The Wānaka App has just released an update that improves the reader experience on iPad and tablet devices.The update means the Wānaka App is now responsive to the screen size, orientation, and display modes for iPads and tablets.“It is exciting to be able to bring a much-anticipated update for readers on larger devices,” Wānaka App co-owner Tony O’Regan said.“Approximately 10% of our 25,000 monthly readers use those devices, so it is nice to deliver them a better experience.”Tony said that readers on iPads and tablets will notice ‘a lot of improvement’.“The whole screen layout is designed for the device, which makes it easier to navigate and view,” he said.“Images will now be responsive to the device, and pages will respond to screen size with two and three-column layouts depending on the page.”Readers will know if they have the latest update as it includes a new Home button in the navigation menu.A new Home button is a feature of the latest updateIf readers do not see the Home button then they will need to go to the app store, search for the Wānaka App, and click Update.The Wānaka App launched in 2016 and has been consistently improved, including a completely new mobile app design, the addition of a web app (website) for desktop, and now full optimisation for iPad and tablet devices.More than 183,000 unique readers have engaged with the Wānaka App in the past 12 months recording 7.5M page views.If you have a question about this update please email [email protected]: Wānaka App

A local family business has earned recognition for excellence in flooring.Wanaka Wood Floors earned two awards at the Australasian Timber Flooring Association (ATA) Awards, held last weekend in Australia. Company owner Stephen Blackey said he was proud of the wins “in recognition of the craftsmanship and skill of our whole team, and the hard work put in by all”.Its awards included Contractor of the Year - the pinnacle award of the evening - and the Recycled Floor of the Year award.Recycled Floor of the Year was voted for by all members of ATFA, who chose Wānaka Wood Floors for their work on a recycled floor on a Wānaka property. The timber was supplied, installed and finished on site by the company to reflect the character of the old building, made into a guesthouse, Stephen said. The Contractor of the Year award was decided by a panel of industry experts, taking into account the aesthetics of finished jobs, skill and qualifications of staff and contractors, training by the company of staff and apprentices, and more.ATFA president Clayton Villars said the company’s wins were “an excellent result for New Zealand”.Wānaka Wood Floors has been in business in Wānaka for over 20 years, working with architects, builders, interior designers, and homeowners. “We get to work on some very special projects and make ideas into beautiful unique floors,” Stephen said.PHOTO: Supplied

Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) has been recognised at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards for its short films.‘Way South’, a short film directed by Ben Jae for LWT, narrowly missed out on the ‘Award for Bravery and Innovation’ win but received a highly commended accolade.Way South aims to “edge a little bit closer towards a future that is truly inclusive”.“With a cast all representative of the LGBTQI+ community and the wonderful tapestry that is Aotearoa, Way South is a small but important step towards making the minority a majority way of thinking for the travel industry,” LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan said. LWT also received highly commended in the ‘Best Brand Partnership’ category for their work with Monster Children Group on their Short Film Awards.  Gizelle said the work with Monster Children gives aspiring filmmakers “the opportunity to tell stories of substance”.“This year the theme is regeneration; supporting all the work we are undertaking in this space to bring awareness to, and the immediate need for climate, and cultural conservation”.  Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards is Australasia’s only dedicated travel marketing awards.The competition attracts hundreds of entries from top PR, media and marketing agencies, with the top performers making it to a shortlist before judging by a panel of industry experts. Gizelle said the recognition in two categories is testament to the calibre and the importance of the work delivered over the past 12 months.PHOTO: Supplied

