A complete plan for the proposed Tarras airport could be up to three years away, says Christchurch International Airport Limited.CIAL gave its second public update on the proposal to the Tarras community this week and committed to providing more information in June 2021 on the potential runway alignment, flight path and noise output. The company last year bought 750 hectares of land near Tarras for $45m to start work on a new Central Otago airport.Michael Singleton, CIAL’s director of the project, said on Wednesday evening that as the project got closer to seeking approvals, possibly starting in 2024, a complete plan for the airport would come together.“That is the sort of plan you will get as you move closer to those approval dates and there will be a range of different elements that go into that and they’re all interconnected,” Singleton said.“If you’re asking me, will [you] see in June a rollout plan? – no, you won’t. You’ll start to see things like, what might the airspace look like, what might the runway piece look like, so you’ll start to build up pieces like that.“As that builds closer to where you get into an approval process, you’ll start to see the entire piece.”Singleton also said he doubted that Wanaka Airport could operate alongside a Tarras airport.“It seems a really unlikely scenario. Nothing’s impossible but it would be highly improbable because you’ve got some really simple things… that includes how your airspace is managed because you have approvals for your airspace – we don’t write our own airspace, you have to have an approval for that. You’ve got a natural conflict in that.”Singleton added that he thought it was unclear what operator Queenstown Airport Corporation’s longterm plan was for Wanaka Airport, which is owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council, and that CIAL was engaged in a “competition of ideas here”.“There’s also a piece in that, that is in essence, airlines are a really big determinant in that and will have a really big lead in that.”Chris GoddardTarras locals expressed concerns over the proposal’s effect on the environment, the associated infrastructure needs such as roading, the lighting and noise output and the effect on the lifestyles of those living nearby.Sustainable Tarras spokesman Chris Goddard said that he and other locals arrived at Wednesday’s update hoping to have some of their worries about the project allayed.“In fact, many appeared more concerned than they were before,” Goddard said.“There are plenty of unanswered questions. The project has been going for eight months – the [$45m land acquisition] announcement was eight months ago. They have probably had between $1m and $3m additional salaries on top of the $45m.”He said CIAL had, to date, provided little concrete information for the community about its proposal.“For a project to be run like that it’s really curious that they have no facts and we’re still in an exploration stage. If I was one of the Christchurch ratepayers or a taxpayer, because the New Zealand government is a 25% owner [of CIAL], I would be very worried about where all these salaries and all this hard work is going.”PHOTOS: Tourism Ticker

The news that Silverlight Studios has signed a deal to purchase land near Wanaka Airport for an industrial film park was the talk of the town last week and one of the landowners sat down with the Wanaka App to tell us how it came about.Corbridge Estates Limited Partnership Ltd director Peter Marshall said the conditional agreement to purchase the estate’s 332 hectares was the result of the studio’s wide ranging search all over New Zealand for a suitable site and a casual conversation he’d had with “movie makers” in Auckland.Peter said he understood Corbridge, which also includes the Corbridge Woolshed venue used for weddings and other special events (such as next week’s Wanaka Food and Wine Festival) was selected because of its unique combination of size, terrain, unspoilt outlook and location.He said he was initially approached in July last year by an agent working for the studios who had been investigating the region and liked Wanaka because it was within 100km of a range of natural features essential to movie and television making, including West Coast rainforest, Central Otago’s dry stony formations, McKenzie Country’s vast plains, glacial features, lakes, mountains and so on.Peter said privacy was also a key factor as very little of Corbridge Estates could be seen from public roads.“You can only see the first 500m of the farm,” he said. “You can't see the two kilometres that goes to the river. And it's just got these major depressions and hills and it's got structure with them.”“I think they have looked pretty thoroughly at a lot of other places, and I guess we also ticked the box as they want to be in close proximity to a town.” Corbridge Estates was the venue for the M!NT Charitable Trust fundraiser last week.They don't want to have to create the infrastructure for the employees who will have needs for their families and their future like everyone else, Peter said.He added that Wanaka’s Gigatown campaign which brought digital connectivity to the township years ahead of schedule, was also a factor.Peter said he had suggested deals with options, such as leasing the land, but understood the company was only interested in purchasing the whole area outright.“They have a conditional contract to buy Corbridge. They want to own it and that's fine. They've got their business case and that’s what they want to do” adding that the ball was in their court now.Silverlight’s proposal to build an industrial film park, complete with studios, production offices, a film school, a screening theatre, and an exhibition centre, has been granted government approval to apply for a fast-tracked consent application via the Environmental Protection Authority, which would create an independent expert consenting panel to decide on whether or not to green light the project.As the conditional deal relies on Silverlight getting planning approvals, Peter said “it’s not a done deal yet”.“At the moment, we have a conditional contract with the movie company that might evaporate next week through a decision made in Wellington that we don't have any control over. “So we have to continue on our path,” he said referring to the original plan for the development of Corbridge Estates in the event the film park doesn’t proceed.Peter had been liaising with former world number one professional golfer Greg Norman’s team to create New Zealand’s first 27-hole Greg Norman resort championship golf course. They particularly liked Corbridge Estates because the terrain was ideal for a resort course.Peter applied last year through the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Proposed District Plan for consent to develop the resort course under the Rural Visitor Zone category but was turned down by council. He plans to appeal the decision with the Environment Court.His disappointment with the council doesn’t rest with this decision alone. Last week the QLDC admitted mistakenly releasing sensitive information concerning Peter’s golf resort proposal to a third party without authorisation and before it had been made public.The error affected the negotiations between Peter and Silverlight Studios, resulting in an “unquantifiable loss” for Corbridge Estates. Peter is currently exploring legal options.Although council declined the golf resort proposal, it has endorsed the film park proposal.In October 2020, the QLDC sent a letter, signed by the mayor and deputy mayor, to the Environment Minister expressing “council’s strong support for the concept and the economic benefits we can foresee from such a development”.The letter also acknowledged that the fast-track consenting process is intended to facilitate faster and more certain outcomes than the council’s usual consenting process under the Resource Management Act.Peter said Corbridge Estates, which is still an operational farm cropping 250ha of barley and triticale (a wheat hybrid), is zoned rural and that zoning will have to change if either option were to proceed.PHOTOS: Supplied

