Lake Wānaka Tourism’s (LWT) refreshed brand will be one of the issues featured at the organisation’s open day for businesses and the community at the end of this month.The open day is being held to help locals gain a better understanding of LWT’s role and to learn more about the new brand identity, general manager Tim Barke said.LWT has been undertaking extensive consultation to gain a deeper understanding of the community’s values and vision for the future, he said.“A key theme of the consultation sessions was the need to review and revise LWT’s role to ensure that we have a clearly articulated focus that will drive our brand and strategy going forward,” he said. LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan told the Wanaka App, while the open day will include examples of the new branding, “a brand is so much more than just a logo or symbol”.She said LWT staff will be talking as much about the process and the shared values that came out “loud and clear” throughout the consultation process. LWT general manager Tim Barke invited anyone interested in Wanaka’s future to come along. PHOTO: Supplied    The consultation process was led by strategist and facilitator Kate Smith, with the brand identity work being undertaken by design specialist Britt Davies from Studio Acht - both of whom will be available at the open day to talk through the process.Funding from MBIE enabled LWT to develop a Wanaka brand framework document, which will form the basis of a website redevelopment and approach to all new content and assets, Gizelle said. The website redevelopment will be completed in late September.The open day will take place on Wednesday June 30 at the Wanaka Community Hub.There will be two sessions, the first running from 9:15am to 11:15am and the second 1.15-3.15pm.At both sessions Kate and Britt will discuss Wanaka’s brand evolution and Tim and LWT board chair Mat Woods will talk about the organisation’s destination management plan and regenerative tourism.“The plan is for a relaxed drop-in session, with some scheduled presentations, and open forums throughout the day,” Tim said. “We encourage anyone interested in the future of Wanaka to come along - you are most welcome to come for an hour or stay for the day.”To RSVP for the morning session click here, or for the afternoon session click here.Alternatively, email [email protected] Wānaka Tourism is a regional tourism organisation formed in 1993. It is a membership-based incorporated society with more than 450 member businesses.

The 2021 Wanaka A&P Show brought $28.6M worth of direct economic benefits to the area, an independent study has found.The report, prepared by Research First, looked at the total expenditure by visitors, trade exhibitors, volunteers, spectators and competitors over the two-day event in March.The amount of total direct spending was up $17.7M on the previous independent economic impact report, undertaken in 2015 (which found that the show contributed $10.9M worth of direct economic benefits). No economic multipliers have been applied.Of the $28.6M, Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago District visitors contributed an estimated $15.9M in incidental spend. Non-local show attendees contributed an estimated $9.4M in total event-motivated spending and $3.4M total incidental spend (not event-motivated)“The increase in total local dollars is an indicator of the importance of community events in our area,” Wanaka-based report author and Research First insight specialist Liz Morley said. Jack Russells line up for the annual race.“The $9.4M figure is the amount of new money brought into the Wanaka economy as a direct result of staging this event. Attendees from outside the local Wanaka area contributed to a third of the expenditure impact.”The research also found the event was popular with locals and visitors alike, with 55 per cent of the 45,000 participants coming from the Queenstown Lakes District, and 45 per cent coming from other parts of New Zealand.“Of those who have travelled from outside the region, the vast majority were South Islanders (94 per cent), but a few came from as far north as Auckland. Covid-19 border closures have of course meant that all attendees were currently living in NZ,” the report said.Those from outside the region generally stayed in Wanaka, and most stayed for more than one night. Of those staying in Wanaka, 50 per cent stayed in commercial accommodation (including hotel, motel, Airbnb, or rented holiday homes). Of those out-of-town visitors who stayed overnight, the average stay was 3.5 nights“The show continues to grow in popularity every year, especially within our district and wider region, and this latest report demonstrates this,” Wanaka Show event manager Jane Stalker said. “It’s heartening to see that this important community event has helped bring a substantial amount of money into Wanaka after a difficult period for our local economy, due to Covid-19.”The show is owned by the not-for-profit Upper Clutha A&P Society. Each year the society grants approximately $65,000 in cash and in-kind donations to community groups and organisations through the show’s ‘Cheers Wanaka’ give-back programme.This year’s Wanaka A&P Show, held on March 13-14, attracted 45,000 people. This is the second independent economic impact report undertaken for the Wanaka A&P Show.PHOTOS: Wanaka App

According to figures from property management company Home & Co, the number of rental properties available for winter workers in Wanaka are down by one third compared to previous years. “We’ve had a lot of calls and emails from people that are desperate to find rental homes,” Home & Co director Colleen Topping said.“Two years ago, we would have had a third more stock, everything got rented a month ago. We’ve got nothing.” The temporary laws introduced during Covid-19 preventing property owners from terminating tenancies during lockdown has scared property owners away from offering up their homes, she suggested. “People aren’t making those houses available for rent because they can’t demand their houses back,” Colleen said. Carmen Blackler is the founder of The Workforce Accommodation Network (The WAN), a new service created in December to help address the issue of seasonal rental shortages.Carmen wants to encourage the community to help out by welcoming workers into their homes if they can, so they have somewhere safe and affordable to live. “We have over 40 people in the system to find accommodation for,” Carmen said. “Historically, when there’s a shortage, the workers will sleep in their cars or bunk on friends’ floors. When there are no properties it’s a bit difficult to see what the options are,” she said.Cardrona-Treble Cone, one of Wanaka’s largest employers, has been working hand-in-hand with The WAN. Cardrona-Treble Cone head of people and performance Laura Hedley said staff are struggling more than usual to find accommodation this winter.“We are definitely seeing it harder to find staff somewhere to live for winter - it’s harder this year than it has been in the past,” she said.Carmen said if property owners understand the difference between housing a worker as a flatmate as opposed to a tenant, it may encourage them to make rooms available to seasonal workers.If someone else signs the tenancy agreement but lets you share the flat, you are a flatmate; flatmates live in the property but are not part of the tenancy agreement. If you are a seasonal worker looking for housing this winter, you can create your profile on the The WAN here.  PHOTO: Supplied

