC loses case against developers - againTussock Rise part-owner Grant Bisset told the Wānaka App this week it was “disappointing but not surprising that the QLDC have appealed the costs award against them”. He said Tussock Rise was surprised that QLDC had chosen to lodge an appeal in the High Court instead of engaging with the company.“Their budget for litigation doesn’t seem to have the constraints of the infrastructure one.”Both parties said they could not comment further because the matter is now before the courts.PHOTO: Wānaka App 

Sweeping Resource Management Act (RMA) changes signalled by central government are a "significant area of focus” for Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).Three discussion documents proposing changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of housing, infrastructure and development - among other areas - are currently open for public feedback.The government calls them the biggest package of changes to national direction under the RMA in New Zealand history, and holds the view they will streamline or remove burdensome regulations holding back growth.The changes would “help unclog the growth arteries of the economy”, Minister responsible for RMA reform Chris Bishop said, adding that they have been designed to be able to transition to a new RMA, once implemented.The discussion documents currently open for feedback cover a dozen national policy statements and national environmental standards. QLDC plans to make a submission on the proposals but - ahead of that submission being lodged - gave little away about how it feels about them.“Our policy team is currently working across the organisation to assess the proposals and their impact on specific areas of our work in the Queenstown Lakes District so that we can provide a submission on behalf of the community before the closing date,” a QLDC spokesperson said.Deputy mayor Quentin Smith said while the RMA “can be slow, complicated, and frustrating at times” it was important not to “throw the good away with the bad”.“The government’s proposed changes might make it easier for developers to build faster, but they also risk taking away local appeal rights and cutting the public out of decision-making,” he told the Wānaka App. “That means fewer chances for people to speak up through submissions or appeal rights and fewer checks on bad developments. The direction to more centralised decision-making has rarely served us well in our district and doesn’t always reflect what’s right for our people, towns or landscapes,” he said.“We all want progress and improvement. But not at the cost of losing what makes this place special - or shutting communities out of decisions that affect them for generations.”Meanwhile, councillor Lyal Cocks said he was optimistic about the process and thought it was “appropriate to put it out there for review”.The RMA has become “quite cumbersome and expensive”, he said. “I think it’s timely to get the input from the population…and see if we can come up with a more appropriate and useful planning system.”“I know there is a concern that if it goes too far we may lose some of the control over the protection of our landscapes and our environment,” he said, “but I’ll be interested to get more information and get more detail of what this will actually look like.”The discussion documents are open for public feedback until July 27. Read them here.PHOTO: Supplied

A total of 531 objections have been lodged over Super Liquor’s plans for a 300sqm+ liquor store in Lake Hāwea, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has confirmed.The Super Liquor, billed for Lake Hāwea’s Longview subdivision, received resource consent approval a few months ago but it still needs to clear the hurdle of securing an alcohol licence.The objections to its alcohol licence application have triggered a hearing, but QLDC says a date has not yet been set for it.Lake Hāwea resident Lisa Riley, who has spearheaded community awareness of Super Liquor’s plans, said she was encouraged by the number of objections lodged during the objection period.“The goal I was hoping for was 200 objections, which seemed achievable, given our population,” Lisa told the Wānaka App. “So to now have a result of 531 objections…it’s just amazing, and I am so thankful to all the individuals who took the time to have brave conversations with others, the volunteers who did mail drops, and everyone who made time to learn more about this.” “Getting that many objections to this liquor licence really speaks to the strength and thoughtfulness of our community,” Lisa said. “People clearly care deeply about the character of Lake Hāwea and the wellbeing of its residents.”Ahead of the hearing, Lisa said she is working with legal counsel to prepare evidence and is encouraging submitters to consider whether they’d like to speak at the hearing when the time comes.“Something I’d love to see from council is a real effort to ensure the hearing is held in Hāwea itself, where people most directly affected can easily attend and be heard,” Lisa said. Lisa said she would also like to explore a Local Alcohol Policy - a set of rules managing the supply, sale and consumption of alcohol - for the district.“It would give our communities a stronger voice upfront in shaping where and how alcohol is sold, rather than having to react to each new licence,” she said.Alongside the objections, three letters in support of the application were received, QLDC confirmed.A council spokesperson said the council did not plan to share any objections or letters publicly before the hearing.“The District Licensing Committee will decide on the time of [the] hearing, and a notice of this will be placed on QLDC’s website once arranged,” they said.PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has been ordered by the Environment Court to pay company Tussock Rise more than $120,000 in costs. It is the second time costs have been awarded to Tussock Rise, following a long-running dispute with the council over the zoning of a 9.3-hectare property the developer purchased in 2016.Tussock Rise part-owner Grant Bisset told the Wānaka App this week he was "delighted with the court’s decision and that this nine-year process has come to an end".“We were determined not to leave Wānaka a legacy of heavy industrial land with the associated heavy traffic in such a central and elevated location."This matter has been through two court processes and we have been awarded costs both times."Tussock Rise first applied for a private plan change in 2016 to rezone the land from Industrial B to Business Mixed Use, an application which QLDC rejected. Later, when QLDC notified stage three of the Proposed District Plan, it proposed to rezone an area including the Tussock Rise land to a General Industrial Zone.Tussock Rise lodged an Environment Court appeal against this, which QLDC applied to have struck out - claiming it was “frivolous or vexatious” - but the Environment Court rejected this, and ruled in favour of Tussock Rise, awarding $5,000 in costs.When the substantive Environment Court hearing was held, the court ultimately sided with Tussock Rise, enabling a more flexible rezoning for the site.The recent application for costs followed this, and in a judgement on June 18, Environment Court judge PA Steven said she was satisfied there “were special circumstances in this case that justify an award of costs”.Tussock Rise land looking north on Gordon Road. PHOTO: Wānaka AppShe was also satisfied that “higher than normal costs are justified” in this case.The judge said she agreed with Tussock Rises’s legal counsel’s submission that the council had “advanced arguments without merit and evidential support” and some of QLDC’s actions during the hearing demonstrated “disregard for due process”.QLDC told the Wānaka App this week it was “disappointed in the outcome relating to the cost decision and remain disappointed with the overall outcome”.“We've lost important and easily accessible industrial land that was anticipated to meet Wānaka's long term growth needs,” a spokesperson said.Grant disagreed with QLDC’s statement and he said the council’s modelling had shown sufficient capacity for all business land uses through to 2048.“The QLDC’s desire to funnel heavy industrial traffic into central Wānaka is perplexing,” he said. “The court’s position clearly vindicates [Tussock Rises’s] view that heavy industrial activities are inappropriate in the elevated centre of a resort town adjacent to residential areas.”

