Four objections have been lodged to a proposed Super Liquor on Ardmore Street.The Gate Ltd has applied for an alcohol licence to operate the store at the former Countdown Wānaka Metro site, with trading hours proposed from 9am to 10pm, seven days a week. If approved, it would become the fourth dedicated liquor store on Ardmore Street, joining Wānaka Liquorland, Betty’s Liquor Store, and Bottle-O Store Wānaka.Four Square Wānaka, across the road, also sells beer and wine.A Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) spokesperson confirmed earlier this week that four objections had been received on the application.By comparison, a Super Liquor in Lake Hāwea accumulated 542 objections, many citing concerns about alcohol-related harm in the small subdivision of Longview. That application eventually went to a hearing last November and was approved by the District Licensing Committee earlier this week.Read more: Longview liquor store approved, appeal to followIt is not yet clear if a hearing will be required for the Wānaka proposal. As little as one objection can trigger a hearing, provided it is not withdrawn, deemed vexatious, or the objector chooses to be heard.Residents have until February 9 to submit objections and interested members of the public can request a copy of the alcohol licence application from QLDC before then.PHOTO: Supplied

At least one local household is settling into life with a new canine companion after the landlord and tenant reached an agreement under new government rules making rentals more pet-friendly.The new rules, introduced in December, mean landlords can now only refuse a tenant’s request for a pet under ‘reasonable’ conditions, while an additional bond of up to two weeks’ rent provides certainty to property owners.Home & Co director Colleen Topping said her tenants are now enjoying life with their new dog after agreeing to install some temporary fencing and topping up their bond.She said this was a “sensible” outcome which worked for both parties.The long-running property management company started educating its landlords a few months ago on the changes, but Colleen said they “haven’t had an influx” of pet requests - at least so far.Until recently, most landlords had been reluctant to allow pets, she said.“I think there still are quite a lot that prefer not to have pets but they realise the reality of the law change.”Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT), which provides affordable homes for low-to-middle income earners in the district, has welcomed the new rules.“The new pet bond scheme… protects landlords while recognising that renters deserve animal companions too,” the trust said.QLCHT said it had always been reasonable about pets in its homes “because we know what they mean to people’s wellbeing”.Meanwhile, the government described the new rules as “win-win”.“The changes reflect the government’s focus on practical, balanced solutions that support both renters and property owners,” associate housing minister Tama Potaka said.The new rules include that:Tenants must have the landlord’s consent to keep a pet but landlords can only withhold consent on reasonable grounds.Landlords may require a pet bond up to two weeks’ rent, in addition to the existing general tenancy bond.Tenants will be liable for all pet damage to properties beyond fair wear and tearTenancy Services will enable lodgement, top-ups and refunds of pet bonds and will provide updated guidance and forms ahead of commencement.Tenants who had pets before December 1 2025 will not need new consent or be required to pay bonds.Find more information, for both renters and landlords, about the new rules, here.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A new McDonald’s restaurant has been approved for Three Parks, advancing a proposal that has been closely watched since an earlier bid for the fast-food chain to establish a restaurant at the base of Mount Iron was turned down.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) senior planner Ian Bayliss has granted non-complying resource consent for a 450.4m² restaurant and 24-hour drive-through on Sir Tim Wallis Drive, entirely within the Business Mixed Use-zoned portion of the site.​Ian said the Three Parks location, design changes and technical work meant the latest proposal met the Resource Management Act tests for a non-complying activity.“The proposal will enable commercial activities that serve the needs of the community and will contribute to a well‑functioning urban environment,” he said, referencing consistency with the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. He also concluded the restaurant “will maintain existing amenity values and the quality of the environment,” with adverse effects avoided, remedied or mitigated through consent conditions.The proposed site layout next to the BP station in Three Parks.The previous McDonald’s application for Wānaka was rejected after planners found its location and effects did not sufficiently align with district plan outcomes and community concerns about amenity and character. In contrast, the new consented site sits among existing and consented commercial development at Three Parks, including the BP station and large-format retail, and was assessed as generating effects no more than minor on the wider environment.​Although non-complying due to noise and signage breaches, expert reviews concluded transport, noise, lighting and earthworks effects could be appropriately managed, allowing council to approve the consent without public or limited notification.McDonald’s told RNZ it hopes to open within the next 12 months.IMAGES: McDonald’s resource consent application