Technology companies that create solutions for tourism and hospitality industries are about to get a boost in Queenstown Lakes. Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) economic development unit is advertising a tender to develop a hospitality/tourism technology ‘cluster’ in the district. Cluster development involves similar businesses working together to identify opportunities to collaborate. QLDC economic development manager Peter Harris said a hospitality/tourism tech cluster would support technology businesses, help diversify the economy, and potentially boost the productivity of the tourism and hospitality industry.The tender involves working with existing businesses to find common problems or opportunities and then explore how these could be tackled collaboratively. “This approach to economic development is about businesses joining forces rather than all individually trying to overcome the same issues,” Peter said. “It aims to turn businesses who might see themselves as competitors into collaborators. Over time, cluster development can help existing businesses grow.”Want to get out and about? See Places in your Wanaka AppA successful cluster can also help build an international reputation for a specific location and a specific product, such as super-cars in Italy.The tourism/hospitality tech niche was selected for support because it builds on successful businesses already in the district, and it taps into the expertise within the dominant industry in the area. “Businesses within the district have already shown interest in collaboration,” Peter said.“There are large tourism operators in the district who have indicated that they would be supportive of a stronger cluster of tech businesses focused on solving their challenges.”Chomp Food Safety App CEO Paul Wilson, who has been working alongside tech companies First Table and Loaded Reports, said he was keen to see a cluster approach taken in the district. “We’re keen to see what we can achieve collectively. We have already done some promotion together and having someone to help us find other common ground will open up other exciting opportunities,” he said.The tender is for a 12-month contract.PHOTO: Supplied

Experienced harbourmasters who have served on local lakes and rivers for 19 years will be replaced by a security firm, which is currently contracted to council to provide various enforcement services throughout the district. Last week the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) announced Cougar Security Group, which was contracted last summer to ensure the local $5 boat ramp fee was paid by boaties, would replace Southern Monitoring Services (SMS) to conduct harbourmasters’ duties, overseeing navigational safety and provide waterways regulatory services.QLDC regulatory manager Anthony Hall acknowledged that the change in contract delivery will mean farewell to some well-known individuals from our waterways.“For 19 years QLDC waterways regulatory services have been provided by Southern Monitoring Services. Many in our community will be familiar with the harbourmasters Marty Black and Dave Black in Queenstown-Wakatipu and Craig Blake in Wanaka.”He said the council acknowledged the great work they have done in providing this service and “for frequently going over and above what has been expected”.Coastguard Wanaka Lakes is expected “to work closely” with the new contractors taking over the harbourmasters’ duties. PHOTO: SuppliedAnthony said the aim of the service is to facilitate the safe use of local waterways for all recreational and commercial users by undertaking education, monitoring, issuing infringement notices where needed and responding to complaints received via the council’s ‘request for service’ system.He said Cougar has extensive capability and experience in enforcement of council regulations, including local parking, noise control, animal control and freedom camping regulations, and has “a proven track record in the skills and experience sought”. “Cougar will be working closely with the local Coastguard teams to ensure collectively they can respond to emergencies on the water, complementing council’s core role of ensuring the current bylaws and rules are adhered to,” Anthony said.Coastguard Wanaka Lakes president Jonathan Walmisley said CWL has not been approached about working with Cougar but said “under no circumstances will CWL take any form of regulatory enforcement”.“We are a search and rescue agency and an educational agency and we do not want to be put in a position to enforce bylaws. It muddies our role,” he said.Jonathan said the CWL had a very good relationship with SMS harbourmasters and staff, working together during emergencies.He was prepared to take a “wait and see” approach with Cougar, he said.“Cougar will continue to deliver on council’s desire to ensure navigational safety and support has high levels of visibility and presence on our waterways, especially over the popular and busy summer months,” Anthony said.The Wanaka App asked council why it chose to award the contract to a security firm rather than continue with SMS’s experienced harbourmaster team. A QLDC spokesperson said the council followed a full procurement process. All tenders received were assessed based on the criteria specified, including relevant experience, relevant skills, methodology and processes and fees, and Cougar’s tender was successful.  Cougar has also been awarded QLDC contracts for CCTV maintenance, alarm monitoring and response on council buildings, and regulatory services.The new waterways regulatory services contract will take effect from July 1.PHOTOS: Wanaka App