Skiers and snowboarders took their first trips up the new Soho Lift yesterday (July 5).The high-speed six-seater chairlift unlocks access to 150ha of skiable terrain in Soho Basin, expanding Cardrona Alpine Resort’s ski area from 465ha to 615ha.Snowmaking facilities are not in place at Soho Basin for this winter season so skiers and snowboarders have had to wait for enough snowfall before their first ride in the new chairlift.Cardrona held a Soho Lift blessing ceremony last month (June 29) ahead of its opening, with speeches from representatives of Ngāi Tahu including Komene Cassidy, RealNZ CEO Dave Beeche Doppelmayr’s Garreth Hayman and tourism minister Louise Upston.The new lift has capacity for 3,000 passengers per hour. PHOTO: Belle Grace“It was incredible to celebrate with all the generations of Cardrona and RealNZ, including both the Lee and Hutchins families,” Cardrona and Treble Cone chief mountains officer Laura Hedley said."To get this lift and terrain open, after decades of dreaming of what could be... it's a pretty emotional moment for our entire team."Early-season conditions still exist, so the terrain was mostly ungroomed and for advanced level skiers and snowboarders only.The Soho Lift is 1,237m long, with 75 chairs, and a vertical rise of 379m.It has 11 towers and is the same model as the $23M Shadow Basin chairlift by Doppelmayer at The Remarkables.

Two chefs from Hook Wānaka have brought home medals after competing in the Caputo Cup - held for the first time in New Zealand at Fine Food New Zealand 2025 at the Auckland Showgrounds (June 30 - July 1).The competition, which honours the traditional craft of Neapolitan pizza-making under the official regulations of the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN), attracted top pizza chefs from across the country.Simone Coacci placed third in the Pizza Napoletana STG category, which required contestants to master the art of classic Neapolitan pizza - made with specific ingredients, techniques, and cooking methods recognised by the APN.Sam Mari earned third place in the Pizza Contemporanea category, which focuses on modern approaches to dough fermentation, innovative toppings, and presentation.The Caputo Cup is one of the most respected pizza competitions in the world, and this year’s New Zealand debut marks a milestone for the country’s growing artisan pizza scene.Hook Wānaka owner Graham Lee said the team was “delighted” with the results.“To have two of our chefs placed in such a high-level event is a massive achievement - and it reflects the care and craft they put into every dish at Hook,” he said.PHOTO: Supplied