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty (NZSIR) has announced its acquisition of First National Real Estate Wānaka.The acquisition brings together the NZSIR and First National teams, working out of the First National premises on Ardmore Street.“We have been looking for a prime location to house our Wānaka team and future proof our business in the local market,” NZSIR co-founder and managing director Julian Brown said.“It was not only an ideal location and building for us to move into, but to purchase the business from Quentin Landreth and to amalgamate the First National team with our existing NZSIR Wānaka team is very exciting.”Former First National Wānaka director Quentin Landreth said the acquisition sees him shifting to sales full-time. “This was a fantastic opportunity to merge the skills, experience and in-depth local knowledge of our team with the power of a global real estate company,” he said. “Our focus has always been on delivering a first-class experience when buying and selling property in Wānaka and we are delighted to now be part of a premium, innovative brand that shares those values.”The First National office is in the process of being rebranded to NZSIR and approximately 22 staff will work from the new office, including 16 real estate agents. NZSIR launched in Queenstown in 2005, where its national headquarters remains.PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) has hinted at future plans for its Wānaka land in its draft masterplan, which was made public yesterday (May 24).The airport corporation owns 148.5 hectares of land adjacent to Wānaka Airport which is zoned rural and currently leased for farming activities and to NASA for their super pressure balloon launches.QAC said while it does not currently have plans for further development of the land it is considering its options.“We will continue to monitor demand for land surrounding Wānaka Airport and investigate opportunities to increase our returns based on consentable activities,” QAC said in the draft masterplan.“Sustainable development initiatives, including renewable energy activities, will be actively investigated and will play an important role in making the best use of this land.”The draft masterplan, which is now out for public consultation, proposes a series of infrastructure improvements at Queenstown Airport over the next decade under a $300M capital investment programme.It says QAC has not dedicated any capital expenditure in the financial forecast for the development of non-aero-nautical land holdings - like the Wānaka land.“Development of our non-aeronautical land holdings will only proceed when feasibility studies demonstrate appropriate commercial returns on a stand-alone basis will be achievable over time.”A significant proportion of the capital expenditure is expected to be invested in a terminal upgrade at Queenstown Airport. The terminal’s capacity for passenger movements is 2.2M per annum and the plan forecasts passenger movements to increase 100% over the next 10 years to 3.211M“We are proposing an extension to the terminal to make the best use of the current footprint and greatly improve the experience for those travelling, meeting and farewelling, and working at the airport,” QAC CEO Glenn Sowry said.Glenn SowryKey projects proposed in the draft masterplan include:extending and modernising the Queenstown terminalcreating better passenger flow and land transport connections, prioritising active and public transport networksrelocating general aviation activities away from the main residential area of Frankton, with helicopters consolidated north of the runway and fixed-wing aircraft in a new precinct south of the runwayconstructing a parallel taxiway to improve the efficiency of the airfield and to reduce emissions on the ground and in the airconstructing an extra aircraft parking standenhancing the safety of the runway by installing new technology, with engineered materials arresting systems (EMAS) at each endbuilding a new base for the Airport Emergency Service.The draft plan forecasts revenue to grow 228 percent over the next 10 years to $118M and QLDC’s dividend to increase from $2.3M this year to $14.8M in 2032.Public consultation on the draft masterplan is open until June 23 and is being done in partnership with the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC). More information about the plan and consultation process can be found here on Queenstown Airport’s website. Pop-up information sessions will also be held at public locations around the district over the next month. QAC is a Council Controlled Trading Organisation (CCTO) owned 75.01 percent by QLDC and 24.99 percent by Auckland International Airport Limited.PHOTO: Supplied

The Wānaka Airport Users Group (WAUG) says an independent survey of its members reveals that businesses based at Wānaka Airport generate $69.6M in revenue and employ 147 people in full time positions. The survey, conducted over summer, asked all private pilots, aircraft owners and businesses at the airport to confidentially share information about their activities. The information released said there are 713 suppliers (many local) providing goods and services to businesses at the airport; the combined annual salary paid by businesses based at Wānaka Airport to local employees is $9.3M; the estimated value of the 65 commercial aircraft based at the airport is $57M; there is a combined total of 1,594 years of flying experience among pilots at Wānaka Airport; and nearly three quarters of the businesses based at the airport are “confidently projecting growth”.WAUG chair Don Grant said the numbers are indicative of a “vibrant and growing” community of commercial businesses and private users at the airport. Inside airport maintenance hangar Twenty24.“Our community airport has grown over many decades, and has become a vibrant hub for commercial and private aviation,” he said.“Everyone knows about Warbirds Over Wānaka, which is a fabulous event, but there is also a lot more going on out here every day. “It’s clear that the activity at the airport has tangible benefits back into the Wānaka community. As well as all the private aviation, we have a broad range of aviation related businesses, including flight training schools, engineering businesses and other aircraft experts.”Don said the group wanted to help people understand the scale and value of “what goes on in the hangars” at the airport. “On the aircraft maintenance side alone, each year there are hundreds of aircraft maintained by businesses at this airport. There are also hundreds of people who have learnt to fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft here.”The group has launched the survey results and other information on a new website about Wānaka Airport.It also plans to launch a digital history of Wānaka Airport, dating right back to “the first planes to land here, long before it was an airport”.The group’s announcement was made just days before the expected release of the newly elected chair of the long-planned Wānaka Airport Liaison Committee. Read more: Long process to form airport liaison group still underwayThe Wānaka Airport Liaison Committee will have a wide ranging remit for Wānaka Airport that will touch on everything from airport development to environmental effects and will encourage collaboration between agencies.PHOTOS: Supplied