The tourism sector is exploring new ways to fund tourism infrastructure as alternatives to the bed tax being pursued by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) as a revenue stream.The introduction of a district-wide visitor levy, or ‘bed tax’, in the council’s Long-term Plan 2021-2031 is estimated to recover $162.8M over seven years (from 2024-2031) with the money used to fund the capital expenditure attributable to visitors, QLDC said.However, tourism minister Stuart Nash says he is investigating the idea of differential pricing for tourism attractions instead of levies or bed taxes.“I would like to see a level of differential pricing right across the tourism sector that recognises that a lot of these attractions and tourism experiences should be available and open to Kiwis but international tourists that travelled halfway around the world will be prepared to pay [for]...” he said.Differential pricing for Kiwis and overseas visitors for publicly owned places such as the conservation estate is on the government’s agenda. PHOTO: Wanaka App“It’s the right of every Kiwi to have free access to the DOC [Department of Conservation] estate and our national parks,” he added. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at innovative ways to charge tourists.”Meanwhile, the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) has proposed the introduction of a regional tourism fund instead of a bed tax and asked QLDC for its support in a submission to the council’s Long-Term Plan.Read more: Council continues push for bed tax The TIA said a fund of $300M per annum could be distributed to local government to address local tourism-related needs, informed by regional spatial plans, local authority Long Term Plans, and Regional Tourism Organisation destination management plans.“If these plans are doing their job well, they should clearly articulate the aspirations of tourism in the region and funding required,” the TIA submission said.LWT general manager Tim Barke says differential funding and a regional fund are both good ideas. PHOTO: SuppliedThe allocation model could be determined by “the measured level of visitor impact” on each territorial authority, for example, guest nights in a region, the TIA suggested.Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke told the Wanaka App he agreed with both concepts: differential pricing and a regional fund.Tim said councils in popular tourism areas are faced with the challenge of providing infrastructure almost solely funded by a ratepayer base which simply can’t afford it.“Visitors contribute a huge amount to the national economy through spend and taxes so it makes sense for some of these taxes be put toward assisting the communities and provision of infrastructure in the most popular destinations,” Tim said.And Tim believes tourism funding like a regional fund could go further: Visitors could volunteer time or funding to help with local projects, which he said would invest them emotionally in the place.“What would make it even more effective is if the visitors were to know that a defined proportion of what they are paying is going directly toward initiatives that benefit the local community and place. Again, this makes the visitor feel connected with the place and proud that by being there and participating, they are making a positive contribution to benefit the place and the local people,” he said.Locals would also be more likely to welcome visitors if they could see the tangible benefits visitors bring, he said.Government funding to help get some of these projects underway “could have a multiplying effect” of the benefits they generate, Tim said.He also said differential pricing for Kiwis and overseas visitors for publicly owned places/experiences “makes sense”, and could have several positive effects, including that visitors better understand and accept the value Kiwis put on the tāonga (places, experiences, stories and things they treasure), and the concept that it is a privilege to have access to and share in these.Additionally, Kiwis appreciate that the value of their tāonga are being recognised and appreciated by visitors. The TIA said its regional fund proposal aligns with Infrastructure NZ’s proposal for a regional development fund, expanding the former $1B per annum Provincial Growth Fund into a $2B Regional Development Fund (RDF) for New Zealand. TIA said it would work with QLDC and other local authorities to seek the introduction of such a fund “as soon as possible”. 