One of New Zealand’s most iconic buildings – the Cardrona Hotel – is on the market for the first time in more than a decade.The 162-year-old heritage-listed hotel in the Cardrona township is expected to attract significant national and international interest.The Cardrona Hotel’s current owners – Cade and Alexis Thornton and James and Fleur Jenneson – have owned the historic establishment since 2013 and describe it as a “once-in-a lifetime opportunity”.“It has always been a very busy and successful business, and we have loved our time here, but our next step is to spend more time with our young family,” Cade said.The 8613sqm property encompasses a restaurant, year-round beer garden, and 17 ensuite hotel rooms sleeping up to 44 guests.The hotel was built in 1863 and its history is steeped in the gold rush era, with many of the original relics such as the historic facade, and a glass window looking into a mineshaft in the floor of the property. It is one of the regions’ most well-known tourist attractions and a popular après ski destination, hosting everyone from international movie stars and royalty to locals.“In our time, the growth has been phenomenal, and the business has become a big beast,” Cade said.“We now employ 40-50 staff, the hotel averages 84 percent occupancy annually, and it’s often fully booked at many times throughout the year."The sale is likely to be one of the Cardrona Valley’s highest, and coincides with continued growth in the area.The hotel business and associated buildings will be sold by private negotiation.Expressions of interest are open until Friday August 15.PHOTOS: Supplied

A Wanaka-based design label has come up with a creative way to put quality clothes in front of more customers.Wanaka-based design label Precious Collaborative is selling $10,000 coats to help subsidise other items on the rack.It's selling the coats, designed by Liz Mitchell, to help subsidise a further 20 items on the rack. Instead of their true cost of $690, the items' "gift" price drops to $189 courtesy of the money from the coats.The aim is to put quality New Zealand woollen items within reach.The pinafore and women's pants from the Precious Collaborative collection.After a lengthy hiatus from the fashion business raising her three children, Precious Collaborative's founder Claire O'Connell needed a new kind of business model, she told RNZ’s Nine to Noon.“I realised if I wanted to make clothes, they were going to be expensive and most of the population wouldn't be able to afford them.”When she sent a sample off to designer Liz Mitchell, who didn’t know her “from a bar of soap" at the time, she got an immediate response.“She got this little box with a sleeve in it and a few other items on her desk, and she rang me straight away and said she would be on board with the coats.“So, she designed some coats, and we then went to launch the coats which we did in Wanaka last December and we sold one of the coats for $10,000.”At that point O’Connell, was able to put the collection into production.The collection is made from fine traditional tweed and hemp, she says.“There are pants for men, pants for women. I call them a women's cut, and a men's cut because people can wear each other's cut pants. There's a pinafore, which has sold incredibly well. There's a skirt and there's a hemp shirt.“The first four items are all tweed, fully lined tweed and the last item is an organic hemp shirt.”Everyone deserves to own something of quality they attach meaning to, O'Connell says.“We have lost the ability to attach meaning to what we purchase in a way with fast fashion I feel that deeply.”The purchasers of the coats so far (both wishing to remain anonymous), understand the concept, she says.“The second coat buyer, before they had even actually received their coat, sent me an email and asked if they could spend another $10,000 on their coat. So, they have paid $20,000.“The reason they've done that is they fully get the idea that it is not simple for people to pull themselves out of the fast fashion loop. It's not just a monetary thing, it's a mindset.”Ninety garments from the collection have been pre-sold, she says.“Ten percent of the people who bought those garments chose to pay the true price for them. They didn't pay the gift price.“So, they've done that paying it forward thing and another 5 percent of people have paid somewhere between the gift price and the true price.”PHOTOS: Jodie James

Electricity company Aurora has apologised to residents in the Hāwea and Makarora areas who experienced a power cut on Monday evening (June 30).“Any time the power is out is inconvenient, but especially during the winter, in the evening and over the school holidays,” Aurora future network and operations general manager Matt Settle said.“We apologise … for the power cut last night and want to reassure people we will continue to investigate the causes of the faults and put in place any necessary corrective actions.”Matt said the company was still investigating the cause, but the initial investigation had identified several contributing factors.The power went out to 2,065 customers at 5:14pm on Monday with full power restored to all customers before 8.00pm, Matt said. “We made a decision to cut the power a second time, for safety reasons, some 30 minutes later and at the request of Fire and Emergency NZ, who were notified of a power line close to the ground on Domain Road in Hāwea,” he said.In the second supply interruption 1,882 customers were affected, with power restored in stages from 9:00pm. “The majority of customers were back on by 10:06pm and the remaining 361 restored at 12:37am. “... we are continuing to investigate the causes of these two faults.” Matt said Aurora has had “a spotlight” on the Hāwea and Makarora areas since late last year, when the company first noticed an increase in the number of unplanned power outages.There were 13 unplanned outages over the past year (including Monday night’s) that affected the wider Hāwea and Makarora areas.“The Hāwea township has experienced significant growth in recent years and our regional electricity development plan that will be released publicly later this year will set out the longer-term options for enhancing and developing the Upper Clutha network,” Matt said. The long and rural single electricity lines and feeders that supply Makarora will always be more vulnerable to unplanned supply interruptions than urban networks, which have secondary back feed options, he said.“This is the case for similar networks across the country with network configurations like those that supply rural Makarora. “It's worth noting that outages are caused by largely uncontrollable factors such as vegetation, wildlife and car impacts as well as more avoidable factors such as defective equipment,” he said. PHOTO: Supplied