A controversial application for a liquor store at Lake Hāwea’s Longview subdivision has been approved, but those opposing it are already planning to appeal the decision.The District Licensing Committee (DLC) has approved Keyrouz Holding Ltd’s alcohol licensing application for a 300sqm+ Super Liquor in Longview.The not-yet-built liquor store will be able to operate from 9am-9pm, seven days a week, selling vape products, tobacco and other merchandise as well as alcohol.Lisa Riley, the Longview resident who spearheaded opposition to the proposal, has already shared plans to lodge an appeal, saying the decision dismissed “the collective voice of the community”.The DLC’s 22-page decision - made public this afternoon (Tuesday January 20) - said the prospective risk of alcohol harm specific to the application was “minimal”.It referenced the “record high” of 542 objections received, but said most of them were “pre-formatted” with “no reference” to the criteria in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.“We found the evidential value of these submissions to be low…” the DLC said.Hundreds of people from the small town of Lake Hāwea lodged objections to the application. PHOTO: Wānaka AppThe DLC also claimed the Ministry of Health, which presented at a multi-day hearing in November, had been short on evidence.“We…expected more specific and expert evidence and reasoning to support the proposition that this particular application would present a real risk of generalised harm occurring,” the decision said.“No evidence was provided to show an increase in alcohol related harm or... [in] litter, loitering or anti-social behaviour near other off licence premises in the area”.The DLC - made up of commissioners Lyal Cocks, John Mann and Chris Cooney - said it accepted the submissions did “reflect the concern by many in the community”.Keyrouz Holdings Ltd has “considerable experience” operating similar stores and the DLC was satisfied it would operate safely and responsibly.Lisa said the appeal against the decision would focus on concerns the committee “discounted the scale of community opposition on technical grounds”, “marginalised public health evidence by requiring near-certainty of harm”, and failed to consider “future-focused risk”.Read the full DLC decision here.

An initiative between lower South Island airports and Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOS) which encourages people to explore the ‘deep south’ has received a funding boost of almost half a million dollars.‘Southern Way’, which launched in 2022, encourages visitors to use airlines’ multistop booking tool to fly into Queenstown, Invercargill or Dunedin airport, rent a vehicle to explore the region, then fly out of another.The initiative has secured funding from the Regional Tourism Boost Fund for the third time, with Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Louise Upton announcing a $496,250 boost this week.“We’re backing the South to shine,” she said.Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism CEO Mat Woods said Southern Way is “a great example of what's possible when regions work together with a shared purpose”. PHOTO: Lake Wānaka TourismDestination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism CEO Mat Woods told the Wānaka App that Southern Way, which is the product of a first-of-its-kind agreement, “is a great example of what's possible when regions work together with a shared purpose”. “Rather than competing, the lower South is presenting itself as a connected, easy-to-navigate touring region, encouraging visitors to explore more places, stay longer, and engage more deeply with local communities along the way.”Regional dispersal is “good for visitor experience, good for businesses, and good for residents, spreading the benefits and pressures of tourism”, he said.The funding will allow Southern Way to maintain its trans-Tasman activities and promotion - with Australians a key target market for the initiative - delivering a campaign to stimulate demand from April to the end of June 2026.The campaign, targeting both consumer and trade channels, will include partnerships with Jetstar and TripAdvisor and supports the work of Tourism New Zealand in Australia.The Southern Way funding is part of a $3.69M allocation from the government supporting five new initiatives across New Zealand aimed at encouraging visitation over autumn.

