Visitor numbers, bed nights and visitor expenditure all increased this winter, which are promising signs for the local tourism industry.  Domestic tourists made up for 77 percent of the total visitor spending over June and July, Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) general manager Tim Barke said.International tourists accounted for the remaining 23 percent.  Over the two-month period total visitor revenue increased just one percent compared to 2021, but that does not include revenue information for August, which was a busy month for skifields. “Generally, good snow early or even pre-ski season often translates into a busy latter part of the season which is what we saw in August,” Tim said. He said the numbers were “about where we can expect given the snow we had for the season and the effects of staff shortages limiting capacity for some businesses”.New Zealand’s borders reopened to international visitors from around 60 visa-waiver countries in early May, with a staged full reopening following, but industry experts warned that tourism would not return to pre-Covid levels for some time.  Between June and August, the total visitor numbers to Wānaka were up 17 percent compared to last winter, and bed nights increased by 15 percent. Fifteen percent of visitors came from overseas, and they were primarily Australian skiers, Tim said. Visitors are starting to stay longer when they visit Wānaka, and wanting to experience more while they are here, Tim said. “An increased consciousness of carbon footprint may be influencing this,” Tim said. “This may also be an incentive for some Aussies to visit rather than travelling further afield.”Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods said visitors over the hill had also stayed longer this winter, with an average length of stay increase 15 percent. More than half of Kiwis who visited Queenstown this winter intended to return in the next year and Tim said Wānaka was experiencing more repeat visitors too. “The domestic market rediscovered skiing in New Zealand when they weren’t able to travel overseas, which is helping keep them coming back.” Ignite Wānaka chair Jo Learmonth said while the “good, lengthy winter season” had helped local businesses, it did not mean all businesses were ‘in the clear’. “There is a wide range within the Wānaka business community at the moment,” she said.  “Where possible, those that have been able to remain sustainable throughout or recover quickly and capitalise on seasonal opportunities are making headway.   “However, for everyone at that end of the spectrum there is a business at the other end who is struggling with staffing shortages, increasing costs, and supply chain issues.” Tim said the late-season snow dump in Wānaka was a good sign for next winter.  “A good snow dump at the end of the season such as the one we’ve had… can also help give a lasting good impression of the season, helping with bookings for the following year,” he said.  “...it will be interesting to see how this plays out next year.” PHOTO: Wānaka App

Measures to support the hospitality and tourism industries announced by the government will do little to reduce local staff shortages, Ignite Wānaka says.Immigration minister Michael Wood announced on Sunday (October 9) that hospitality and tourism will have another year before they need to pay staff entering New Zealand on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) the median wage.In addition, chefs hired under the same visa will no longer need to meet cooking qualification requirements, Michael said.Ignite Wānaka chair Jo Learmonth was lukewarm about the announcement. “The change, although small, is at least a positive step in recognition of the challenges businesses are facing and will make some difference to some employers,” she told the Wānaka App. “However, it's a bit too little too late as businesses have been struggling for months.”She said the new changes would take some months to make a difference, in the same way reopening the borders had not had an instant effect on the labour market.“With the removal of travel restrictions, it's not like turning on a tap and immigrant workers flood back in, it's more of a trickle,” Jo said. “There are still many businesses who are having to close or change their business trading hours due to staff shortages.”The AEWV was one of a raft of changes to immigration settings announced in March to improve wages and working conditions for workers while providing a route for businesses to access key staff. Former immigration minister Kris Faafoi said New Zealand could not return to the “pre-pandemic trends” of being overly reliant on low-skilled migrant workers who were at risk of being exploited.When it was first made public, the new policy (replacing six visa categories) initially required a three-step accreditation process for employers and mandated an hourly pay rate of at least $27.76 (the national median wage).This was widely criticised by the hospitality industry locally and nationally, and in May the government said it would allow the hospitality and tourism industries to pay a reduced wage of $25 per hour until March 2023.At the time, Ritual Cafe owner and Wānaka Community Board member Chris Hadfield said the change to the AEWV’s requirements didn’t go far enough with staff shortages “worse than ever”.The latest round of changes have not impressed him either. He told the Wānaka App all the new policies have made it “harder and harder to operate with sufficient staff or even find any”.Cromwell’s Stoaker Room Bistro & Bar owner Sue Barbara also said the changes to requirements for chefs had come too late: “It’s going to make a difference but we’re nearly in summer already - we need staff now.”She said the existing bistro was currently closed for one full day and one half day and plans to open a new Stoaker Room in Wānaka were progressing more slowly than planned, in part because of the staff shortages. Under Sunday’s announcement the two industries will have another year to transition to the full median wage but they will be required to pay staff on AEWV visas 95 percent of the median wage from April next year. There had been some positive changes for the hospitality and tourism industries since the borders opened and “a good, lengthy winter season” have helped, Jo said, but businesses were still struggling with the “tenuous” market. “Having to navigate lengthy, confusing, expensive, and constantly changing regulations is not helpful and this is where nationally more support needs to be provided,” she said.Michael defended the intention of the changes to immigration policy. “The government is focused on moving New Zealand to a higher wage economy, increasing the skill level of migrant workers, and encouraging employers to offer competitive wages and improve career pathways for New Zealanders,” he said. “This policy is beginning to work, with clear evidence of better pay and conditions in a range of sectors, which will create a more sustainable labour market for everyone.”PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka-based Jacqueline Cheyne has been appointed a director of Pioneer Energy Limited.The appointment was announced by Linda Robertson, chair of Central Lakes Trust which owns Pioneer Energy.Linda said Pioneer was pleased to have secured such a highly qualified and experienced director. Jacqueline has more than 30 years’ experience in financial reporting and sustainability. “She currently chairs the Sustainability Committee for Stride Property Group, the Risk and Audit Committee for NZ Green Investment Finance and is a member of the XRB, chairing the project steering group for the development of the Aotearoa NZ Climate Reporting Standards, amongst multiple other directorships across listed company, government and not-for-profit boards,” Linda said.“Jacqueline’s experience with climate risk assessment, sustainability and carbon reporting will prove extremely valuable to the board of Pioneer Energy.”Pioneer Energy has supplied renewable power to New Zealand business and communities for more than 80 years. It owns and operates a diverse portfolio of energy assets, products and investments throughout New Zealand.  Pioneer Energy chair Rob Hewett said Pioneer has access to a “pipeline” of growth opportunities through several strategic investment partnerships, which will contribute to the development of a sustainable energy future for New Zealand.“It’s important we equip the board with the skills to take us into the future and Jacqueline’s expertise and experience in climate risk and sustainability is highly relevant,” he said.“I am delighted to be joining the Pioneer Board and working with a company that is providing exciting renewable energy solutions for New Zealand,” Jacqueline said. The new board appointment fills a vacancy resulting from the resignation of Nick Lewis, a board member since 2015. Rob thanked Nick for his service to Pioneer, saying his contribution played a large part in Pioneer growing into the company it is today.PHOTO: Supplied

The government has allocated part of the 5G radio spectrum to major telecommunications companies instead of holding a revenue-generating auction.The big three mobile network operators Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees, will get a 20-year term on condition that rural and small town broadband connectivity is improved.The Interim Maori Spectrum Commission and infrastructure wholesaler Dense Air will also get allocations.Chief executive of the Telecommunications Users Association, Craig Young, said he hoped the money saved by the telcos would be spent on increasing the pace of the 5G roll-out to small towns and rural areas."We've been arguing for quite a while now that spectrum auctions are really just revenue grabs because the money doesn't go to help users it just disappears into the government's coffers," Young said."We're pretty happy with the fact the government has taken a different approach with this."If telcos were getting the spectrum for a token amount, Young wanted the government to tie them down on specific commitments on what benefits it will bring the consumer."This will hopefully bring the roll-out of improved services like 5G significantly quicker because one, the telcos now know what they've got in terms of spectrum."Secondly, they know what they've got to spend."That's the critical piece that I'm waiting to see what the government does."Minister of Digital Economy and Communications David Clark said many more New Zealanders would gain access to the speed, capacity and reliability of 5G services as a result of the agreement."As part