The company behind a proposal for a substantial mixed-use development on prime Ardmore Street land has submitted a new resource consent application. Wānaka Central JV Ltd’s original application sought consent for a 143-room hotel, 56 residential units, five retail spaces as well as seven food and beverage tenancies on a 5,100m2 site.Read more: Five-storey Ardmore Street development in the works Design plans for the proposed development have “improved considerably” in its second application, its architects say.The new plan still breaches the height restrictions for the Wānaka Town Centre-zoned site but the changes “have a material impact on the betterment of the design approach, massing and material selection,” architecture firm Cottee Parker said in application documents.The development site on Ardmore Street. PHOTO: Wānaka AppThe new application reduces the number of hotel rooms by 20, includes additional carparks, relocates the lobby to ground level and shifts a rooftop bar to a new location. These changes (alongside others including mansard-style room forms at the Ardmore Street frontage and a ‘cascading’ roof form) break down the “previous monolithic facade”, the architects said.The purchase of an additional site on Little Street provides another 554m2 and plan changes allow for vehicle access to the site from both Little Street and Monley Lane, plus a loading area.The development site is across the street from the Wānaka Hotel, another Ardmore Street property with expansion plans.Owners of the hotel have submitted a resource consent application for an expansion to the hotel which would add 21 guest rooms and suites as well as two new retail spaces.Read more: ‘Big plans for Wānaka’s oldest hotel’Both applications are being considered by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).

A new initiative designed to showcase the attractions of the South Island’s southern regions to tourists launched online on Tuesday May 9.The ‘Southern Way’ website aims to inspire visitors to slow down, explore further and stay longer in the southern destinations by sharing places of interest and a range of travel itineraries and experiences.Visit the website here.The $240K project is the result of a collaboration by eight southern Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) including Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown.It was funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE) and managed by Great South.“We were tasked with taking a new approach towards inspiring visitors' travel patterns and it is exciting to see this project finally come to life,” Great South tourism general manager Mark Frood said.“We are proud to bring our regions together to offer truly awe-inspiring experiences for our visitors.”He said Southern Way was informed by the RTOS’ destination management plans, which encouraged a slower, more sustainable tourism experience.Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism unveiled their destination management plan earlier this year.Destination Queenstown managing director Sarah O’Donnell said Southern Way aligned with many of the district’s destination management plan’s goals.“Visitors don’t see local boundaries and encouraging people to move around between our regions, travel slowly, engage with our communities and explore further is another step towards our collective goal of welcoming a high-contributing and more sustainable visitor market,” she said.The project is the brainchild of the late Graham Budd (previously the CEO of Destination Queenstown) who initiated the proposal for the project, having had a long-held wish for regions to work more closely together.“It is a proud day for our combined regions to see Graham’s wishes come to life through this project,” Mark said. PHOTO: Southern Way