Spectacular structures that blend into dramatic landscapes dominated at this year’s Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects’ (NZIA) Southern Awards, held in Wanaka last Friday (May 21). Across the region award winners included Catlins crib, a Central Otago lakeside home, and a sculptural steel and concrete property overlooking the Shotover River, but Wanaka did not come up short - local properties which took awards included a home echoing the shape of a barn, a creative multi-level commercial space and a small but immaculately considered house. In total, 24 awards were presented across 10 categories - including commercial, education, housing, heritage and interior architecture. The peer-reviewed awards celebrated the best architecture in the Otago and Southland regions and four jurors visited all of the shortlisted buildings across the provinces.“The overall quality of work was impressive and well presented, with clever responses to client’s briefs, challenging site conditions and intelligent use of various levels of budget,” jury convenor and Wanaka-based architect Rafe Maclean said.The Precinct on Helwick Street scooped up an award in the commercial category. PHOTO: Simon Larkin“It was wonderful to meet the clients and architects behind each project, each with their own story of how their building had come to be.” Wanaka’s ‘The Precinct’, designed by Arrowtown-based Assembly Architects, took an award in the commercial category for the retail space which the architects said brings “a high-end industrial edge to retailing in the downtown area.”The complex spans 1500 square metres on Helwick Street and just under a third is courtyard space, and it was inspired by the site’s origins as the former Wanaka Police Station as well as the “industrial aesthetic” of New York. Condon Scott’s Sugi House was another winner in the housing category. PHOTO: Simon DevittA compact local home designed by Wanaka’s Condon Scott Architects, ‘Sugi House’, was one of two local homes to earn an award in the housing category; the other was ‘Long Low Barn’ by Wellington’s Sharon Jansen.‘Sugi House’ was inspired by the owners’ experience visiting Japan, where they saw that a small, carefully designed house could be comfortable and pleasant to live in. The floorplan is tight but carefully considered, and the result is a refined, precise and crafted aesthetic. ‘Long Low Barn’ features two unassuming gable forms which are connected by a long passage, and the liberal use of Japanese timber is a reflection of the architect and client’s appreciation of the material. Mason and Wales, which has an office in Wanaka, also won three awards for projects across the southern region.See the full list of winners here.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) continues to plan for a local bed tax, despite opposition from accommodation providers and tourism minister Stuart Nash making it clear that bed tax is not on the government’s agenda.QLDC mayor Jim Boult has long promoted the introduction of a district-wide visitor levy or “bed tax” and the council’s draft Long-term Plan 2021-2031 makes the assumption that central government will approve it to be implemented from mid 2024.The draft LTP estimates the levy would recover $162.8M over the seven years (2024-2031) and the money would be used to fund the capital expenditure attributable to visitors. “If the visitor levy were not available, the capital programme from 2024 to 2031 would need to be reduced significantly or rates increased by a further 2.3 per cent per annum for the last seven years of the plan,” the LTP states.Opposition to the tax remains, however, with many saying it is unfair, ill considered and damaging to tourism.Stuart Nash. PHOTO: SuppliedWanaka local Peter Sutherland, who represents the Lake District Accommodation Sector, said in his oral submission to the council’s LTP hearings recently, the council has provided no economic analysis to support its view a bed tax will not negatively affect accommodation businesses.The council has not considered accommodation operators will need to rebuild their businesses when the borders eventually reopen to all overseas visitors, and the council’s belief the Lakes District’s economy will “return to business as usual in two years [is] an unlikely outcome”, Peter said. Loans which have kept the business afloat will need to be repaid; maintenance and capital expenditure deferred during the pandemic will be a priority; a tax on top of that is not welcome, he said.Speaking on behalf of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), Matt Ammunson-Fyall said in his submission to the LTP that bed taxes by their nature are unfair and target only one sector of the tourism industry. The Queenstown accommodation sector received 13.3 per cent of the visitor spend (to the year ending October 2020) which as a percentage is consistent with pre-COVID data, yet accommodation operators are being asked to pay 100 per cent of the visitor levy.Matt said if the council expected to earn $162.8M over seven years from this tax that equates to adding an average $23.3M per annum to the costs of local accommodation.He added that collecting a bed tax was not without its challenges and would also affect council’s expectations of how much income the tax will earn. Auckland Council implemented its Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) in 2017 but attempts to get the non-commercial accommodation sector to contribute to it have largely failed, with fewer than one third of these operators paying the rate.Rather than commit to a local bed tax, “we recommend council spends the next three years identifying suitable alternatives that do not target just one sector of a town where many others benefit from the visitor,” Matt said.Tourism minister Stuart Nash said he was “not looking at a bed tax” in answer to a question in Parliament on May 11.His press secretary Kathryn Street confirmed this to the Wanaka App. “After becoming Tourism Minister, the issue of an accommodation levy was raised in a general sense with Mr Nash during meetings with some council representatives. However Mr Nash has ruled out any suggestion the government will consider introducing legislation to enable this,” she said.Contrary to this advice, QLDC media and channels advisor Jack Barlow told the Wanaka App: “QLDC considers there to be central government support to advance a visitor levy at a local level, and will look to do so as outlined in the Ten Year Plan.” Local authorities have the option of asking their local Member of Parliament (in this case, Joseph Mooney) to introduce a piece of legislation on their behalf, if they wish to introduce such a levy, Kathryn said.Jack said the QLDC has not yet approached the local MP on the matter.

The Southern Lakes Events Investment Panel (SLEIP) is now seeking applications for the second round of its business events incentive scheme.Facilitated through the Southern Lakes Regional Events Fund, which was formed to stimulate domestic visitation between regions, the business events investment scheme exists to help bring more people to the region for business events. Associations, conference organisers, corporate companies and incentive organisers can apply for the funding scheme, via the Southern Lakes Event Fund website.Successful applicants will receive support of $150 per attendee to their event in Wanaka, Queenstown or Central Otago. SLEIP chair Murray Strong said successful applicants had recently been chosen from the first round of submissions. It was “encouraging to receive such a high calibre of conference and incentive propositions to the region,” he said. Eleven conferences and three incentive events will be held across the region as a result of the first round of the funding.Workout this winter with PROACTIVE24 Health and Fitness in your Wanaka App“We are expecting these conferences and events to host over 3,100 delegates - generating 7,295 bed nights and investing $5.9M in the region to execute the events,” Murray said.Applications for the second funding round are open until November 30 and events must be held within the region. “I am looking forward to reviewing the applications that come in for the second round and continuing to use the funding to support the local tourism and events sectors,” Murray said. Eight of the 19 events funded in the first round went to local events, including Ripe (Wanaka Food & Wine Festival), Wheels at Wanaka, Contact Epic, NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival, Winter Games, Snowboxx, Wanaka Wedding Fair and the WAO Summit.

A local honey business has won its first national award almost a year to the day it was launched. Cardrona Valley based Branch Creek Honey took out a silver award at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards 2021.“It’s pretty special to be up there with some of the really well known brands,” Branch Creek Honey co-founder and beekeeper Jess Curtis said.Branch Creek Honey was launched in June 2020 after Jess, 20, saw an opportunity to turn her and her grandfather’s shared love of beekeeping into a business opportunity. The single source clover blend honey scooped up a silver award at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards 2021.Their clover blend honey, which is all sourced from the family farm, is now sold in several stores around Wanaka as well as further afield. “I am hugely passionate about bees and their important role in our ecosystem and also love being able to create a sustainable product that, for me, tastes like home,” Jess said.She is fifth-generation on the family’s sheep and beef station and completing a beekeeping apprenticeship locally while taking care of the farm’s hives with help from her grandfather, who she says is “the CEO of quality control”.Jess Curtis, 20, (pictured) launched Branch Creek Honey a year ago, and hopes to educate people about the environmental importance of bees.He first brought hives to the farm to pollinate the crops and to contribute to regenerative practices decades ago and the bees thrived in the high country environment.Between her apprenticeship, other work on the farm, looking after the bees and launching the business (during the Covid-19 lockdown), the first year has been “a big learning curve,” Jess said. “It’s about taking each day as it comes,” she said, adding she is thankful for the substantial local support - and the award is “positive reinforcement”, too.Jess said she hopes to use Branch Creek Honey to help educate people about the importance of bees in the environment - “and honey is the way to do that”.Branch Creek Honey is teaming up with Waste Free Celebrations this week in celebration of International Bee Day (May 20) to offer bundles which include Branch Creek Honey and reusable bags and gift tags.PHOTOS: Supplied