Plans are in the works for a substantial subdivision on the south side of fast-growing Albert Town.An 8.6-hectare site north of the Cardrona River could be turned into a 42-lot development if Southern Ventures Property Ltd’s resource consent application is approved.Part of the subdivision would adjoin existing homes in the area known as ‘old’ Albert Town, which has seen much less development in recent years than on the other side of the state highway.Some new lots would be next to Kinnibeg Street and Carlow Street, and sections are proposed to range in size from 514m2 to 916m2.The part of the site located further south, beside the Cardrona River, is planned for two substantial wetlands, green spaces, walkways, and a neighbourhood reserve. This would give both residents and visitors more direct access to the river and the Cardrona River Trail.The 8.6 hectare site on the south side of Albert Town. IMAGE: SuppliedThe site includes a mix of zoning and planning constraints, which the proposed development aims to manage through its lot layout, wetlands, and open spaces.The northern portion is lower-density suburban residential, while the southern part is rural lifestyle. It also has a building restriction area and identified flood hazards, along with a small rural-zoned section.Substantial earthworks - about 55,000m3 of fill - would be required to lift the residential areas to mitigate flood risk, application documents said, and separate applications have been lodged with Otago Regional Council concerning this.The proposal follows a surge in Albert Town property prices, which have risen more than 200 percent in the last ten years, from an average asking price of $553,500 in 2015 to almost $1.8M in 2025.Queenstown Lakes District Council is currently considering the application.Read more: Albert Town prices rise 200% in a decade

A new off-licence liquor store is planned at the former Countdown Metro Wānaka on Ardmore Street.The small grocery store on the site, which is owned by Willowridge Developments Ltd, closed in August 2025.The Gate Ltd of Cromwell, trading as Super Liquor Wānaka Metro, has applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Licensing Committee for a license, with an expected opening in February 2026.The store’s opening hours are listed as Monday - Sunday from 9am to 10pm, and it would also sell snacks, tobacco and vape products. The last day for members of the public to lodge an objection to the application is February 9, 2026. Interested members of the public can request a copy of the alcohol licence application from Queenstown Lakes District Council before that date.The Gate Ltd also runs the Harvest Hotel and Five Stags Bar & Restaurant in Cromwell, and Super Liquor Wānaka, Cromwell, Alexandra, Lorneville, and Remarkables Park (Queenstown). The business has also applied for consent for a Super Liquor store at Lake Hāwea subdivision Longview.Read more: Ten liquor licenses for 2,000 people - Longview hearing underwayGlen Christianson was listed as one of two managers.IMAGE: Supplied

International fast food chain Pizza Hut has applied for building consent for an outlet at Wānaka’s Three Parks.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) confirmed on Tuesday (December 23) it had received a building consent application for Pizza Hut at 89 Sir Tim Wallis Drive - on the block between New World Three Parks and The Warehouse.Pizza Hut was established in New Zealand in 1974 and now has more than 100 stores throughout the country.The owner of the site is Willowridge Developments Limited, which is owned by Three Parks developer Allan Dippie.Allan has previously told the Wānaka App he expected to be approached by fast-food restaurants seeking locations.“We realise half the town would be very pleased if they came to town and the other half wouldn’t be… The thing to remember however is that neither half is forcing the other half to frequent such establishments. Allan said the important thing was “locating such businesses in the right place”.In October this year fast food giant McDonald’s confirmed its bid for a new site at the entrance to Three Parks, at 1 Sir Tim Wallis Drive. Read more: McDonald’s applies for new Wānaka restaurant at Three ParksPHOTO: Supplied