The future of the Winter Games NZ has been secured for the next five years with the government committing to support the event.  The government announced this morning (Saturday May 6) it is backing the competition through support from the Major Events Fund, a special fund to keep high profile events in New Zealand because of their long-term economic, social and cultural benefits.“Securing a five-year funding commitment from central government allows us to plan our future with certainty,” Winter Games NZ CEO, Marty Toomey said. “This funding support will allow us to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand to the world through epic content captured during the biggest snow sports programme we have ever delivered.”The Minister for Sport and Recreation Hon Grant Robertson said the funding will ensure Kiwi snow sport athletes can compete in a significant competition in front of a home audience, which supports the athletes and inspires future talent.“The competition in Central Otago aligns strongly with Sport NZ and High-Performance Sport NZ strategies and is critical to our campaign planning and preparation for the Winter Olympics,” he said. “I am proud that organisers and athletes can now look forward to a great competition.” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said the government will contribute up to $6M from the Major Events Fund to support the Winter Games between 2023 and 2027, providing long-term confidence to organisers and commercial partners.“Proudly Kiwi, the Winter Games NZ is a homegrown event,” Barbara said.  "Winter Games NZ attracts between 500 and 600 athletes and generates an influential international following. It will support the region’s post-Covid-19 recovery and generate a number of new economic and social and cultural opportunities.The Winter Games was first held in 2009 and has grown to become the largest annual snow sports event in the Southern Hemisphere.  The 2023 event will run from August 25 to September 16 and includes Freeski, Snowboard, Alpine Ski racing and Freeride events. Further events and a full schedule are expected to be confirmed soon.PHOTO: Supplied

The lessee of three local campgrounds is assuring locals and campground users that the classic Kiwi camping experience at Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, Wānaka Lakeview Holiday Park, and Albert Town Camping Ground will be preserved even if a new lessee takes over.The proposed sale of the camping ground leases to an Australian buyer has been kept under wraps for months as the sale goes through the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) process, however locals have had word of the sale and expressed concerns about potential changes to the campgrounds.CCR Ltd currently holds the leases for the three campgrounds (on land owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council) and its directors include Wānaka residents Rudi and Aggie Sanders.Rudi and Aggie have been running campgrounds for 30 years and CCR has leased the three Upper Clutha campgrounds, as well as two in Queenstown, for nine years.Rudi told the Wānaka App he wanted to put people’s minds at ease over the proposed sale.“Glendhu Bay is going to be Glendhu Bay from now until the rest of eternity. It’s a great, unique campsite and they [the proposed new owners] don’t want to change that.”The Glendhu Bay Motor Camp attracts hundreds of campers each year. He said CCR had been negotiating for the past year with the Australian buyer, “a family business with 55 or so holiday parks in Australia and which is looking at 10-15 holiday parks in New Zealand”.The Scaife family gifted the Glendhu Bay campground land in 1920 on the proviso it was to remain in perpetuity as “an affordable camp for everyday Kiwis”, and Rudi said it is enshrined in the lease document “that the experience in Albert Town and Glendhu Bay will be the classic Kiwi camping experience”.“For Aggie and me, and also our business partners in Queenstown, our drive was to make sure we could see people enjoying their time off in a beautiful setting. That’s always what gave us satisfaction, and that’s what gives the new owners satisfaction too.”Rudi said while he did not expect price increases, the lease requires any increase to be “reasonable”.Deputy mayor Quentin Smith told the Wānaka App that council controls on the lease will continue to exist, as would specific provisions within the Reserves Act and District Plan.“In many ways there’s no change,” he said, and if a new owner had different aspirations for the sites the same controls would be in place.“Clearly the community is concerned about a change to the camping experience, but there’s no indication at this point that that will happen.“Council will continue to do the right thing around managing those reserves with camping in mind. Glendhu Bay really is the ultimate expression of the postcard summer camping holiday in New Zealand, and that’s something we want to protect for residents of both the district and the country.”The lease sale remains with the OIO.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Commerce Commission chair John Small says holidaygoers should take the time to read and understand the terms and conditions (Ts&Cs) of their accommodation booking – particularly any cancellation or refund policies.While there is a clear responsibility for businesses, John said the case against Bachcare serves as a timely reminder to all holidaymakers to “know what you’re signing up to before you make a booking”.“We also expect that businesses have contracts that do not put consumers at an unfair disadvantage,” he said. The Commission is seeking declarations from the High Court that some of Bachcare’s previous and current terms for booking properties through the site are unfair.These include terms that mean: If a guest cancelled their booking, regardless of how far in advance that was from the holiday date, the guest could lose up to 100 percent of the amount paid; Bachcare would keep its service fee regardless of whether the accommodation was cancelled by Bachcare or the guest; If the booking was cancelled outside of either party’s control – for example an extreme weather event – and it was not possible to reschedule the booking, the guest could lose 100 percent of the amount paid.If the Commission’s case is successful, the declarations would prevent Bachcare from using these terms in any current or future bookings. This is the second time the Commission has taken Bachcare to Court. In 2019 Bachcare was fined for misleading consumers by altering and withholding publication of online reviews posted by users of its accommodation services.Civil proceedings against Bachcare are now before the High Court and the Commission said it will not be commenting further.