Māori businesses in Otago, Southland and the Queenstown Lakes are being invited to enter an awards event that celebrates resilience, collaboration and business success.Te Kupeka Umaka Māori ki Araiteuru (KUMA), the Māori business network for the Otago/Southland region, has opened entries to the biennial KUMA Māori Business Awards.After a year when people around the globe were asked to isolate, for many the past 12 months has provided opportunity to reinterpret that message, KUMA board co-chair Claire Porima said. “What I have seen is the demonstration of kaupapa Māori entrepreneurship,” she said.“We have focused on valuing our whānau connections, supporting each other personally and professionally, and creating innovative ways to strengthen our businesses. This is whakawhanaungatanga in action, one of our key values at KUMA. Our vision is captured in the whakatauki ‘Kia tipua tahi ai’, Let us grow together.”Businesses that identify as Māori are eligible to enter the awards, for which this year’s theme is Manawaroa (resilience) and Kotahitanga (collaboration/oneness). The categories for this year’s event are: collaboration and innovation, employment and growth, resilience and wellbeing and emerging enterprise (includes Rangatahi).The supreme winner will be awarded the Suzanne Spencer Tohu Maumahara Business Award. Suzanne was highly regarded as one of the founding members of KUMA. This award is an acknowledgement of her significant contribution to Māori ki Araiteuru and her enduring legacy. An independent judging panel will select finalists, who will be acknowledged on the night alongside the category winners.  Entries close on Thursday, June 17. Entry forms can be downloaded and are to be submitted to [email protected]. The awards dinner will take place at Elmwood Gardens in Invercargill, on July 2. 

This season Cardrona and Treble Cone are saying goodbye to landfill bins and single-use, non-recyclable packaging.From winter 2021 onwards, there will be no landfill bins for public use at either ski area, and other significant environmental changes are being made, Cardrona-Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky said.“We’ve made a lot of small changes over the years, like removing single use coffee cups and PET plastic bottles from our food and beverage outlets, and we’ve been proud to be an industry leader in this space,” she said.“But now it is time to make big changes, and we need everyone to come on this journey with us.”The ski resorts identified two issues requiring significant change from a sustainability perspective - waste and transport - and they are making moves to reduce their footprint with both.Neither mountain will sell any items in their food and beverage outlets that have packaging that needs to go to landfill; and rubbish bins will be replaced by recycling and compost stations, with signage explaining the changes and staff members on hand to help visitors sort through their waste.Cardrona-Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky said waste and transport had been identified as areas requiring significant change. PHOTO: Supplied“If you need to bring single use packaging, you will need to take that off the mountain with you – but that doesn’t really help,” Bridget said. “We’re asking everyone to think really deeply about what they buy in the first place, the packaging it comes in, and the packaging you choose to bring up our mountains.”Suppliers have been willing to accommodate the changes, Bridget said.Don't leave it, see Aspiring Dental Service in your Wanaka App“As an example, Cookie Time has developed a compostable cookie bag so they can continue to be sold on our mountains this winter.”To address transport emissions, both Cardrona and Treble Cone have made their access road shuttles from the bottom of each mountain free of charge for the winter season.Both ski fields had a good dusting of snow on Tuesday morning following Monday’s storm, with Cardrona getting 8cm and Treble Cone 5cm. PHOTO: Jen HoulthamThe resorts are also encouraging carpooling by reserving the parking spaces closest to each mountain’s base facilities for vehicles with three occupants or more until the car parks are filled. Designated hitch-hiking spots will be set up at both mountains, and carpooling app usage encouraged.Bridget said the changes have been sparked by guest and staff feedback over the past couple of years.“We love that our guests keep challenging us to do and be better, and we want to keep encouraging that feedback. So to all our people we say – please keep asking us questions, and keep challenging us to improve on this sustainability journey.”Cardrona Alpine Resort opens for the winter season on June 12, with Treble Cone following on June 25. PHOTOS: Supplied

Scroggin is a staple food for active people who go exploring, but according to Lucy Conway, the owner of a new Wanaka cafe by that name, scroggin is also "a mix of all things good".  Lucy has wanted to open up a cafe since she was very young and believes people should feel energised by what they eat and leave a cafe fueled up and ready to go out and enjoy the day."I hate it when I buy a meal that makes me feel sleepy, and I end up thinking, 'Oooshh, that was really big' because that doesn't encourage me to go out and do more stuff,” she said."If I'm going to spend my money on breakfast or lunch, I want to go on with the rest of my day and feel awesome."Lucy found inspiration for the new cafe in the four years she spent in America. She discovered cafes there were "so progressive" in their willingness to go beyond ‘meat and three-veg’ and explored new ideas by combining ingredients in unexpected ways.Upon her return to New Zealand she found "quite hip, foodie, plant-based places to eat" in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch but saw that there wasn't a large catering for plant-based eating in Wanaka, so she decided to fill the gap in the market.Inspired by fond memories of sharing a meal and laughter with friends in a backcountry hut, she set out to transform the former Beanie Cafe to reflect Wanaka’s rugged surroundings.  Plywood furnishings, sunlight and the polished concrete floor create a sleek yet unfussy feel, but Lucy believes that to be successful, a cafe has "got to be able to make something that people wouldn't normally cook at home; that makes them feel awesome".  She uses as many local suppliers as possible, which is why the menu is seasonal. "It's got to be for the locals."  Lucy likes the idea of contributing to the cafe culture on Ardmore Street. “I love it. It should be that Wanaka is an awesome place to come and eat. If someone else is doing a really good job at something, it means you step up as well. It's like we're all doing it together."PHOTO: Supplied