A third retirement village is planned for Wanaka, and if approved will increase the number of units by 100, and the other retirement villages in the township have both the capacity and plans for expansion.Winton Properties Ltd is seeking to construct and operate a 100-unit retirement village and private 36-bed hospital - Northbrook Wanaka Retirement Village - at Northlake, adjacent to Outlet Road.The plans are being fast-tracked under the Covid-19 Recovery Act 2020. Winton spokesperson Sonya Fynmore told the Wanaka App the company hopes to lodge the final application for the project with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) by the end of this week. She said the village is expected to create 700 jobs during construction and an estimated 38 during operation.The Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village has experienced a period of high demand. PHOTO: SuppliedThere are two long-established retirement villages in Wanaka: the Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village, on Golf Course Road, and the Wanaka Retirement Village, on Meadowstone Drive, which together currently house around 212 people.The Aspiring Village, which welcomed the first residents ten years ago, has 180 residents within its 124 villas and 16 apartments. Neighbouring the village is the Aspiring Enliven Care Centre, which is jointly owned with Presbyterian Support Otago. The care centre has 52 beds, 20 of which are dementia care and the remainder hospital and rest home.Aspiring Lifestyle managing director Aaron Armstrong said the village has experienced a period of high demand in line with the real estate market in Wanaka.The Wanaka Retirement Village is considering expansion. PHOTO: Presbyterian Support Otago“The last nine months, post the original ‘lockdown’ have been very busy. We’ve seen quite a significant increase in interest in the village,” he said.“It’s been seen nationwide by retirement villages, and the general consensus is people of retirement age who experienced lockdown on their own felt somewhat isolated. Our village residents certainly appreciated the sense of community.”Aaron said people who may have been unsure about whether or not to move into a village have now “decided to take action”.He said there is additional land within the village and resource consent for further apartments, but at this stage no decisions have been made around timeframes for expansion.The Wanaka Retirement Village, adjacent to Elmslie House rest home, is owned and operated by Presbyterian Support Otago. The village, which opened in December 2010, has 32 residents within its 11 apartments, 14 villas and three cottages. Presebyterian Support Otago finance director Andrew Borthwick told the Wanaka App the organisation is currently looking at the possibility of building new units to respond to demand.Newer to the scene is the Roys Bay Estate, a luxury lifestyle resort, on Mt Aspiring Road, near Roys Bay, which began construction in 2017.While the community was initially managed under the Retirement Villages Act, the estate has now “deregistered” as a retirement village.Director Catherine Hannon told the Wanaka App that Roys Bay Estate is “a lifestyle community”, with normal unit titles and a body corporate.“It’s still aimed at young middle-aged people [55+], and people can still retire here. But it’s aimed at the active retirees or people who may not really be ready to retire yet, and may want to use it in the meantime as holiday accommodation,” she said. The 2018 Census identified that approximately 21 per cent of the Queenstown Lakes District population was retirement age or older.By 2036 it’s projected that around one in 4.5 New Zealanders will be aged 65 or older.

A new Wanaka-based business launched this week to showcase local food producers, growers, artisans and farmers in the Central Otago region.Forage & Feast Food Adventures, the brainchild of local food aficionado Naomi Lindsay, will provide immersive culinary adventures for locals and visitors.Starting out with half and full day adventures around Wanaka and Hāwea, Forage & Feast aims to educate and inform consumers about the skills, effort and time-honoured practices that go into producing locally grown, slow cooked food.“Food has long been a passion of mine and with a background in communications, marketing and tourism it was the natural next step to combine these skills to create Forage & Feast,” director Naomi Lindsay said.Guests learn about the wild medicinal and food flora growing under their noses with forager Rochana Moon.“There is amazing, locally-produced food here in Wanaka, and behind every producer lies a story: this new venture will be all about showcasing this incredible side of our region.”Naomi will take people around Wanaka and Hāwea meeting the farmers, foragers, growers, herders, butchers, bakers, apiarists and more to find out more about their food journey. A seasonal wild walk will also highlight the edible foods and medicinal plants growing locally.Eating a lunch cooked by local cooks and chefs in a unique location, using ingredients collected that day and goods locally grown or made, is the highlight of both adventures.Forage and Feast director Naomi Lindsay at Pirate Produce, Lake Hāwea.The half day adventure takes in five immersive culinary experiences, while the full day features seven, and around 15-18 local products are tasted in total.Naomi also plans to deliver a series of regular food workshops, pop-up dinners, and events to meet the people behind our food community and connect foodies.A percentage of profits from Forage & Feast will be gifted to local community groups including Food For Love and Community Networks, as well as national charity Eat New Zealand, that supports the New Zealand food industry. Forage & Feast will also provide Tiaki Bees beehives to local schools and groups to aid with education and fundraising, and will support Grow Wanaka and the Hāwea Food Forest with their work.Find out more here.PHOTOS: Supplied