New government procurement rules could open new doors for trades and contractors across the Upper Clutha, says an industry insider. The newly released 5th Edition of the Government Procurement Rules sharpens accountability, strengthens transparency, and places a renewed focus on supporting regional economic growth.Izzy Prosser, Director of Winning Bids by Prosser Communication, says the changes represent a meaningful shift for the region.“Local contractors bring strong capability, but access to government opportunities hasn’t always been straightforward,” she said.“By simplifying processes and making agencies more accountable, contractors in the Upper Clutha can expect clearer opportunities, fairer competition, and a more transparent pipeline of work.” Izzy Prosser PHOTO: Prosser Communication NZ Ltd Government agencies are now expected to “engage with businesses that deliver public value, including increased employment, skills and training and economic growth for local communities”, with regional SMEs highlighted as key beneficiaries of the updated system. For local contractors, the updates mean a more level playing field, Issy said. Agencies are encouraged to create competition and involve New Zealand businesses, and to restructure large contracts into smaller components where appropriate, thus allowing regional suppliers to bid for work that might previously have been out of reach. The rules also introduce stronger requirements for reporting and transparency, giving suppliers better visibility of upcoming procurement opportunities and how government spending decisions are made. This added clarity may help Wānaka and Hāwea businesses plan more confidently for future workloads, Issy said. “If implemented consistently by government agencies delivering work in the region, the new rules could help ensure more contracts, more economic benefit, remain in the communities that need them, supporting stable employment and ongoing resilience across the Upper Clutha.”

Luggate’s historic hotel has changed hands, and the new proprietor considers himself a very lucky man.Russell Lilley said he walked into the bar a few nights ago and 30-or-so locals gave him a standing ovation.“We cannot believe how incredible the community are,” Russell told the Wānaka App.“They’ve opened their arms to us.”Russell has owned the Rolly Inn in Rolleston for the past 27 years, the Dunsandel Bar and Cafe, a construction business, and about eight other businesses. “I’m really lucky in that every time I go to work it’s like going on holiday,” Russell said.The 75-year-old said he tried retiring about two years ago but “couldn’t do it”.Now he and partner Jeanette Ellis have taken on the Luggate Hotel, which Jeanette described as “a real adventure”.As soon as a mate told Russell the Luggate Hotel was for sale he jumped in his truck and drove down from Rolleston to check it out, Jeanette said.Former owner Rod Bowler told the Wānaka App he was on the bar when Russell arrived.New owner Russell Lilley (left) with former owner Rod Bowler.Rod went over and started chatting, and Russell didn’t give anything away. But by the end of the conversation Russell told him: “I’m going to buy this bloody place”.“Rod and I are like long-lost brothers,” Russell said.Russell is enthusiastic about completing Rod and his wife Rowena’s plans for themed accommodation at the rear of the hotel: a mini “shanty town” with six units including a barbershop, mining hut, a jail, and a sheriff’s quarters. Jeanette said they want to continue “Rod and Rowena’s legacy” with the outside of the pub, as well as changing the business inside: Russell wants to return the pub to how it once was, and Jeannette wants to make it “the centre of the community”.“Where else would you find anything like this?” Russell asked.The down-to-earth but motivated pair already have a new menu and two new chefs; a new coffee machine and a barista; and have started a courtesy van between Wānaka, Albert Town, Hāwea, and Queensberry.Russell said he has “a lot of good ideas”, and will introduce Housie, regular meat raffles, and money on the bar on rugby nights. They are also planning a new kids’ playground in the garden on the Wānaka side of the pub. The hotel grounds include the Luggate General Store, which Russell and Jeanette are thinking about making a Night N Day store, although they say any signage would have to be unobtrusive and in keeping with the building’s historic status.In the garden bar on Tuesday, one regular customer told the Wānaka App that Russell and Jeannette’s arrival was “the best thing to happen to this place in a long time”, while another said they were enjoying the hospitality.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has taken a local coffee cart owner to court for alleged offences under the Food Act 2014.Leanne Harling, trading as Camphill Coffee, has run the Hāwea Flat cafe as a ‘private membership association’.She represented herself in the Queenstown District Court on Monday (December 15), pleading not guilty to knowingly or recklessly selling food that did not comply with the Food Act and intentionally hindering or obstructing a food safety officer from exercising their powers under the Food Act.The case was adjourned until February, when a one day hearing is expected to take place.  Council laid the four charges in August 2025.“As the matter is before the Court, council does not intend to make any comments on the nature of the offending, or any other matters relating to the prosecution,” QLDC said. PHOTO: Supplied