Cardrona’s hot pools and spa complex, which was set to begin construction this year on its 8800m2 site on the Wanaka side of Cardrona Village, has stalled.The complex received consent two years ago for seven outdoor pools, five private hot tubs, spa treatments, a sauna and steam room, as well as 16 apartments, retail stores and an onsite cafe. The complex is the concept of Mike and Bridget Healy, who said they were eagerly looking forward to announcing the start of the project this year when they learned the project had become the victim of the pandemic’s impact on global business.“Unfortunately our agreement with an Auckland entity was cancelled in February due to their international business interests struggling to recover from the adverse effects of Covid,” Mike said. “Suffice to say the setback was disappointing for us and also the very supportive local community.”The consented complex is now on the market.As a result, the whole site, including the resource consents and the spa’s completed feasibility study, are on the market and they’re “quietly confident” of negotiating a sale agreement within the next three to six months, Mike said. The sale has already generated a fair degree of interest, with a lot of enquiries regarding the apartment block “which may prompt us to sell this 3,600m2 zone separately,” Mike said. “We are currently fielding calls from Auckland and Australia but would welcome local investment, as people from the region have a great appreciation and respect for the area.”He said they were “extremely grateful” for the support they’ve received from Cardrona Valley locals, particularly the adjoining landowners who were integral in the project achieving consent and amalgamating 8,800m2 of land into one title earlier this year.While it has been a “stressful” introduction to their first venture of this scale they believe their confidence in the hot pools and spa complex is well founded.Two new hot pool complexes have recently opened in Christchurch and Methven with higher than anticipated daily numbers, Mike said.“We know that the right people will invest in this unique opportunity and we look forward to the region opening the first outdoor hot pools within the next two years,” he said.  PHOTOS: Wanaka App

Queenstown Lakes District is one of five South Island tourist communities targeted for specialist support in a plan for the immediate survival and long-term transformation of the tourism sector outlined by tourism minister Stuart Nash.The plan includes a $20M fund to support, diversify and re-set the Queenstown-Wanaka economy. The government support will be through an underwriting role, the minister said, and potential projects include a digital innovation hub and a film studio.Stuart told the tourism industry’s annual TRENZ conference an all-of-government plan will support the recovery of tourism communities after the impacts of Covid-19, and rebuild tourism on a more sustainable foundation for the future. “The economic impact of the loss of international visitors is felt beyond the tourism workforce and businesses,” he said. “Whole communities, especially in five South Island regions, are facing new challenges to their way of life.He noted that reviews by agencies like the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, the Climate Change Commission, and the Tourism Futures Taskforce have all highlighted that transformation is required to rebuild tourism for the future.   Stuart Nash said this region is over-reliant on international tourism, and needs support to improve its resilience to global economic shocks. PHOTO: SuppliedThe $200M Tourism Communities: Support, Recovery and Re-set Plan will be rolled out between now and 2023. There are 12 key points in the Tourism Communities Plan, half of which are focused on “the most vulnerable” South Island regions (Fiordland, South Westland, Queenstown Lakes, Mackenzie District and Kaikōura), and the remaining six are nationwide initiatives, the minister said.“It will invest in new programmes like small business support, tourism infrastructure, the conservation estate, Māori development, economic and regional development, and mental wellbeing support.” Stuart reiterated that long-term structural change and short-term targeted support must prioritise the regions and communities who need most help.Support for the five South Island communities will include:$4.5M for psychological and social wellbeing support and training.$10M in grants ($5,000 per business) for businesses to get expert advice on planning and decision-making in response to Covid-19.$10M ($5,000 per business) in grants to help businesses implement these plans and advice.A $49M kick-start fund so businesses that have gone into hibernation or suspended operations can receive grants to help reopen and resume trading once international visitors return.A $20 million fund to support, diversify and re-set the Queenstown-Wanaka regional economy by helping develop alternative industries and attract private sector investment.“The Tourism Communities Plan also offers wide support for the industry as a whole. It is an opportunity for government, councils, iwi, businesses and tourism communities to work together and re-set the industry on a more sustainable model for the future,” Stuart said. Six additional components of the plan to address longer-term challenges. These include a new round of funding for regional tourism organisations (RTOs), such as Lake Wanaka Tourism; grants for Inbound Tour Operators (ITOs); targeted funding for some Māori tourism businesses; an extension of Department of Conservation fee waivers for operators on public conservation land who pay a tourism concession fee, and an extra $10M allowing tourism concession fees to be waived for a further six months; another - $16.5M - round of the Tourism Infrastructure Fund; and a new Tourism Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) with $10M new funding, which will see the government work in partnership with tourism businesses and the tourism workforce, councils, iwi, researchers and independent advisers to “lift industry standards and transform to a more sustainable model”. The Tourism Communities Plan is funded through the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund. It includes approximately $73 million returned and reprioritised from the 2020 Tourism Recovery Package.Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult welcomed the announcement, adding that the council has been supporting a number of diversification initiatives and working alongside central government to help assess which ideas offer the most local and national benefit.