Are you a budding entrepreneur with a big idea, but need a little extra push to get it off the ground?Startup Queenstown Lakes (SQL) has just announced a new Microgrants Program, designed specifically to support the next generation of founders in the Queenstown lakes district.With grants ranging from $500 to $3000, the SQL microgrants are all about giving local startups the targeted boost they need - whether it’s for developing a prototype, conducting market research, or investing in essential equipment.Unlike many funding opportunities, these microgrants come with no strings attached: there’s no repayment required and no equity taken. The only requirement is that your startup is based in the Queenstown lakes district for at least six months of the year.The focus is on sectors that reflect the region’s strengths and future potential: hospo-tech, outdoor-tech, film, food & beverage, and sustainability. By supporting these areas, SQL aims to help diversify and strengthen the local economy, ensuring Queenstown lakes remains a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.“We want to help transform innovative ideas into reality and diversify our district’s economic landscape,” SQL general manager Marco Dingemans said.“These microgrants will provide the essential boost that many startups need to move forward, whether it’s for product development, market research, or pivoting their business models.”Successful applicants will not only receive funding but also ongoing mentoring from SQL coaches and expert guidance from a panel of experienced entrepreneurs. This comprehensive support system is designed to help founders fast-track their product development, test their business models, and gain visibility within the local startup ecosystem.The application process is straightforward: simply share your idea and outline how you’ll use the grant. Applications are now open, but you will need to apply before July 15. Decisions will be made within five weeks of the closing date. To help founders put their best foot forward, SQL is also hosting a Zoom information session where you can get advice and application tips from the team.If you’re ready to take your startup to the next level, don’t miss this opportunity. For more information and to apply, visit the Startup Queenstown Lakes website.

Four Queenstown Lakes’ tourism and hospitality businesses will go through a technology bootcamp over the next six months to streamline their operations and inspire others to do the same. Wānaka Lavender Farm, Absoloot Hostel, Atlas Beer Café and Kinross Winery will be supported by local technology suppliers to put new software solutions in place.The Digital Catalyst project was launched by the Economic Futures team at Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and had received more than 40 applicants. QLDC destination management advisor James Mulcahy said the project will create “real-world examples” that other tourism and hospitality operators can benefit from. “While it’s encouraging that 87 percent of applicants plan to use AI in the next year, many mentioned they’re nervous about how to go about implementing new technology,” he said. “Using these four businesses as case studies will help demystify technology and demonstrate how to get the best from it”. Each business will work with either Queenstown IT, Both Brains, or HeadQuarters to assess their current systems and add technology that will make the biggest difference. Both Brains general manager Jenni Powell said the company is looking forward to helping.  “At Both Brains, we believe technology should feel like a helping hand, not a hurdle,” she said.“The Digital Catalyst project is a brilliant opportunity to show how even small digital tweaks can unlock big wins - whether that’s saving time, reducing stress, or simply making it easier to run a great business.” “We’re excited to support these local businesses and help them thrive.”Lessons and experiences from the bootcamp will be shared with the district’s broader sector and used to help inform future business capability initiatives, James said. PHOTO: Wānaka Lavender Farm

Francesca Wānaka is open again for winter, unveiling a new menu, an expanded kitchen, and a covered, heated outdoor dining area overlooking Bullock Creek.The Italian restaurant has been given a fresh upgrade and a fresh take on its signature offering: local food, made with heart.Francesca's head chef Lukas Botta said Italian food is about regionality. "In Italy, the north sources ingredients from the north, the south sources ingredients from the south," he said.“Serving Italian food in Wānaka does not mean sourcing ingredients from Italy, it means taking the old plates that we love and colliding them with the flavours of our new home."The winter menu includes wood-fired green-lipped mussel pizza, handmade pasta, the restaurant’s well-known balloon bread, and a Wānaka-favourite: beef cheek gnocchi. Local suppliers include Frog Song Farms, Alpine Fresh and Ocean Speared."We’re so lucky to live in a place where we can work closely and directly with many local farmers, winemakers, brewers and producers of delicious things”, Francesca's manager Ben Towner said. “Committing to using as many Wānaka and New Zealand suppliers as possible was an easy win."Francesca changed hands in 2023, with the Smith family – Sean, Kelly and Rob – and Sam Ragel taking over the business.Director Sean Smith said the restaurant aimed to bring a distinctly Wānaka take to traditional Italian hospitality.Francesca is open daily for lunch from 12–3pm and dinner from 5pm–late.

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