A proposed film park in the outskirts of Wanaka could be as beneficial for the region as the Lord of the Rings trilogy was, supporters say.It was revealed yesterday (Wednesday March 3) that Auckland company Silverlight Studios has a conditional offer to purchase 332ha near Wanaka Airport with plans to turn the rural land into a film park complete with studios, production offices, a film school, a screening theatre, and an exhibition centre.A letter to the government signed by Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult and deputy mayor Calum MacLeod gave their wholehearted support to the proposal, saying the park could provide a boost like the one from Lord of the Rings, much of which was filmed in Queenstown Lakes.“We anticipate that [the facility] can produce the same lift in economic activity and resilience for Wanaka while also enhancing Aotearoa New Zealand’s reputation and capability as a great place to produce quality screen content,” they said. The mayor and deputy mayor said the film park could bring Wanaka the same kind of benefits to the region that the Lord of the Rings movies did 20 years ago. PHOTO: SuppliedThe Lord of the Rings trilogy was dubbed “the best unpaid advertisement that New Zealand has ever had" by a former Tourism New Zealand manager and the number of visitors to New Zealand shot up by 40 per cent in the five years following the first film’s release in 2001. It was also widely credited with putting New Zealand on the map as a film-making destination, and supporting a burgeoning industry which is now competitive internationally, provides a slew of well-paid jobs and attracts high profile movies like Avatar. Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke told the Wanaka App the proposed film park would put Wanaka in the spotlight worldwide.“Aside from the financial injection into the district, there will be opportunities for a large number of jobs and career paths for our people, which we haven’t had on our doorstep before,” he said.He added the venture had the potential to help diversify not just Wanaka’s economy but the whole region’s.Film Otago Southland chair Brad Hurndell said a film studio of any kind would be “a game-changer” for the local film industry, attracting a higher volume and greater range of film business, and building capability and creating jobs for locals.Harvesting at Corbridge Estate recently. PHOTO: Wanaka AppIgnite Wanaka executive officer Naomi Lindsay said such a studio would provide a boost to the economy through permanent population growth, help support other sectors of the community including accommodation, hospitality, retail and professional services, and provide opportunities for local young people to gain skills, training and expertise in an industry that’s known worldwide.“The ability to produce world class films and adverts will also attract international expertise which adds to our community’s diversity,” she said, likening it to the impact of NASA’s regular involvement in the region.Silverlight Studios is owned by industry veterans Ra Vincent, Jonathan Harding and Mike Wallis, who made the offer to purchase the farmland (known as Corbridge Estate and owned by Peter Marshall) which is located 6km east of Wanaka, in August last year. The company was given government approval to apply for a fast-tracked consent application under special Covid-19 rules but the Environmental Protection Authority, which would evaluate the proposal, has not yet received an application.It is estimated the park could employ 300 people during construction and up to 1200 during filming.

The community will be able to discus the proposed Tarras International Airport development with the developers at two community drop-in sessions organised for March 23 and 24. In an email sent out by Christchurch International Airport Ltd, the developers of the proposed airport in Tarras, it announced the drop-in session dates.“We're looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible so we can let you know what we’ve heard so far, give you the chance to add feedback, outline our next steps and answer any questions we can.“We know there is huge interest in details, like runway alignment and flight paths, and rest assured that we are looking forward to sharing that information during 2021 as we complete the necessary studies and modelling."Christchurch Airport said they will continue to engage with the community during 2021 and beyond, and the two Drop In days will show the community the feedback they’ve heard so far.“They will also give people another chance to meet us, add to the feedback, ask questions and understand the project’s next steps,” said the statement.Community Drop-in sessions at Tarras Community HallTuesday, 23 March 2021 - From midday to 7pm.Wednesday, 24 March 2021 - From midday to 8pm.

Europe’s biggest winter music festival, Snowboxx, has announced an avalanche of Aotearoa artists for its first-ever New Zealand edition in collaboration with Rhythm & Alps.The week-long slopeside party at the Cardrona and Treble Cone skifields this spring (September 7-14) will feature an eclectic mix of electronic music.The event was originally planned for 2020, but was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions.From house to hip hop, drum & bass to disco, Snowboxx NZ said it will recreate the Snowboxx European extravaganza which takes place annually in Avoriaz, featuring an action-packed programme of performances across a series of mountain-top stages. “We have brought together some of New Zealand’s best home-grown talent for one hell of a party,” Rhythm & Alps promoter Alex Turnbull said. “Rather than hedging our bets on borders being open and booking international artists, we want to bring people together, safely, for a festival that will be the envy of the rest of the world - much like Rhythm & Alps which welcomed the start of the year.”The event will be Snowboxx’s first NZ edition.The first artists announced include headliners Shapeshifter, who will perform a live DJ set, a scaled-down version of their full band experience.Accompanying them on main stage duties are firm festival favourites Lee Mvtthews (known for banging out infectious tunes and bass-driven drops) and young production powerhouse Montell2099, with more Kiwi headliners still to be revealed. The event promises electrifying live performances, with the queen of New Zealand’s roots and dancehall scene - Rubi Du, Def Jam’s Polynesian poet Melodownz, and experimental electronic producers Kédu Carlö. Meanwhile, local DnB dons, Concord Dawn, Sly Chaos, Fairbrother and Tali & Chicorelli, will be cranking it up a notch alongside The Peacekeepers. Joining them on a collective mission to make people dance is Frank Brooker, the Sweet Mix Kids, Out of Sorts, Sin, Pork Crackle and Club 121 pioneers, Cameron Morris and Jesper Tjarnfors of 121 Soundsystem.The full artist line-up and programme is to be announced. Meanwhile find out more here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Wanaka councillor and Queenstown District Council deputy mayor Calum MacLeod is calling for a limit on inbound tourism.“Last year New Zealand reached four million tourists. The maxim was summed up in one word by Saatchi & Saatchi [of] the ‘100% Pure NZ’ campaign: “More!”“This is as unsustainable as it is unacceptable,” Calum said. “We have strived for value over volume for decades – and failed. Value must replace volume.”Calum said scaling back from four million to three million visitors would have been impossible pre-Covid-19. While Saatchi & Saatchi wasn’t asked to speculate on a possible upper limit of tourists, the designer of the 100% Pure campaign recently stated it thought that limit could be when the number of visitors approached the number of New Zealanders, Calum said.“Establishing and maintaining an upper limit is essential. Now is our best ever opportunity,“ he said.Calum’s comments follow the release of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s latest report, ‘Not 100% but four steps closer to sustainable tourism’, which follows a report addressing the environmental and cultural impacts of tourism, released in December 2019.Calum encouraged locals to read the latest report and submit their views.The report urges the government to take advantage of the current pause in international tourism to transform the tourism sector into one with a substantially smaller environmental footprint in order to address the long-standing environmental and social issues within the industry.The report makes several proposals to address the challenges: they include a departure tax that reflects the environmental cost of flying; and making central government funding for tourism infrastructure conditional on environmental criteria, which is aligned with the community’s vision for tourism development.It also proposes clarifying and strengthening the Department of Conservation tools to address the loss of wildness and natural quiet, and tightening rules around commercial activity; and strengthening the existing standard for self-contained freedom camping, improving oversight of the certifying process and requiring rental car agencies to collect infringement fees and fines.Calum MacLeod PHOTO: Supplied“We must push for the government to adopt all of these recommendations,” Calum said.“This is vital because climate change is our ‘Nuclear Free’ moment; departure taxes are commonplace in Europe; the adoption of a departure tax will enhance New Zealand’s credibility and standing; and it could become a vital lever to set an upper limit for inbound tourism.”Calum says while tourism minister Stuart Nash is challenging the notion of a departure tax, the remaining three proposals are “no brainers” which he believes will be adopted. Calum said the tourism industry’s rejection of the departure tax “is based on an old lie - any increase in airfares will kill demand”, but added data estimates indicate demand is relatively unresponsive to changes in the price of airfares. He said the introduction of a departure tax would help to reduce aviation emissions by constraining visitor demand and, depending on how it was designed, by incentivising technological change.“In addition, the tax would provide a source of revenue which could be directed towards mitigating aviation emissions and supporting wider climate adaptation efforts as well as a number of other potential benefits.“New Zealand could and should take a leadership role in galvanising countries wishing to promote a higher level of ambition on international aviation emissions.”The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us we can limit inbound tourism, he said in a letter to the Wanaka App.“Firstly it is important to acknowledge there are a lot of our community doing it hard. We will getthrough this. The question is - what happens after the borders reopen?” he asked.International tourism will rebound, and while opinion varies on how fast that will happen the CEO of Emirates recently stated he expects to see 2019 levels back by 2024, Calum said.Calum assumes New Zealand will remain a desirable destination, and remain reliant on long-haul aviation. And as international tourism returns, the government will turn to tourism income to “fill NZ’s Covid-19 depleted coffers”, he said.He said while the economic recovery and the immediate needs of our community present a challenge, we must continue to take the threat of climate change into account; prioritise value over volume, and take a “holistic approach”.“This cannot be simple economics,” Calum said.Read more: Push for sustainable tourism gathers pace.