Lake Hāwea Station has been named as the first farm in New Zealand to have its carbon footprint certified by Toitū Envirocare.The 6,500-hectare station on the eastern shores of Lake Hāwea is owned by Geoff and Justine Ross and Toitū has recently spent time on the station to independently verify and certify its position."The biggest koha Lake Hāwea Station can make to the world is to sequester more carbon than we emit,” Justine said.The certification process undertaken is planned to be the first of many for New Zealand farms as the country moves to lower its overall carbon footprint and consumers world-wide demand carbon positive food and fibre.Geoff Ross said the station was able to increase its stock numbers while also improving its carbon position. “The popular myth is the only way to reduce your carbon profile is by reducing stock numbers. This hasn't been the case here. Instead, we have increased stock numbers and wool production whilst increasing our tree plantings and retiring of marginal land.”Almost 1,800 tonnes, or CO2-equivalent emissions from Lake Hāwea Station are due to methane from grass-eating sheep and beef and other contributing areas include greenhouse gas from animal urine, fertiliser use, supplements, and farm vehicles. However, on the other side of the carbon ledger, the farm locked up more than 3,966 tonnes of carbon through extensive tree planting and areas of regenerating bush.The process of becoming certified was relatively simple, Geoff said. “Prompted by our son and seeing changes in consumer preferences offshore we started with some simple online calculators. We then had this process ‘ground truthed' by two scientists and then Toitū came in to check our numbers and view our operation,” he said.“Much of the information needed to calculate a carbon footprint is available as part of systems farmers are already using, (Farm IQ and Overseer). So, it is more about gathering existing information and having Toitū run the calculations”.PHOTO: Sothebys

A major expansion of the Lake Hāwea commercial zone, including a restaurant, cinema, retail spaces, supermarket, medical clinic and visitor accommodation, has been proposed.Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd, owned by Wanaka businessman Matt Laming, has submitted a resource consent application to the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) seeking to redevelop the Capell Avenue site for “a comprehensive complex of commercial, retail, office and visitor accommodation use”.The proposal includes the demolition of the existing Hawea Store and Kitchen building - a dairy and cafe - situated on the corner of Capell Avenue and Parry Crescent, with plans to “repurpose” it.The Hāwea Store and Kitchen is owned by IWC Holdings, of which Hamish and Erica Mackay are directors. The Mackays have signed an ‘affected party approval’ consenting to the proposal.An artist’s impression of the proposed commercial zone. IMAGE: SuppliedThe proposed two-storey development includes a ground floor level restaurant, cinema, six retail spaces, supermarket, medical clinic, and access to parking for eight visitor accommodation units (four one-bed units and four two-bed units).Twelve parking spaces for the visitor units would be located at ground level, with a one-way lane running through the site. The first floor includes additional restaurant and cinema space, and office space above the smaller retail units fronting the neighbouring QLDC reserve, and further medical clinic space. The development includes a total of 1666m2 of floor area.The existing Hāwea Store and Kitchen will be repurposed as part of the redevelopment. PHOTO: SuppliedThe application said Lake Hāwea Holdings Ltd was seeking to re-develop the site in line with the activity and scale of buildings anticipated by the Local Shopping Centre Zone. The Local Shopping Centre Zone enables small scale commercial and business activities in largely residential environments to reduce the necessity for locals to travel longer distances to town centres to purchase convenience goods and access services. Two additional lots to the south were recently re-zoned to Local Shopping Centre Zone as part of the Proposed District Plan.“...accordingly the planning context and therefore future environment anticipates a reasonably high degree of change within this area,” the application stated.While the applicant has requested the application not be publicly notified, a QLDC spokesperson said a decision on notification has not yet been made.Matt Laming and the Mackays were approached for comment.

A surf wave leisure business has been approved for a family farm at Hāwea Flat, following ten years’ development of surfable waves by entrepreneur and inventor Ross McCarthy.YourWave - a wave created by water flowing over an inflatable form (like surfing on a bouncy castle) - will operate Monday to Friday during the summer months at the McCarthy farm off Gladstone Road, and winter operating hours will be trialled.“We’re going to start digging holes next month,” Ross told the Wanaka App. Ross founded AirWave, a company which develops and markets surfable waves for the leisure industry, ten years ago. The business has recently rebranded as YourWave.“Our technology is the only tech in the world that can do this,” he said. The development’s proposed location at Hāwea Flat.“We can change the wave from a left hand break to a right hand break in under a minute and we can manipulate the shape of the wave to suit learners or create expert waves [steep and barrelling].“We are also introducing a kayaking wave, wake for wakeboarding and a half pipe.”Ross told the Wanaka App earlier this year the business will support the local community with deals for locals and local schools, and will also introduce “water safety programmes and surf trips and maybe a surf team”.He said the key purpose of setting up at Hāwea Flat was for further research and testing with a view to selling YourWave units worldwide. Ross McCarthy, pictured with his daughter, has a masters degree in product design.The recreational side of the business would be limited to a maximum of 25 people a day.“Our priority is to sell the unit and hopefully if we book those times [at the recreational wave] we can cover costs. If it works it works - if not, we will focus on research and development,” he said.The YourWave outlet will utilise the existing water source, a bore, and will sit on a 260m2 irrigation dam used to store water for irrigating another part of the farm. The consent application, which was non-notified, noted the development may be partially visible from neighbouring properties, Department of Conservation (DOC) tracks such as Grandview, and the surrounding roads. However, QLDC landscape architect Megan Ash considered the proposed facility would not detract from views of the rural character landscape or reduce the visual amenity of the area.Earthworks are required to construct the dam and form bunds around the facility. Buildings housing pump controls and generators, and container buildings for ticketing, food and beverage, wetsuit hire, changing rooms and toilets are also included. The development may include retail sales of souvenirs and textile products (woollen products made on site). The summer opening hours are proposed to be October 1 to April 1, Monday to Friday from 12pm to 5pm and weekends 12pm to 5pm; and winter hours are proposed to be April 2 to September 31, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Ross said he hopes to have a heating system in place before winter.Watch how YourWave works here.IMAGES: Supplied 