Central Otago farmers are being reminded their application for Intensive Winter Grazing (IWG) consents must be in by May 1.The Otago Regional Council (ORC) will be actively monitoring the IWG season with some site visits and will be responding to complaints and other information received. The regulatory authority will focus on some areas for greater attention, including sites where farmers haven’t yet obtained consent.Principal compliance specialist Mike Cummings said the ORC had completed its first farm flyovers for the IWG season.“The first round of flyovers looking at any instream disturbances, forestry and IWG areas, has been completed, and staff are currently processing the photographic observations,” he said.ORC staff are looking for things like forestry, machinery working in or around streams, rivers, wetlands and intensive grazing.Mike said last year’s flyovers found “a massive positive change” in IWG practices compared to previous years.“It was great to see the on-farm changes last year,” he said.Acting consents manager Alexandra King said the ORC wants to ensure “farmers have the information and advice they need to manage their farm with minimal risk to the environment”.“Applications have been open for more than six months, but it’s down to a couple of weeks left now,” she said.The new regulations around IWG started on November 1, 2022. Applications for winter 2023 and beyond should be in by mid-April 2023 to ensure consents are in place by May 1, 2023.“In most instances, we’re encouraging farmers to apply for consent for the next three to five years,” Alexandra said.“Farmers will then need to update their management plan annually, telling ORC where they have grazed in the previous year and where they plan to graze during the next season.“Farmers need to apply for the paddocks they’re likely to graze over the next few years; actual paddock selection and the day-to-day farm operation is still in the farmer’s hands.”Complaints or information about IWG practices or other activities can be made to ORC’s Pollution Hotline, 0800 800 033.

One third of Edgewater’s guest rooms will be upgraded in a refurbishment project which began last week.The current project is phase one in a three-part, $20M upgrade project which will take place over the next two to three years, Edgewater general manager Colin McClean said.By the end of 2025 all guest rooms and guest areas will be upgraded.“The key aim of the refurbishment programme is to modernise the hotel to ensure it retains its firm position in the market as a 4.5 star hotel and to complement Edgewater’s spectacular lake-front setting,” Colin said.Phase one for the guest rooms should be completed by October.It includes the introduction of air-conditioning units, double glazing of the windows, bathroom revamps (including removal of baths and tiling of new shower area, and installation of energy-efficient LED lighting) and new joinery, furniture and interior. The kitchenettes - a feature in the one-bedroom apartments - will be re-styled and improved with new full-sized refrigerators, new cooktops, range hoods and cabinetry.  “The construction area is in one part of the hotel, which will be fenced off,” Colin said. “We will continue to operate the hotel as usual, and no guest amenities will be affected.” The refurbished rooms will be available for guest stays during the traditional high season of the summer of 2023-2024.  The other two phases of the project will take place in 2024 and 2025.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A working group set up prior to Covid-19 has been resurrected in an attempt to ease issues facing employers and workers in the district.Mahi Queenstown Lakes (MahiQL) is a collaboration between Lake Wānaka Tourism, Ignite Wānaka, Destination Queenstown Lakes, the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, and MBIE, with a focus on attracting and retaining talented workers within the district. “Our vision is a thriving business community in Queenstown Lakes driven by talented people from all over New Zealand and the world who love living and working here,” Queenstown Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sharon Fifield said.“It speaks to the employee experience. We want them to have a good experience and if they leave they leave as advocates.”Sharon said workforce shortages continue to feature in feedback from the business community and MahiQL is looking at what can be done to help alleviate some of these shortages and at what employers can do.“Many employers are paying well above living wage, so it is a matter of what else they can do to attract talent and retain them,” she said.In the quarterly Queenstown Lakes labour market snapshot (December 2022) commissioned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, economist Benje Patterson said wage growth across the district is running at nine percent compared to 6.4 percent nationally.“Unfortunately, there are limits to the influence wages can play in attracting workers,” Benje said. “Other factors, such as an acute rental housing shortage, have also impeded workers’ ability to accept jobs in the local area.”Sharon said the data Benje is producing is invaluable and many employers are stepping up and looking at how they provide accommodation saying that some employers are taking on head leases where they have the ability to sublease the property.Related: Worker accommodation advice for businesses“It is important to recognise that housing has a big impact on attracting and retaining workers, however the workforce strategy can’t fix the housing problem,” Sharon said. “They are very much related but housing is a bigger beast in itself.”This week MahiQL is running employer focus groups in Wānaka and Queenstown to hear from the business community for input into the workforce strategy. They also plan to run employee and support organisation focus groups.Sharon said anyone wanting to get involved to share ideas can get in touch with [email protected] is aiming to have the strategy finalised and ready to share in June.PHOTO: Supplied