Snow Sports New Zealand has announced the appointment of Garett Shore as the Snow Sports NZ chief operating officer.Garett lives in Wanaka and has been heavily involved in the snow sports industry for more than 29 years, the majority of which has been spent developing his own company Rookie Academy, a successful ski and snowboard training company. In conjunction with running Rookie Academy, Garett has been actively involved in the New Zealand Snowsports Instructor Alliance (NZSIA) at a governance and management level. He has represented New Zealand on the international stage as a member of the NZSIA Interski Team at three Interski Congresses.  Read more: No business like snow business: Garett ShoreSnow Sports NZ CEO and high performance director Nic Cavanagh said Snow Sports NZ was thrilled to welcome Garett to the senior leadership team.“Described as a perfectionist for his meticulous planning and preparation, Garett is switching from instructing and assessing to helping guide New Zealand’s elite athletes and enable them to deliver world class performances on the international stage,” Nic said.Garett said he was excited about the opportunity to work for Snow Sports NZ. “The past and present team of athletes, coaches and support staff have done an incredible job of putting competitive snow sports on the map, both in New Zealand and globally. I look forward to being in a position to build on this legacy and help foster and grow snow sports in New Zealand,” he said.“I am a definite believer that if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.”He added he was motivated by the opportunity to respond to some of the obstacles the industry will face in the near future.Garett will take up his new position on March 8, 2021.PHOTO: Supplied

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) is urging the government to take advantage of the pause in international tourism to transform the sector to one with a substantially smaller environmental footprint.New Zealand’s tourism industry has grown rapidly in recent decades but Covid-19 has brought international tourism activity to a halt, threatening the livelihoods and commercial viability of many of New Zealand’s tourism-related businesses.But tourism is not as environmentally benign as it’s made out to be, the commissioner said in a report released last week (Thursday February 18), and the discontinuity created by the pandemic offers an opportunity to address some of the long-standing environmental and social issues associated with the industry.The report puts forward four proposals to address some of the problems outlined in the commissioner’s 2019 report, ‘Pristine, popular… imperilled? The environmental consequences of projected tourism growth’:Introduce a departure tax that reflects the environmental cost of flying internationally from New Zealand, and use the revenue to support the development of low-emissions aviation technologies and provide a source of climate finance for Pacific Island nations.Make any future central government funding for tourism infrastructure conditional on environmental criteria and aligned with mana whenua and the local community’s vision for tourism development.Clarify and strengthen the tools the Department of Conservation can use to address the loss of wildness and natural quiet at some of New Zealand’s most spectacular natural attractions, including tightening up rules around commercial activity on conservation lands and waters.Strengthen the existing standard for self-contained freedom camping, improve oversight of the certifying process and require rental car agencies to play a greater role in collecting freedom camping infringement fees and fines.Both the tourism and conservation ministers said the report adds to calls to overhaul the tourism model that existed prior to Covid-19.“The PCE tourism report joins a chorus of analysis which has established that previous settings, which prioritised volume over value, are not sustainable,” tourism minister Stuart Nash said.The report wants the existing standard for self-contained freedom camping strengthened. PHOTO: Wanaka App“The push for more sustainable tourism when our borders reopen is gathering pace.”He said while it was too early to respond in detail to the PCE recommendations, which require consideration by a number of government agencies, the report is “a timely challenge to many assumptions which underpin our tourism industry”.He said his priorities include ensuring the full cost of tourism is priced into the visitor experience and it is not left to ratepayers and taxpayers to pick up the tab or subsidise tourism activities, and repositioning the industry. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has asked DOC to tighten up rules around commercial activity on conservation lands and waters. PHOTO: Lake Wanaka Tourism“Tourism will not return to ‘business as usual’ as it was in 2019. The sector was under pressure even before Covid closed our borders. Problems like congestion in national parks, degraded natural attractions, creaking local infrastructure, seasonal peaks and troughs, and abuse of the freedom camping regime led to a poor visitor experience and an unfair burden on small communities,” Stuart said.Conservation minister Kiri Allan said the report was an opportunity for everyone to look at the role conservation has in tourism.“It acknowledges that tourism in the time of Covid needs a reset… To safeguard options for future generations we need to re-imagine how we balance visitor volumes with the value we place on the environment. This report adds to that conversation,” she said.Stuart said there are parallels between the PCE report and government priorities for the tourism and conservation sectors, with the report complementing other advice commissioned as part of the Covid recovery and rebuild.“This shows that we all want similar outcomes: a tourism industry that is sustainable, authentic, and one that benefits the community as well as the visitor,” he said.