The government’s proposed new planning system, announced today (Tuesday December 9), contains a “frankly bizarre” provision which has the potential to bankrupt Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), according to the deputy mayor.Resource Management Act (RMA) reform minister Chris Bishop has announced a new planning system “to cast off the shackles imposed by the broken [RMA], and set New Zealand on a path to economic growth that lifts our living standards and protects the environment”.QLDC deputy mayor Quentin Smith, who was formerly a planner, said the council is still “getting [their] heads around the proposed changes”, some of which the council saw coming and was preparing for.“However, the one really quite frankly bizarre provision is … the suggestion that landowners should be compensated for restrictions imposed for landscape, heritage and biodiversity reasons,” he said.“With 97 percent of the QLDC district being Outstanding Natural Landscapes/Features or similar, the impact on our district seems extreme and council’s ability to financially compensate land owners would be very limited. “As a district we literally bank on the landscapes and natural values that draw people here and there has been very hard work over many years to protect those values. This appears at face value to put that at risk.    “On face value it has the potential to bankrupt our district,” he said.The provision, titled ‘recognising efforts to help nature’, sets out the possibility of regulatory relief - including cash payments, reduced rates, no-fee consents and other measures - for people significantly affected by land-use restrictions related to outstanding natural features, and similar protections.Ninety-seven percent of this district is within the Outstanding Natural Landscapes/Features zone or similar, and the impact on the reforms could be extreme, says the deputy mayor.Quentin said QLDC was already “well advanced” in preparing for some of the new spatial planning and infrastructure rules and the likelihood of fewer consents.“And there are some good and bad that could come from that,” he said.“We will have to take some time to absorb the implications.”Two bills will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon by the government, which aims to pass them into law in 2026: a Planning Bill and a Natural Environment Bill which would require regional councils to support development of both a regional spatial plan and a natural environment plan. Combined territories boards would be the decision-making body for the new planning instruments. Each territorial authority will also develop a land-use plan, which will be brought together into a single regional plan.Chris Bishop said the new planning system will be easier for local government to use and navigate and deliver better value for ratepayers.He and local government minister Simon Watts said the new system will work alongside the proposed local government reforms “to reduce complexity, cut duplication and improve outcomes for communities”.“The new planning system will mean fewer consents, faster decisions and a strong focus on the issues that genuinely matter for communities and the environment.”The government has also announced a “rapid review” of regional council functions before the new boards are established to determine whether any functions should be centralised or discontinued.Read more: Local mayors respond to reform proposalsFind more information on the new planning system here.New Zealanders will be invited to have their say on the legislation via the Select Committee process. The consultation on the government’s local government reform proposals are open until February 20, 2026 via the Department for Internal Affairs website.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Retirement living and aged care services provider Arvida Limited has submitted a resource consent application for a retirement village at three neighbouring sites in Wānaka.The company is proposing a seven-stage development of a “private, gated lifestyle retirement village”, according to the documents submitted.It would include a club house, cafe, care facility with up to 28 units, up to 165 villas, an indoor pool, pickleball courts, and parks and walking and cycling paths across 8.7-or-so hectares.“The proposal has been comprehensively and carefully designed by a team of experts in designing, constructing and operating retirement villages in New Zealand,” the application says.Arvida has 34 ‘communities’ nationwide including Queenstown Country Club, a high-end retirement community with independent living, aged care and specialist dementia care.Arvida would be Wānaka’s fifth retirement village, following Aspiring Lifestyle Village (which opened in 2010), Alden Elmslie Wānaka Village (formerly owned by Presbyterian Support Otago), Northbrook (now open in Northlake), and Metlifecare (under construction at Three Parks). Arvida Wānaka would be located on Riverbank Road.The sites are zoned lower density suburban residential and retirement villages are provided for as discretionary activities.However the proposal is listed as a non-complying activity which the applicant said “is required as two of the proposed buildings breach the permitted building height standard”.The applicant said the retirement village will provide a “relatively substantial” amount of additional housing for the elderly.“The contribution of housing choice to the elderly is assumed to be significant locally.”JTB Architects said the retirement village “draws on the character of Central Otago’s rural vernacular, with single storey pavilion style buildings, gabled roof forms, and a palette of schist, timber, and metal cladding”.QLDC is currently vetting Arvida Limited’s application.PHOTO: JTB Architects