A $4.5M underwriting agreement with the government will help the Silverlight Studios break ground on its $280M Wānaka film park.The funding for the ambitious film park was announced by regional development minister Kiritapu Allan at an event in Central Otago on Friday March 24.“The screen industry employs approximately 16,200 New Zealanders and contributes $3.3 billion to the economy every year, making it a key component of Central Otago’s economic diversification initiatives,” she said.“Silverlight Studios will provide new opportunities for local talent to be at the forefront of an evolving industry in the region.”The funding will support Silverlight Studios with operational costs once ‘phase zero’ of their project - an initial project of three sound stages - has been completed.Silverlight Studio was granted resource consent to construct the film park - complete with studios, production offices, a film school, a screening theatre, and an exhibition centre - in December 2021.The project has received broad support from the region’s former mayor, the regional film organisation and other public officials, but met a more wary reception from some locals.Residents living near the site have expressed concern over the appearance of the project, which is consented for buildings as tall as 17m high as well as replicas of sites in New York, Venice and Paris.The underwriting agreement will be funded through the $20M Queenstown Economic Transformation and Resilience Fund (QET), which aims to support established businesses with proposals not related to the tourism sector.Yesterday Kiritapu also announced $2.9M in funding for the expansion of Scapegrace Distillery in Cromwell and $3M for Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library.PHOTO: Supplied

Heart of Wānaka has now released its draft masterplan for the Wānaka town centre.Since 2021 the steering group has been developing an integrated town centre plan designed to feed into the council’s planning, channel funding to where it is most needed, and improve the town centre as a destination.Input has been sought from the public, affected groups and stakeholders to help build a picture for the future of the Wānaka town centre and the draft masterplan builds on those conversations.Heart of Wānaka steering group chair Andrew ‘Howie’ Howard said he wanted to emphasie that the draft could be developed further.“All feedback and input is appreciated and will be considered,” he said. “Working through this draft process may take some time but it is absolutely necessary to get the whole community on board and supporting this initiative.”Howie said one of the challenges of creating the draft masterplan was tackling the “perennial issue” of parking.Heart of Wānaka wants to hear from locals on what they think of the Wānaka town centre draft masterplan.“In order to introduce crossings at intersections and shade trees in the streets there are proposed to be small reductions in current numbers,” he said. Reducing car parking on the lakefront reserve, which has been a long held goal of the Lakefront Development Plan, can be offset by providing efficient parking on Lower Ardmore, free all-day parking on Hedditch, and introducing a managed parking system, Howie said. “The parking options outlined in the draft will increase overall parking available to workers and customers to allow for the continued future growth of our town, while at the same time, creating a more inviting and accessible town centre,” Howie said.Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) chair Simon Telfer said the board was excited about the prospect of the town being better integrated with the lakefront and for it to be a welcoming place for people to enjoy.“The plan’s vision for people to be at the heart of the town centre is wonderful,” he said. “We greatly appreciate how many volunteer hours have gone into the project and hope to be able to formally support the plan towards the middle of the year.”Heart of Wānaka has already kicked off public engagement on the draft masterplan with a stand at the Wānaka A&P Show and two drop-in sessions.More drop-in sessions are coming up soon - at the Lake Wānaka Centre (in the Armstrong Room,) on both April 5 and April 6, from 1.30-3.30pm - and more yet to be confirmed.People can also have their say on the draft masterplan on the Heart of Wānaka website.PHOTOS: Supplied