of the new agreement, our three major mobile network operators - Spark, 2degrees and Vodafone - will be required to increase the pace of the 5G roll-out to small towns across New Zealand. There is also an expectation they will continue efforts to improve rural connectivity," Clark said.The details of this long-term allocation will continue to be worked through over the coming months as the Crown negotiates final contracts with the parties involved.PHOTO: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Fewer snow days and less snow for our ski fields, that’s the message from NIWA hydrological forecasting scientist Jono Conway.Speaking at Wao’s monthly Green Drinks event in September, Jono said the warming climate will mean fewer snow days at moderate elevations where our ski fields are. “For a one and a half degree change, a moderate degree of warming, we are seeing the snowline rise 200 metres,” he said. “So that is rising from about 1,200 metres now to 1,400 metres over this century.”Jono is researching the impact a warming climate has on our glaciers and snowfall and uses physics-based computer modelling along with a network of snow and ice weather stations throughout the Southern Alps.“Those stations give us a ground truth on whether our models are realistic,” Jono said.“We are looking at what is going to happen in the next 30-80 years, specifically in winter.”The modelling looks at a range of scenarios from a half degree of warming up to the worst case scenario of two to three degrees of warming, and the impact a warming climate has on our local winter weather.“The general trend is it’s getting wetter and in the case of high emissions [worst case] it is getting a lot wetter in winter,” Jono said.“Even though we’re getting more precipitation in winter we are getting less snow cover days at all elevations within the area from Treble Cone to the Remarkables.“Our ski fields are not high enough to benefit from the increased precipitation falling as snow.”Although we can expect fewer snow cover days, Jono said the wild card is the role of extreme weather events.“We had two big systems this year in June and July which delivered a massive amount of snow and made for a great ski season,” he said. “We are expecting extremes to be far more common as the century progresses.”This winter’s temperature was a degree above normal in Wānaka with a record amount of rainfall, however the extreme events delivered a deeper snow pack.Previous: Wānaka’s wettest winter on record“I think we’ll probably see more seasons like this season but on average I don’t think the future climate is going to deliver more snow at elevations we ski at,” Jono said.Wao is a registered charitable trust based in Wānaka which helps communities shape a sustainable future. They organise a number of events including a six day summit running from October 25-30, 2022. Tickets are available here.PHOTO: Supplied

Construction and demolition waste makes up around 40-50 percent of waste ending up in landfill nationally, and the Upper Clutha is no exception. Last week NZ Clean Up Week volunteers said they were shocked to discover so much construction waste in public places and roadsides. Local advocates for reducing building waste say while some progress is being made it is still a serious problem in the fast-growing town. Ben Acland is the co-founder of the Wānaka Community Workshop (WCW), a workspace where locals can make things using salvaged products. “Building and business waste is one of the reasons we began the workshop,” he told the Wānaka App. “However the issue is so big that we are more of an education or leadership role in this space rather than making a meaningful impact on reducing the vast quantities going to the environment or landfill.”Hāwea volunteers picked up more than 1,000 pieces of building waste in 300 metres. PHOTO: SuppliedWhy so much building waste?Ben described a straightforward reason for the large volumes of building waste being dumped.“The main issue is that builders are in a rush, labour is expensive, dumping is cheap,” he said.“Smaller builders work out of a house, not a shed, [and] they have no storage.”This perspective is echoed by national advocates like Level: The Authority on Sustainable Building, which says that most of the dumping of secondary waste is unnecessary. “It has been demonstrated that simply by sorting waste, at least half of it could be diverted from landfills and cleanfills,” the organisation says.A growing problem?Chris Champion was one of around 20 volunteers who collected waste from the end of Timsfield Drive in Hāwea earlier this month.“In 300 metres of litter picking we half filled a high sided trailer with well over a thousand pieces of litter, almost all building waste,” he said.He expressed concern over how much worse the issue could get with construction booming in the area. Just a few hundred metres from the clean-up site is the Longview subdivision, which has consent for 465 new lots. A study by Auckland Council found that an average new house build produces 4.5 tonnes of waste. That’s roughly the equivalent of putting out the kerbside bin every week for more than 30 years.WAO co-founder and sustainability advocate Monique Kelly describes construction waste as a “huge” issue. “When it's not dealt with correctly on site, it litters our land, gets into our soils and waterways and finally our food systems,” she said. “When it does go into a skip, it then gets dumped into landfill in the beautiful Gibbston Valley.” She said when the waste does make it to landfill, it may be a more contained and controlled way to deal with waste but “it’s just putting the problem out of sight”.