The first quarantine-free flight from Australia landed in Queenstown yesterday (Monday April 19) for the much-anticipated opening of the trans-Tasman bubble.  By next week flights will increase to 20-odd a week and, soon after, to normal trans-Tasman numbers. Wanaka businesses have so far seen mixed impacts: some have already had huge spikes in bookings, others are gearing up for imminent increases in numbers, and others don’t expect to see much difference for some time.  But, 387 days after the last quarantine-free flight from Australia landed in New Zealand, the bubble opening marks a significant shift and brings renewed optimism to businesses who have long been waiting for positive news.An empty Ardmore Street a year ago. PHOTO: Wanaka App“Having the bubble with Australia won’t miraculously fix everyone’s businesses and the economy but the border opening gives some light at the end of the tunnel, and the hope is this time it is sunlight and not another train coming,” Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke said.  “It...is hugely significant for our local economy and for the psychological wellbeing of our community.” Edgewater Hotel is one of the businesses which saw an immediate change when news of the bubble opening was announced on April 6. “That evening we saw an increase in bookings for the next five months,” Edgewater general manager Catherine Bone said. Mayor Jim Boult welcomes a passenger from Australia yesterday. PHOTO: Nick HynePre-Covid, at least 40 per cent Edgewater’s customers came from Australia. While Catherine said Edgewater has been well supported by the domestic market since the borders closed last March, the bubble is welcome news. Bookings are now up significantly for April to September, which means Edgewater can retain staff as well as add new members to the team. “What it’s done as well is help to prompt the Kiwis to book because with the influx of a wider market Kiwis are thinking ‘I better book now’,” Catherine said. “Traditionally booking with the domestic market has been quite last minute and it has helped with advanced planning and forecasting.” Catherine was excited to see the bubble benefit businesses all over Wanaka, a sentiment shared by Wildwire Wanaka owner Mark Morrison.Family and friends reunited at Queenstown Airport yesterday. PHOTO: Nick HyneBefore Covid-19 hit, 75 per cent of the businesses customers were Australians and a successful domestic koha (pay-what-you-can) scheme will also be extended to Australian visitors under ‘Kia Ora Australia’ which “create a lot of work for our guides and subsidy providers so can only benefit Wanaka as a whole,” Mark said. “The Australian bubble is big news for us,” he said, “although I must admit that we have had amazing support from New Zealanders.” Wanaka Ski Concierge owner Mark Orbell is also optimistic about the bubble and the visitors it will bring.  The business offers winter ski transport and ski packages to visitors and it’s already seen an uptick in website traffic and enquiries from travel agents and individuals, signalling a promising winter season ahead. Before the pandemic, half of Wanaka Ski Concierge’s customers came from Australia and while Mark didn’t think the bubble was a silver bullet, it was a significant help. “This is the first step in the return of visitors,” Mark said. “We’ve got to start somewhere and it is a great start.”  Big Fig co-owner Chrissie Lahood said she expected the benefits of the bubble opening to take a few months to take effect at the cafe. “Most of the people coming now are probably here to see friends and family - the holidaymakers I think will come later, in the ski season,” she said. But preparations for a busy winter are underway, with the cafe currently searching for experienced chefs and a skilled baker to add to their team. Compared to last winter, which was down “quite a bit” on the 2019 season, things were looking very positive. “I reckon Wanaka is going to be absolutely pumping by winter and spirits are going to be high as well,” Chrissie said. At Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, manager Natalie Ward said the bubble hadn’t yet affected bookings. Summer is the holiday park’s busiest season, and Natalie expects it will be “a long time” before they see a big impact. “The type of people that do campervanning are more budget travellers, and I don’t know that there’s that many of them around now because they are the ones that have been financially affected by Covid-19.” But it was hard to predict with so many variables. Natalie had heard holiday parks in Queenstown were filling fast, and said it wasn’t unusual for people to book in at the park just a week or so before arriving. Tim said the mixed effect of the bubble on local businesses was to be expected, with many still struggling after a difficult summer. “For many businesses heavily affected by Covid-19 the bubble will absolutely be a lifeline. Some other businesses, however, may not feel as much positive effect, at least not initially,” he said.  “Those who have primarily summer products and/or previously primarily attracted foreign customers, were relying on a strong summer to tide them through the winter.  “For many of them, instead of being a strong three months, they had an ‘okay’ three weeks. As welcome as the domestic market was, it simply wasn’t enough to fill the hole left by the missing international market.” In time, however, the bubble would enable very welcome revenue for businesses to start to get back on their feet, he said.