Focus Technology Group has won this year’s People’s Choice Award at the Grand Business South Awards held at the Dunedin Town Hall on Thursday (November 20).The Invercargill-founded business, with a branch in Wānaka, was also named a finalist in the Excellence in Customer Experience category.Brendon McDermott, Focus Technology Group chief executive, said the public-voted award was especially meaningful.“This award means a lot to us because it comes directly from the people we support," he said.“We’re grateful for every vote and proud of our team who made this possible.”Founded more than 31 years ago by Rod Sinclair in Invercargill, the company has grown from a small local IT provider into a multi-branch organisation supporting businesses throughout Otago, Southland and Canterbury.The People’s Choice Award is determined entirely by public vote, with clients, partners and community members casting ballots in support of the company’s work across the South Island.Focus Technology Group provides IT services, cybersecurity solutions, cloud support, business systems and technology consulting.The Grand Business South Awards celebrate excellence across Otago and Southland, recognising organisations and individuals driving innovation, performance and community impact.Focus Technology Group thanked everyone who voted, supported and celebrated with them.PHOTO: Supplied

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has accepted Santana Minerals Ltd’s application for the development of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project under the Fast-track Approvals Act (FTA).EPA acceptance confirms that Santana’s submission meets all lodgement requirements under the FTA, allowing the application to proceed into the assessment phase. Santana Minerals CEO Damian Spring said the acceptance is a significant step forward for the project.“We are very pleased the EPA has accepted our FTA application for processing,” he said.“This is a major procedural milestone for the project and demonstrates the strength of the work completed to date. We look forward to constructive engagement with the EPA, and other agencies as the assessment progresses.” The proposal focuses on the ‘Rise and Shine’ deposit, which has been described as the largest gold discovery in New Zealand in over four decades. Santana said the project would deliver a major boost to Central Otago’s economy - adding an average of $360M in GDP each year and supporting around 350 high-paid local jobs, with many more created through flow-on effects. “Over its life, the project is expected to generate $5.8 billion in economic value and $1.8 billion in government revenue, strengthening household incomes, local businesses, and regional prosperity across Otago,” the company claims.A visual simulation of the view from State Highway 6 of the proposed Bendigo-Ophir mine during its operation phase. IMAGE: Santana Minerals/Boffa Miskel reportLocal lobby group Sustainable Tarras is strongly opposed to the company’s plans.The group’s concerns include “the size and scale of the mine right in the heart of an Outstanding Natural Landscape, the massive tailings dam which will hold 10,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic waste, and the extensive use and storage of large quantities of cyanide solution just upstream of the Clutha/Mata Au River,” chair Suze Keith has said.The application will now be considered to determine the makeup of an expert panel. Once a panel is convened, its decision is expected to take approximately six months. “Meantime, we remain focussed on detailed planning to place orders for long-lead items and the early works programme,” Damian said. A statement from the Santana Board said subject to a positive outcome from the FTA process, “construction of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project is expected to commence in mid-2026”.The full application is available on the Fast-track website and here.