“Both issues need to be addressed.”Are we making progress?Monique said WAO has been working with the Better Building Working Group, holding workshops to address the problem and look to better materials and management practices for builders and tradies and peer-to-peer learning.“[The workshops look] at how to reduce waste in the first place, provides options for reuse, recycling and finally an opportunity to look at problem products and how we can find alternatives or phase them out,” she said.“Since beginning these workshops in 2019, we've seen an increase in the number of companies reducing their materials footprint as well as a lot of work from suppliers and waste management to look at reduction of waste at the source and more recycling options in our district.” What’s next?Ben said there are four practical steps which could help reduce the issue. Mandatory lids on skips would both stop products from blowing out of them and protect materials that could be reused from being damaged by water, he said. He’d also like to see Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) create a bond process when issuing building consent, whereby the bond is refunded when builders can demonstrate they have adhered to a waste reduction plan.Ben would also like to see building suppliers play a role.“Mitre 10, Placemakers, ITM (etc) should be required to take back over-supplied, or under-utilised orders from customers,” he said, to “store and resell to [the] public for DIY projects. They deliver to sites, so their delivery trucks could return with unused materials.”Lastly, a public facility where building waste could be sorted before it is dumped would have a big impact, Ben said.Alongside regulations, Monique says educating the industry about the scale of the problem is essential.“What we've found is that It's really about behaviour change,” she said. “Once you know the massive health and environmental impact waste has and then connect that with what we all love about this place, you think twice about the materials you use and how to keep them in circulation for as long as possible.”“Like anything, the first step is in confronting and owning the problem.”Get involved Wao’s next construction waste workshop is taking place on October 26.The event is designed for sole builders as well as larger construction companies who want to reduce their waste.  Find more information and sign up here.PHOTO: Supplied

National recognition for their effort has made a hard couple of years all worth it for Wānaka Top 10 Holiday Park owners Andrea and Justin Kendrick.Andrea credits a great team for getting through the challenges that came with Covid-19.Not only that, the park has just been recognised with five awards at the Top 10 Holiday Park Awards including the Supreme Award for the best Top 10 park in New Zealand. “It has been a tough year, with uncertainty, sickness and inability to fill vacant roles,” Andrea said, “but it just goes to show how a small team can pull together to work hard and deliver spectacular results.”“We have been so grateful for the wonderful staff we have had throughout this time.”Andrea said it was “really special” to attend the awards with manager Jo Bullus, who has been with the park for four years, including through some of its most challenging times.When the award recipients were called, Andrea said she could not believe it as the number of awards the local park received kept climbing.The Wānaka Top 10 Holiday Park has won the supreme awards for the best Top 10 park in New Zealand. “We were absolutely thrilled to win one award, but our name just kept on being called out…it was just amazing,” Andrea said. Andrea and Justin purchased the holiday park eight years ago and this year they will finally reach a milestone achievement: the renovation of some of their motel units.The goal from the start was to upgrade the units to be functional, warm and modern and, without Covid-19, the renovations would all have been completed by now. “Despite hold ups with product supplies, we committed this year to doing two of the four, two-bedroom units, which are due to be completed in November, ready for summer.”Andrea and Justin thanked their guests who took the time to complete their post-departure survey, which she said provided fantastic suggestions on ways to improve the park and the guest experience. “We strive to ensure that our team is happy, that our park is presented in the best possible way and that our guests make memories for life, in the places they love, with the people who matter the most,” Andrea said.“Wānaka is such a special place to host guests from all over the country and the world.”PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka ice cream maker PURE New Zealand has taken out the champion dairy-free category award at the New Zealand Ice Cream and Gelato Awards overnight (Thursday, September 1).PURE’s mango and coconut gelato was named the category winner at a gala dinner held in Auckland.The category win follows the announcement that PURE had attained three golds, five silvers and four bronze medals from flavours entered in the awards.