A tourism expert who took the helm at RealNZ during the Covid-19 pandemic has handed in his resignation and made plans to return home as the tourism upswing continues.Stephen England-Hall joined RealNZ (a recreation, tourism and ski company which includes Cardrona Alpine Resort) in February 2021, helping the company prepare for the future.Under Stephen’s leadership the company has restructured, rebranded, refinanced and recapitalised, regrown revenues and is now on a path to recovery, entering the second half of this financial year materially ahead of plan, RealNZ chair Martin Dippie said.“Stephen has done an outstanding job transforming the company and placing the business on a solid foundation to benefit from tourism’s recovery,” Martin said. “The RealNZ and Cardrona brands are in great shape to continue to outperform the market.”Stephen said it was now time for him to head home to his family in Auckland.“As results turn positive and guests return it’s a good time to pass the reins to a new leader to continue the journey for this incredible company.“I’d like to thank the Queenstown, Wānaka, Te Anau and Southland communities for their support of RealNZ during my time with the business and for making me a welcome member of the community.”RealNZ is a leading tourism group which, in addition to the local skifields, owns various tourism experiences like the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves, Queenstown Jet, Walter Peak Farm and more.PHOTO: Supplied

Darby Partners, the proponents of the new Glendhu Golf Course, say it will be an 18-hole championship course designed and constructed to championship standards.Responding to questions from the Wānaka App, Darby Partners said the course will cover approximately 100 hectares and be around 6,000 metres in length. The Wānaka golf course is 5,770 metres.Darby Partners has played a lead role in a number of high profile golf courses in the Wakatipu basin including Jack’s Point, The Hills, and Millbrook. The course has been designed to championship standard.Director John Darby says the course will be ready to play in two years (2025).“Glendhu is well advanced, such that 18 months construction period is very achievable and we are aiming for an opening date for play six months post construction, given there are no unforeseen weather events,” he said.“Darby Partners has built the majority of new golf courses in New Zealand recently and each construction period has on average been 18 months.”John said renowned New Zealand golfer Sir Bob Charles has been involved in reviewing the golf course design layout and recently visited the site to review the latest design, providing positive feedback.A spokesperson for Darby Partners said the course is designed to leave as much of the existing terrain as “untouched” as possible and that all holes will have views of the lake, mountains, and aspects of Glendhu Bay.The golf course has been a 15-year project. The original land use consent was lodged in January 2007 and the consent was granted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in May 2008, but was appealed to the Environment Court, which conferred approval in May 2012.Consents required to commence construction were granted in September 2022.Since acquiring 200 hectares of land for the golf course development in 2013, Darby Partners commenced native revegetation of over 150,000 native plants around the property, and areas of land have been retired from grazing to allow native vegetation to regenerate.The golf course consent includes a club house, visitor accommodation, and 42 residences. The spokesperson said designs for onsite facilities and the surrounding residential development are underway, with further announcements on this stage of the project to come.IMAGES: Supplied

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) has announced it will pay a record interim dividend after a strong start to its financial year with the return of significant visitor numbers to the district.As majority shareholder (75%), the Queenstown Lakes District Council will receive $4.49M, which equates to about $150 per ratepayer.QAC board chair Adrienne Young-Cooper said Australian and domestic visitors had steadily returned to Queenstown Lakes during the reporting period (July 2022 to December 2022).“The great snow conditions during winter, combined with the uplift in passengers taking the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, made the Southern Lakes a popular destination,” she said.This contributed to the $30M in revenue during the six month period, which was an increase of 136 percent on the same period a year earlier, and resulted in operating earnings growing 256 percent to $22.5M.Adrienne said another factor contributing to the increase in revenue was population growth in the district, which has grown by 10.5 percent since 2019 and is now close to 50,000. “With a larger population base and more New Zealanders working remotely, the airport remains an important link for residents of the region,” she said.QAC CEO Glen Sowry said he expected the steady return of travellers experienced during the reporting period would continue but cautioned that a forecast economic recession may have a suppressing effect on demand.It is anticipated the total dividend for FY23 will be the highest ever paid. The highest full-year dividend to date was $8.3M paid in FY19.PHOTO: Supplied