The government has ruled out an extension of the wage subsidy for struggling tourism businesses at alert levels one and two, but has undertaken to look at other assistance options.Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult confirmed the news this week that the wage subsidy would only be available in the future at alert levels three and four.The mayor met online with prime minister Jacinda Ardern and tourism minister Stuart Nash earlier in the week and outlined the struggles faced by communities which are heavily reliant on tourism, and the visitor and accommodation sectors.Jim said he is confident central government understands the needs of this district’s communities, but acknowledged there is no “silver bullet” in addressing the challenges for the tourism industry.“While I am confident that both the prime minister and minister Nash truly understood what we’re facing here, they have ruled out any re-instigation of the wage subsidy that we had during that first initial wave of the effects of Covid-19 outside of the Minister of Finance’s December announcement confirming it would be available where alert levels three or four are in place,” he said.Jim said the news was disappointing and will be “a bitter pill for those who may have been holding out for that as a lifeline”.However, they have undertaken to explore some possible assistance in other ways, he added.“I recognise this is a unique situation, for our district, for Aotearoa New Zealand, and at a global level. In that context I appreciate there are hard decisions that central government has to make in the ongoing efforts to stamp out Covid-19 and keep our communities safe. These are tough calls and it is times like these we need to pull together and support each other whenever we can,” he said.“Locally we are enormously thankful for the many Kiwis who have and are intending to visit us. Operators here are committed to adjusting the offerings to suit the domestic market and their budgets.”PHOTO: Wanaka App

Tourism minister Stuart Nash has dashed hopes of a targeted wage subsidy for Queenstown Lakes District businesses and said they need to face the "cold, hard reality" of 2021. The minister, speaking to Newshub’s The AM Show this week, said there are tourism businesses "bleeding all over the country".But, there are unlikely to be any international tourists in New Zealand until next year at the earliest. The question for government then, Stuart said, is how much taxpayers' money they should use to "subsidise or prop up businesses that are probably not going to be viable for at least another 11 months".Stuart told show host Duncan Garner: "If you've got a business that is solely or predominantly reliant on overseas tourists and you haven't been able to pivot from an international base to a domestic base, then I'm afraid you're probably going to have to have some very hard conversations with your bank, your creditors, your directors and your employees."The cold, hard reality is that we're probably not going to see overseas tourists in this country until next year." He said the government is "working very hard" on an Australian bubble.  "That will alleviate it if we can get that across the line, but I see there’s another outbreak in Victoria today..."Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult and business leaders have been lobbying the Labour government in recent weeks for a return to the wage subsidy for tourism businesses. But Stuart said finance minister Grant Robertson "has been very clear on the wage subsidy". "That will kick in again if we have a change in alert level but at this point in time, everything being equal, i.e. we stay at alert level one, then we are not talking about a wage subsidy at all," he told The AM Show. Duncan Garner questioned how much of the $14B wage subsidy was left over and whether that could be used to create a package for Queenstown Lakes businesses. But Stuart said it is in a contingency fund, should there be another lockdown. "We're not out of the woods yet, this is what we keep saying to Kiwis." Queenstown tourism firm Canyon Explorers became the latest business to mothball operations, from Monday, although it will honour existing bookings and groups through to Easter. Managing director Stefan Crawford said it had been "a tough but necessary call" given the ongoing decline in visitors to Queenstown over the coming months and the uncertainty around a trans-Tasman bubble.He said Canyon Explorers had been doing its best to navigate through its first domestic-only season, adjusting offers to encourage kiwis to 'Do Something New'.Historically, 95 per cent of the company's clients come from outside New Zealand, so he was aware this season was always going to be a challenge."Through the generosity of local businesses, we are pleased to have found work opportunities for our guiding team over the medium term," he said.Last week, Queenstown giant Skyline announced it was returning to a skeleton staff, as those on fixed term contracts finished their terms. Skyline Enterprises boss Geoff McDonald said the company didn't have any plans to close its Queenstown operations, but it is monitoring the situation. Skyline Queenstown was one of 130 tourism businesses to receive funding through the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme. It received $500k and access to a $500k grant. The allocation of STAPP funding, particularly some of the early allocations such as $5.1M (+ $5.1M grant) to Queenstown's AJ Hackett Bungy is the subject of an inquiry by the auditor general, announced last week. Stuart Nash, on The AM Show, pointed to the $400M the government has made available to tourism businesses, plus the $1.8B of the wage subsidy that went towards them. He urged businesses in trouble to take advantage of the $5000 of free advice on offer, through chambers of commerce and the Regional Business Partner Network. And he said he is still in talks with the finance minister. "... nothing is certain, we haven't got a bottomless pit of money as you can appreciate ... but the cold hard reality is you're just not going to see bus loads of Germans, Japanese or Americans or English travelling up and down our highways in 2021."