“We were very happy to attain the awards,” co-owner Brian Thomas said.“We make every ice cream from scratch using real ingredients every day.”Brian said PURE is now servicing over 150 supermarkets nationwide, is the preferred premium ice cream supplier to Dominos nationally and has just entered the Japanese market.“We are a core team of five operating from the back of the Snowsports New Zealand building in Anderson Road,” he said.For the first time a gelato was named the supreme boutique champion at the awards with judges describing Little ‘Lato’s Speculoos Gelato as a “wonderful innovation … making it totally moreish”.“After all the challenges of the past couple of years it’s heartening to see the quality of locally made ice cream and gelato is better than ever,” NZ Ice Cream Association president Karl Tiefenbacher said.The awards, run by the NZ Ice Cream Association, have been held since 1997 and recognise the country’s finest ice cream and gelato producers.A full list of award winners can be found here.PHOTO: PURE New Zealand Ice Cream

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) has declared an annual dividend for the first time in two years.The corporation has reported its annual results for the year ending 30 June 2022, and QAC board chair Adrienne Young-Cooper said after operating for more than two years in the complex environment created by the Covid-19 global pandemic and the related global and national response, the board is “cautiously confident: it has entered a sustained recovery period. QAC declared a shareholder dividend of $1.3M.Adrienne said the board is focused on supporting the recovery of the Southern Lakes region and the businesses operating at Queenstown Airport.“The company’s business fundamentals and operating capabilities remain strong. We are pleased to declare a dividend this year after two years without declaring an annual dividend.”For the majority of the reporting period (330 days) there were no scheduled international flights to and from Queenstown Airport. Domestically, there was an extended period of nationwide and regional lockdowns, and regional border restrictions which resulted in significantly reduced domestic flights at Queenstown Airport.  Nor were there flights between Auckland and Queenstown, usually QAC’s busiest route, for half the total operating days (178). Adrienne said the business disruptions had a significant impact on operations and revenue. During the second half of the reporting period there was a phased reopening of the New Zealand border. Visitors from all international markets are now able to enter New Zealand. “The pace and timing of recovery is dependent on a wide range of factors, including the continued propensity of New Zealanders to travel domestically, trans-Tasman flight schedules to and from Queenstown Airport, and the recovery of global aviation and tourism,” QAC CEO Glen Sowry said.“Our forecasts indicate that aircraft and passenger numbers will return steadily and are likely to be on par with pre-Covid levels by FY25, with 1.59 million passenger arrivals and departures forecast during the coming year.” Capital expenditure over the year included investment in the Terminal Upgrade Programme (TUP) and the upgrade of three aircraft stands.Adrienne said a key focus this year has been developing a ten-year plan which considers how Queenstown Airport provides aviation infrastructure and amenity for the district. She said in FY23 the board will consult on and prepare the long-term master plan for Queenstown Airport. For full details on QAC's performance click here.QAC is a council-controlled trading organisation (CCTO) which owns and operates Queenstown Airport. The company is owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council (75.01 percent) and Auckland International Airport Limited (24.99 percent).PHOTOS: Supplied

An initiative to develop a community-driven Wānaka town centre plan is gathering momentum.Last week Heart of Wānaka steering group members presented an update on progress to the Wānaka Community Board (WCB) and the group has set up two public drop-in sessions to seek feedback. The aim of the Heart of Wānaka initiative is to coordinate an integrated town centre development which will feed into the council’s planning and channel funding to where it is most needed.Its key vision is to optimise ‘the lakeside heart of Wānaka’ as a thriving, welcoming community centre.Heart of Wānaka was officially launched at a WCB meeting in May but the steering group behind it - which comprises local representatives from the community, schools, retailers, design, business and property owners - has been meeting monthly since a public meeting in July last year. Heart of Wānaka steering group leader Andrew Howard says the group is not “reinventing the wheel” for town planning.Instead, it is putting together a plan “that will address the changing post-Covid world, community concerns and aspirations”.