There are only a few days left for locals to enjoy a “last supper” at long-standing Wānaka cafe, Ritual, says co-owner Chris Hadfield, as the cafe will close its doors on Wednesday (November 19).Chris and his husband Paul Tregea bought the cafe in 2005, after dreaming of opening a cafe for ten years.While Paul has worked in hospitality for years, it was “completely foreign” to Chris, whose background was in finance.The pair moved south from Wellington, but “took one look at Queenstown and said ‘no’”, Chris said. They soon discovered their ideal destination lay over the hill in Wānaka. The Wānaka Sun ran this story when the pair bought the cafe in 2005. IMAGE: SuppliedIn 2005 there were only a handful of places you could get coffee in Wānaka, including Ritual, Relishes, and Kai Whakapai. Over the past 20 years that scene has been transformed with many new hospo businesses established.But the regular Ritual customers have always known what they like, and consequently there have been “bugger all” changes to the cafe’s menu in the past 20 years, Chris said.There has been plenty of change elsewhere, though.On their first day at the cafe Chris and Paul made $890, and thought “We’re going to be rich”, Chris said.Turnover increased over the years, but the Covid-19 pandemic and now the cost of living have changed the scene.“We’ve lost the families,” Chris said. “There’s not a financial safety blanket now.”Compliance issues have become more complicated and more expensive, he said.Chris recalled their very first health inspection was undertaken by one of their regular customers, who turned up in a white coat, carrying a clipboard, saying “this is my day job”.That inspection took 20 minutes, and they were told to “buy a new nailbrush”.Now an inspection can take three to four hours, he said, and cost considerably more.And while Wānaka once had two distinct shoulder seasons, Chris said by the time Covid arrived, “the shoulder season was basically non-existent”.“There was a dip,” he said, but now “shoulder seasons are back”.A wall of memories at Ritual Cafe. PHOTO: Wānaka AppSocial change has also been a feature for the cafe owners known as “the only gays in the village”.Chris enjoys standing out from the crowd, so he has mixed feelings about having “been assimilated into the heterosexual community”.He said he and Paul haven’t had a Christmas Day for 20 years - Boxing Day is their busiest day of the year, so Christmas Day is spent prepping at the cafe. While they’re now looking forward to a sleep-in on Boxing Day, Chris said they will miss the social aspect of the cafe.“The best part of the job - and the only reason I get out of bed: customers.”Chris, a member of the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board, said once his cafe career is concluded he plans to focus on three key areas for the community: The Heart of Wānaka Plan for the the CBD, the development of a new arts facility for the area, and improving active transport connectivity.

Hearings on a proposed Super Liquor store in Lake Hāwea concluded in Wānaka on Friday (November 14).Keyrouz Holdings Ltd’s plans for a 300-square-metre store in Hāwea’s Longview subdivision attracted more than 500 objections from residents and health experts, who had the opportunity to voice their concerns in person during the three-day hearing.The opposition centred on the risk that a new liquor outlet would increase alcohol-related harm in the small community.Objectors cited national statistics on alcohol related harm as well as the findings of the 2023 Upper Clutha Youth Voice Survey, which found significant binge drinking among local teenagers.Many also spoke from personal experience witnessing both teen and adult drinking.The applicant also made its case for the Super Liquor outlet, which it said would fit in “really well” in Hāwea’s new commercial precinct. District Licensing Committee (DLC) members Chris Cooney, John Mann and Lyal Cocks have been tasked with deciding whether or not to issue an alcohol license for the Super Liquor, which already has resource consent.They will consider written closing submissions once they are received. “Once the DLC has all final closing submissions it will then take time to assess all the information and write up its decision,” a Queenstown Lakes District Council spokesperson told the Wānaka App. “There is no timeframe prescribed in legislation within which it needs to release the decision – it’s up to the DLC and could be before Christmas or in the New Year.” Once the decision is issued, it will be released to all parties. “If any parties don’t agree with parts of the decision and consider the DLC has erred in law they can lodge an appeal to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA),” the spokesperson said. “ARLA would then hold a public hearing by way of a rehearing of the matter, but no new information could be introduced.”PHOTO: Supplied