Results from a survey of the quality of life of people who call Queenstown Lakes home have provided an insight into the changing lives of the district’s residents.The Quality of Life survey was conducted in September 2020 on behalf of Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for the third consecutive year, and findings released this month show significant changes in some areas.Compared with 2019, the results indicate home ownership has dropped by four per cent, from 64 per cent to 60 per cent. Meanwhile, 29 per cent of respondents who rented said they would need to move in the next 12 months, and the main influence was affordability - which dramatically increased from three per cent in 2019 up to 26 per cent.Working status also changed significantly in a number of areas, including self-employment which increased from 18 per cent to 22 per cent. The number of students increased from one per cent to four per cent, but respondents who reported they were not currently employed totalled six per cent - previously this had been less than one per cent.Home ownership has dropped by four per cent, the survey indicates. PHOTO: Wanaka App“While the focus of the study has traditionally been to collect data on the wellbeing of communities, the most recent one had a particular focus on the impact of Covid-19” QLDC CEO Mike Theelen said.The impacts of Covid-19 were generally synonymous with changes to employment, survey administrators Versus Research said. “The study found that many people had an overwhelming sense of job insecurity, which likely added to a decline in people’s overall sense of wellbeing. For some, it lessened their confidence and ability to speak up for themselves, while others were on edge wondering what their future held.”Residents are exercising more than ever: More than half respondents (55 per cent) indicated they exercised 5-7 days a week, up by six per cent from 2019. PHOTO: Wanaka AppAmong respondents who owned a business, 76 per cent had reduced overheads where possible, 45 per cent had made changes to staff employment and 37 per cent had reduced or stopped marketing activity.  In terms of the impact on individual employment, 30 per cent had temporarily reduced hours while 34 per cent said someone in their household had temporality reduced hours. Similar percentages were seen for temporarily reduced pay: 15 per cent of respondents had their employment ended and 18 per cent said someone else in their household had their employment ended. Despite all the changes, the quality of life of respondents remains steady, with 81 per cent of respondents saying they have ‘good’ or ‘extremely good’ quality of life. PHOTO: Wanaka AppThe survey, which measured various elements of wellbeing from cultural to social and environmental, also indicated residents were exercising more than ever; they wanted to see more done to add to the cultural aspects of the district; and on the topic of climate change, the level of concern by residents had dropped markedly.Despite some significant changes in the most recent results, the number of respondents who rated their overall quality of life as good or extremely good remained strong, increasing by one per cent to 49 per cent and 32 per cent respectively.There were similar changes of just one per cent in respondents who rated their quality of lives as poor, extremely poor and average.Twenty-eight per cent of the 1,630 respondents came from the Wanaka ward.Read the full report here.

A decision refusing an application by a Queenstown business to deliver alcohol in the same manner as food could have far reaching effects.Yesterday’s (Tuesday February 9) decision by the Queenstown Lakes District Licensing Committee to decline Drinks on Q’s application to supply alcohol for on-demand home delivery, even though three similar licences have been granted elsewhere in the country, sets a precedent in this district.Drinks on Q, which was established last year by Food on Q owners Daniel Taiaroa and Daniel Sykes, applied for a ‘remote-sellers off-licence’ with the intention to sell alcohol via a website for instant delivery. Food on Q, which offers instant delivery of food from a variety of Queenstown restaurants, receives between 700 to 1000 on-line orders for food a week.Daniel Taiaroa, who is a director of a number of bars including Lalaland Lounge Bar in Wanaka, told the committee Food on Q received numerous requests from people ordering meals asking for a bottle of wine to go with it.“Having a restaurant prepared meal with a bottle of locally sourced wine without leaving the house is a fantastic service,” he said.The application initially attracted opposition from the police and a medical officer of health. The medical officer withdrew her opposition after the application was modified to ensure deliveries were only to homes not public places; the hours of operation were reduced; only locally produced wines and beers would be sold; and there would be more vigorous staff training for delivery drivers.The police were concerned that issuing a licence would lead to an alternative way for people to purchase alcohol, particularly those who were already too intoxicated to go out and purchase more supplies from an off-licence. “We foresee that people at a party or gathering will use this as a means to have more alcohol delivered to them when they have run out of the alcohol….”, the police said. A police representative did not attend the hearing to support this statement, however.In summing up the application, the committee chairman Judge Bill Unwin said the application required the committee to form a view whether granting the application would increase the risk of alcohol related harm and/or whether the supply of alcohol will be undertaken safely and responsibly. The committee’s conclusion was the ability to order alcohol and have it home delivered “on demand” would increase the risk of alcohol related harm and the applicants’ proposal did not go far enough to ensure that such a risk was minimised.Even though the applicants advised deliveries would only be made to customers who were sober and had legal identification, Judge Unwin said the committee did not believe the supply of the alcohol would be undertaken safely or responsibly.He said the applicants viewed alcohol as just another commodity; they did not appear concerned about how much alcohol was going to be supplied as long as the person who ordered it was over 18 and sober. “If the company was serious about minimising the potential harm as much as possible, it could have suggested conditions such as restricting each order to a bottle of wine or six bottles of beer, and only to be delivered with food. We appreciate that such conditions might well make the enterprise uneconomic but they would certainly minimise the alcohol’s potential harm,” the judge said.     The committee was also concerned by “the domino effect”: that the granting of this application would open the door to other licencees seeking to make deliveries which would further normalise rather than minimise alcohol consumption, he said.PHOTO: Supplied