“A key feature of the planning is not to provide a single 30 year masterplan which is difficult to attain in a growing area and a diversity of opinion,” he said. The steering group plans to present two plans: one a short term plan with “obvious” items that could be completed within a five year time frame, and a second, longer term vision plan that contains “the more aspirational and complex ideas”. It has put together some draft ideas for a first round of engagement which includes seven key principles to guide development and funding.Members of the public are encouraged to head along to the Heart of Wānaka drop-in sessions taking place next week to learn more. Andrew said when Heart of Wānaka has gathered and assessed the community feedback it would develop and share a “more refined” set of plans with the public.The group hopes that, with broad support from the community, it will have a plan ready to take to the WCB for adoption in early 2023. The public drop-in sessions will be held at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Wednesday August 24 (12-2pm and 5-7pm) and Friday August 26 (10am-12pm and 4-6pm).Heart of Wānaka was created after a public meeting when it was discovered that there was a desire for the community - rather than the council - to coordinate the town centre’s development.If the Heart of Wānaka plan is adopted, Queenstown Lakes District Council would continue to be in charge of planning and funding of the CBD development.The area covered in Heart of Wānaka plans include the wider CBD and Roys Bay, from Wānaka Station Park to Anderson Heights and Mount Aspiring College.PHOTO: Wānaka App 

The annual scramble for seasonal workers’ winter accommodation has been eased this year thanks to new accommodation offerings.  Speaking to the regularity of the problem, Home and Co rental agency director Colleen Topping said the town hadn’t been “quite so slammed” this winter. During previous winters the rental squeeze has led to seasonal workers sleeping in cars, setting up makeshift bedrooms in garages, and even turning down jobs due to difficulty finding accommodation.  It even spurred a (now shuttered) voluntary network designed to pair up workers with residents who have spare bedrooms to try to ease the problem. See also: Locals step up to help with accommodation shortage. Colleen said she believed the accommodation being provided by Cardrona and Treble Cone along with Wānaka Backpackers Bothy in the former Base Backpackers - now called the Bothy 2 - had taken some of the pressure off the market this winter. The Bothy 2 was set up in autumn and it has room to sleep 120 Cardrona and Treble Cone employees, which is roughly 13 percent of the skifields’ workforce.  Cardrona and Treble Cone experiences general manager Laura Hedley said difficulties with staff accommodation this winter had been mostly resolved. “The Bothy 2 was definitely required for staff accommodation this year and has housed a lot of the staff that were finding it difficult,” she said.  In Colleen’s role she has seen the winter accommodation shortage year after year.She said a significant factor contributing to the ongoing rental shortage in winter is the result of a law change which means tenants can decide to stay on after a tenancy ends.  “This means that owners who want to use their house for themselves but not on a permanent basis cannot if the tenant elects not to leave,” she said. “The net result is owners of these houses don’t rent them out.” This law change also has an impact on the longer-term rental market, Colleen said. “One of the latest [long-term] houses we have been advertising in Northlake had 24 applications representing at least 48 individuals.” The Workforce Accommodation Network (WAN) was formed by Carmen Blacker in December 2022 to help address seasonal rental shortages.  After two and a half years Carmen made the decision to put the WAN “on hold”. In a statement Carmen said she had found there was little acceptance of the size of the problem, nor an appetite to “try something new” - like making use of spare rooms, secondary dwellings to house staff - to help reduce shortages. Laura said Cardrona and Treble Cone would continue to look for options to house seasonal workers in the future.  “We are hoping we can continue to work with local accommodation providers for staff housing solutions.” PHOTO: Wānaka App

The developer of a 400-hectare residential development (Mt Cardrona Station) above Cardrona township has announced Wānaka building company CDL Building as its new building partner.The appointment of CDL Building comes after Mt Cardrona Station’s original building partner, Otago Homes Limited, entered into voluntary administration last year.“Justin Carnie and his team at CDL Building have been executing high-spec, architecturally designed, quality homes in the Wānaka region for 15 years,” Mt Cardrona developer Tom Morton said. “Their attention to detail and understanding of the alpine environment makes them the ideal building partner.”CDL Building managing director Justin Carnie says he feels privileged to be working on the development.  “We like to ensure the builds we take on align with our existing portfolio, and Mt Cardrona Station blends in seamlessly,” Justin said.CDL Building managing director Justin Carnie.“We’re excited to get the wheels in motion on the project and deliver complex, world-class builds.” Construction work on the first of the new homes to be built is scheduled to start early next year.Mt Cardrona Station has consent to develop a village comprising 437 dwellings, visitor accommodation and ‘village amenities’ adjacent to Cardrona Alpine Resort’s access road.PHOTOS: Supplied