Debate has erupted in Wānaka at a hearing on a proposed Super Liquor store in Lake Hāwea - with company representatives defending the bottle store and health experts and residents warning of alcohol related harm in the small community.At the centre of the debate are Keyrouz Holdings Ltd’s plans for a 300sqm+ store in Hāwea’s Longview subdivision, which would operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week.Its application for a liquor license attracted more than 500 objections and Southern District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Michael Butchard told the District Licensing Committee yesterday (Thursday November 13) that no other license had a greater proportion of the community object to it.Among objectors’ concerns is the fact Super Liquor would be the first business to open in Longview’s commercial precinct.“A bottle store before a GP is not the right order,” Michael told the committee.He said there were many reasons to deny the license, including a known youth drinking culture, likely heavy episodic drinking in the adult population, and geographical isolation of health services.He referenced the 2023 Upper Clutha Youth Voice Survey, which found 66 percent of local young people had consumed alcohol, with 31 percent reporting binge drinking at least monthly. “Each new off-license increases the odds of binge drinking,” he said.A day earlier the applicant had laid out its case, with Super Liquor Holdings national operations manager Greg Hoar saying the company had the “utmost regard for the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act”.A liquor licensing hearing for the proposed Hāwea Super Liquor is underway at the Lake Wānaka Centre this week. PHOTO: Wānaka AppGreg said the store would “fit in really well” in the Longview neighbourhood.Glen Christiansen (the chief executive of Keyrouz owner, Gate Group) implied a bottle store was inevitable - and a Super Liquor was the right operation."I do believe that Lake Hāwea will get a bottle store at some point, and that we are the suitable operator due to our great history and strong operational standards…" he said.John Young, lawyer for the applicant, said many of the objections lodged were “template objections”, arguing they lacked author authenticity and were “likely to carry less weight.” Longview resident Lisa Riley, who has spearheaded community opposition to the Super Liquor, pushed back on this when she spoke yesterday.“With respect, that is wrong,” she said. “The community asked Communities Against Alcohol Harm, a national charity, to assist in the use of a digital platform to make it easier for people to understand the law and raise objections."She said she wanted to highlight the “bigger picture”.“If this license is granted Lake Hāwea will have 10 licenses for a population of 2,340,” she said.“That’s three times the density of neighbouring Albert Town and more than double the national average.“We simply don’t have the infrastructure to absorb more alcohol related incidents.”She said community opposition was “not about prohibition”.“It’s about the law doing what Parliament intended, protecting families, children and communities from predictable harm”.The hearing continues at the Lake Wānaka Centre today (Friday November 14).

Cardrona Alpine Resort has claimed the title of New Zealand’s Best Ski Resort in the 2025 World Ski Awards.This is the first time since the awards were established over a decade ago that Cardrona has won the New Zealand title.“It’s an honour to be awarded Aotearoa’s Best Ski Resort in 2025, as voted for by the people who matter most to us – our guests and our industry,” Cardrona and Treble Cone chief mountains officer Laura Hedley said.“This is a huge recognition for all the people who make Cardrona what it is, the mahi put in by our team to deliver an excellent experience on the maunga, and our community who make this place special. “We’re so grateful and proud.”The World Ski Awards programme has categories for all facets of the ski industry, in each of the world’s top 25 ski tourism nations. Finalists are voted for by both public and industry, to determine who stands above the rest in their country each year.Laura said the recognition caps off a year of highlights for Cardrona.The ski area opened 150ha of new terrain and a new chairlift in Soho Basin this season, making it New Zealand’s biggest ski resort. The team also opened a new base area building and a t-bar servicing high-performance training facilities.This summer they’re getting stuck into the next stage of Soho Basin developments, including a new snowmaking dam, snowmaking installations, trail development, and additional road and carpark improvements.PHOTO: Cardrona