The Auditor-General will carry out an inquiry into aspects of the government’s Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme (STAPP).While STAPP, created to protect New Zealand’s core tourism assets during the border closures caused by Covid-19, has been a lifeline for some businesses, concerns have been raised about the eligibility criteria, application process, and whether the distribution of the $400M fund has been equitable.Some local tourism operators wrote to the Tourism Industry Authority and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) last year complaining about elements of STAPP.One local operator, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Wanaka App they were misled by the early allocation of STAPP funding to large operators, such as Queenstown’s AJ Hackett Bungy which controversially received $5.1M.Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke told the Wanaka App STAPP funding was put together as a rapid response to help the tourism industry survive, and “as with any emergency response, more is often learned over time as to how it could be improved...” A number of Wanaka operators received a STAPP boost, including Alpine Helicopters & Southern Lakes Heliski - $500,000; Backcountry Helicopters - $500,000; Puzzling World - $500,000; Southern Alps Air Ltd - $500,000; Wanaka River Journeys - $215,101; and Wilkin River Jets - $500,000.“Because of the concerns we have heard, the amount of public funding involved, and the importance of robust processes to ensure public trust and confidence is not eroded, we have decided to carry out an inquiry,” Auditor-General John Ryan said.He said his office will examine how applications from tourism businesses have been assessed against the programme’s criteria; look at the information available to applicants about the programme’s eligibility criteria and assessment process; look as how applications from tourism businesses have been assessed, including three businesses that received funding approval before the formal application round began; and consider whether there is any evidence that applications have been assessed inconsistently.He said his office will not be examining the merits of individual applications or particular funding decisions.Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash said the inquiry was expected after a number of unsuccessful applicants, and others who did not apply, raised concerns.Stuart Nash said the inquiry was expected. PHOTO: Supplied“It is a good idea to have an independent set of eyes on the programme. I am open to this external scrutiny. The Auditor General is the right person to do this,” he said, adding he was open to hearing recommendations for how to change processes in the future.“I’m sure there are things that can be learned, to improve future decision-making, and I look forward to seeing the outcome of the inquiry,” he said.“In the first wave of Covid-19 we took a ‘no regrets’ approach to decisions about economic support. It was important to get money out the door, fast, to support jobs and businesses. We knew our support would not save all tourism businesses, and it was not designed to do. It was designed to shore up our key tourism assets, to bide time till borders could be safely opened once more,” he said.He said ministers said at the time that, like the Wage Subsidy, the STAPP operated on a high trust model.

Carrick Winery and Vineyard, in Bannockburn, has been purchased for an undisclosed amount by Wanaka homeowners Tony and Alison Cleland, who take over ownership at the end of this month.The Cleland’s have been farming in northern Southland for the last 30 years but have been homeowners in Wanaka for at least 17 years. Tony is also a founder of the farm investment company FarmRight and chairman of FMG Advice and Insurance.It’s from their home in Wanaka they’ve become regular patrons of Carrick Winery and decided the vineyard presented a new opportunity they felt was the right next move for them.“We were looking for a new challenge,” Tony said.He said the combination of the Bannockburn location, which is poised to become a popular destination, and the production of good wine, “the chardonnay is a standout”, meant the chance to purchase Carrick was too good to let pass.Carrick’s first vines were planted more than 25 years ago. PHOTO: James Jubb Tourism Central OtagoSet on almost 24ha on Lake Dunstan’s Bannockburn inlet, Carrick was first listed for sale in 2019. Re-listed in November last year, it had attracted considerable interest from various parties, despite the downturn in visitors caused by COVID-19 restrictions, before its former owner Elizabeth Zhong died in unusual circumstances in Auckland and the business went into receivership.Despite this, the sale proceeded relatively smoothly, Tony said, adding it was the resilience and “infectious enthusiasm” of Carrick’s 15 staff that clinched the deal.He said it speaks volumes about the winery and vineyard that the staff “have stayed positive through these tough times and are still passionate about what they do.”“We are all very excited about this new transition, after two years of ownership uncertainty,” Carrick’s general manager Cliff Wickman said.Carrick’s restaurant and outdoor area, which can seat up to 70 guests, is popular for lunches, Tony says. PHOTO: SuppliedTony said he and Alison were already starting to consider future plans for the business. Carrick has an “exceptional chef, and it’s a great place to have lunch and we plan to carry that on,” Tony said, but they also intend to promote the new cycle trail connection from Cromwell to the vineyard, which is scheduled to be officially opened in March, and to use the winery as a venue for local events.Carrick also has accommodation nestled within its vines, a six-bedroom house and a three bedroom one, designed to a very high standard which would be ideal for groups, he said. “We are eager to promote Carrick’s onsite accommodation offerings, utilise opportunities around the long anticipated new cycle trail and host regular events at the winery.”Tony said he and Alison plan to eventually live onsite and work alongside the existing team “to take the business to the next level”.Carrick was originally founded by Barbara and Steve Green in 1994 and its winery, underground cellar and restaurant were completed in 2002. The vineyard produces about 500 barrels per year, predominantly Pinot Noir as well as Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Blanc, all of which are certified organic and sustainable. It’s chief winemaker Rose Menzies also lives in Wanaka.PHOTOS: Supplied

It makes sense that anyone starting a business in 2020 would have met some challenges. Bike Glendhu is one such business, but after a year in operation, managing director Charlie Cochrane said he feels very positive about where the bike park is now, and where it will be at the end of 2021.  "The park's in great shape," Charlie said. "People are really enjoying it."Bike Glendhu features a series of biking trails which twist and turn through 1,000 hectares of terrain on Glendhu Station, a 13-minute drive from downtown Wanaka along Mt Aspiring Road.Bike Glendhu founders John Wilson (right) and John McRae. PHOTO: SuppliedThe park is a shared venture by keen local rider John Wilson and station owners John and Emily McRae. The first year has been a trial of perseverance: The floods in December of 2019 meant the opportunity to be open for the Christmas period was lost, and a couple of months later the COVID-19 lockdown came into effect.  The re-launch had been "a really nice wee run," Charlie said, adding that locals were keen to get out of their houses and riding again. But after closing for winter, heavy rain prevented the planned reopening in September, with 30 per cent more rain falling at Glendhu this spring than in any other on record. "We were shut for three-quarters of the month because of the wet weather," Charlie said.Previous: Mountain biking adventure park to open this weekStill, he’s quick to see the silver linings.All that rain meant the crew were able to watch where, how and when the water ran, and they lay culverts or reshaped trails as necessary.The park has trails for all abilities. PHOTO: Jay French"It gave us some good visibility about where water will pop up,” Charlie said."We’re ahead of the curve now because everything dries out a lot quicker when it does rain. Everyone's looking for 'hero dirt', which is like the 'powder' of skiing. The moisture in the dirt gives you grip which can improve a rider's confidence.”The crew are working toward maintaining optimum biking conditions. "We want moisture in the ground, but we don't want it to be boggy."  The downtime was also spent “investing heavily in trail development,” Charlie said.But the biggest benefit from Bike Glendhu’s first year came from how much the team learned, he said. "We've been able to collect a lot of data to understand the business the best we can and move it forward in the future."  He believes Bike Glendhu is on target to become a world class biking area.  Locals and Kiwis from further afield supported the bike park during the tough past year."The support from the community has been overwhelming, and we’ve been really well supported by the domestic market.We have a lot of people following us on social platforms and on our websites. They are having a great experience and telling all their friends.”The licensed cafe had been popular, too, and had become “quite a cool social hangout”, Charlie said.With the new year comes more opportunities to grow the business."From a broad perspective we really want to focus on growing the bike community in Wanaka and the Queenstown Lakes District.  Between us and Cardrona, Wanaka now has two really good bike parks. They have different offerings, so they complement one another."Learn more about Bike Glendhu here.

A local entrepreneur and inventor is hoping the community will support his initiative to establish a surf wave leisure business on his family's property at Hāwea Flat.Ross McCarthy is the owner and founder of Airwave, a company which develops and markets surfable waves for the leisure industry. For the past 10 years he has been developing a wave created by water flowing over an inflatable form (like surfing on a bouncy castle) which can manipulate the shape of the wave with the touch of a button. “Our technology is the only tech in the world that can do this,” Ross said. Ross McCarthy, pictured with his daughter, has a masters degree in product design.“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 said the key purpose of setting up at Hāwea Flat is for further research and testing with a view to selling AirWave units worldwide. He is proposing to establish an AirWave outlet on his family’s property utilising the existing irrigation system as a water source.“One of the best features about putting AirWave on the farm is the fact that we can circulate irrigation water through the unit which means we do not need to treat the water or use chlorine,” Ross said.“The AirWave unit doesn't actually use any water, it simply sits on an irrigation dam which will be used to store water for irrigating another part of our farm. Whenever the irrigation system is working it will be recirculating water through the dam every seven hours keeping it very fresh and clean.”Ross is in discussion with the Queenstown Lakes District Council about the venture and is hoping that the local community will support the initiative.Proposed location at Hāwea Flat“We are building one of the most environmentally friendly attractions in the area and will support the local community,” Ross said. “We will have great deals for locals and local schools and will also introduce water safety programmes and surf trips and maybe a surf team.”“This farm is my home and to actually move Airwave to it will be a dream come true for Sarah and I, something we never expected to do. We have a daughter who is just turning one and to have the opportunity to bring her up on the same farm I was brought up on is fantastic.”Airwave is commercial in nature and its proposed location is zoned for rural activities. Public notification of the proposal may be required if any adverse effects are regarded as more than minor. Ross highlighted in the resource consent that the Hāwea Wave and LandEscape are similar in nature and in rural zoning.Read more about AirWave here.IMAGES: Supplied

Many local businesses are reporting a bumper New Year’s period, but are predicting there may be an early shoulder season.The Wanaka App has heard mixed reports from businesses, including record-breaking days for some hospitality and retail businesses.“Many businesses are reporting a slightly slower Christmas period than usual, but a bumper New Year’s with some reporting a 20 to 30 per cent average increase year on year across the ten to 12 days,” Ignite Wanaka executive officer Naomi Lindsay said.“A mix of holiday homes being full and Kiwis taking to the roads to explore their backyard in campsites, hotels and B&Bs has meant good visitor numbers coming for a week to 10 days,” she said.Lakeview Holiday Park manager Natalie Ward said the period between Christmas and New Year was very busy. Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park between Christmas and New Year.“I almost think it was fuller because every site was full of Kiwi families rather than couples and individual travellers.”However the sites have emptied out since January 3-4, she said. “It’s trickling off - it almost reminds me of Wanaka ten years ago. It’s a nice level of busy.”“The trend is showing the weekends will be busy, and I have a good feeling for the school holidays but the weekdays may be a lot quieter.”Natalie said she thinks a lot of people are waiting for the summer holidays to be done before travelling with their families for the remainder of the school holidays.New Kai Whakapai owner Nick Aubrey noted record numbers from Christmas through the following week, including large groups of young people from the Rhythm & Alps event. Now the crowds are predominately families, he said.Hospitality businesses experienced a short ‘summer boom’. “It’s quite noticeable that things are slowing down faster than they have previously. It was a big boom, but it was short.”But Nick said there are “still plenty of people around” and the challenge is to be smart about getting through what is likely to be a shoulder season which comes earlier than usual.Puzzling World manager Duncan Spear said the attraction has had “pleasing numbers” through the holiday period.“They’ve been holding pretty steady. We were probably down on numbers from Boxing Day to New Year’s, but [since] then have been up on last year.”Receiving a similar number of visitors to previous years means “the slack has been picked up by the domestic audience”, he said.It has also been “eye-opening” to realise how multicultural New Zealand really is, Duncan said, as the popular attraction has hosted many families from a range of Asian countries this summer.“Before we perhaps considered they were from their home countries, but now they can only be from the domestic audience.”Looking ahead, without the international tourists for Chinese New Year (late January/early February) which are a “big player” in Wanaka, Duncan said he is expecting visitor numbers to drop after the official holiday period ends.Naomi agreed that future business “isn’t looking great” once the school holidays end. “With borders remaining closed and Kiwis largely returning to work, there is limited visitor business coming our way in February and March,” she said.“Lake Wanaka Tourism and Tourism New Zealand continue to encourage New Zealanders to get out and do something new and we can only hope that Wanaka remains a must-visit destination.”There is, however, an impressive lineup of events during the next few months which will attract domestic visitors to Wanaka. These include The Ruby Swim event (January 30), Challenge Wanaka (February 18-120), the Motatapu mountain biking event (March 2), The Wanaka A&P Show (March 12-13), Ripe: Wine & Food Festival (March 21), Wheels At Wanaka, Easter Weekend 2021 (April 2-4), the Festival of Colour (April 12-18), and the Contact Epic bike event (April 17).Waitangi Weekend also means a public holiday on Monday February 8 - making another long weekend for visitors.PHOTOS: Wanaka App