The Otago Regional Council is encouraging farmers to apply for the intensive winter grazing areas they want to use in the years ahead as new regulations come into force. New rules for intensive winter grazing were introduced as part of a wider Essential Freshwater package and the ORC is responsible for implementing them, ORC consents manager Joanna Gilroy said.“We’re looking to do this in a way which is practical for farmers, but also recognises the environmental risks of some farming activities and encourages farmers to think about these risks,” she said. Under the new rules, farmers will need an intensive winter grazing management plan as part of applying for a consent. The application for consent should cover multiple years, with any consents then granted for a specific duration. “In most instances we are encouraging farmers to apply for consent for the next three to five years,” Joanna said.  “Farmers will then need to update their management plan annually and tell us where they have grazed in the previous year, and where they plan to graze next season.”While farmers need to apply for the paddocks they’re likely to graze over the next several years, actual paddock selection and the day to day operation of their property is still in the farmer’s control, Joanna said. Farmers can still undertake the activity without consent if they can meet the permitted criteria in the regulations, she said. ORC compliance manager Tami Sargeant says there will be some monitoring of farms.“Once a consent has been issued, the compliance team will monitor the winter grazing practices to check that farmers are complying with any consent conditions,” she said. If people are unsure if they need consent or not, they are encouraged to contact ORC’s consent enquiries team and the council’s catchment advisors are also available to provide good management practice-based advice. “For farmers in Otago we’re happy to help explain the forms, come out on site and come to community sessions to help with the application process,” Joanna said.  Find application documents here.PHOTO: Supplied

Plans for another big-box retailer for Wānaka - the Warehouse - have been submitted to the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC). The whopping 3,900sqm+ Warehouse store proposed for Three Parks is part of a broader application by Allan Dippie’s Willowridge Development’s Ltd for two large format retail buildings.The Warehouse would be the largest of the nine units across the two buildings.It would be joined by retailers Noel Leeming and Warehouse Stationery - which are also owned by umbrella company The Warehouse Group. There are more than 90 Warehouse stores across New Zealand but Wānaka residents are currently an hour’s drive from the nearest store, which is located in Frankton. The Warehouse, ‘where everyone gets a bargain’, as its slogan goes, is best-known for its broad range of affordably priced goods.Application documents say the new retail buildings would result in an “improved and competitively priced offer of household, whiteware and general goods available locally in the community…”The new Warehouse would be located in Three Parks on Wānaka’s outskirts.It would also bring new jobs to Wānaka, the application said. Allan Dippie told the Wānaka App last year there were “three or four big projects on the boil”, including national and international retail sites near the supermarket.“The steady roll out of Three Parks is going well: we are not in a race to complete it however,” he said. “We want to achieve a well-planned, well executed development that locates everything in the exact right place at the right time for the town’s growth.”“We have a big responsibility to get this project right, and I think we are, but ultimately it’s the Wānaka community that will be the judge of that one as it continues to expand.”Willowridge has not yet received sign-off for the new stores - QLDC has asked for more information before progressing the application. The proposed Warehouse store would be located to the north of the New World Three Parks. PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka Water Taxis has received the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice award for the fourth year in a row despite a challenging few seasons.Business owners Brent Shears and Krystle Theunissen have had “a really tough” three years, Krystle told the Wānaka App, which has made it all the more significant that the business has received the award again this year. Wānaka Water Taxis offer tours to Mou Waho Island as well as packages such as four-wheel-drive trips, bike trips and family experiences.Brent, who has previously had kidney and liver transplants, required a second kidney transplant in 2019, as well as heart surgery. Brent and Krystle with their furry companion.Delays in surgery due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the White Island volcanic eruption meant he had to have his lower right leg amputated while waiting for surgery.Meanwhile Krystle shuttled between Christchurch Hospital and Wānaka, running the business during the border closure and pandemic. “We've been lucky with the most incredible guests, so many Kiwis who have joined us, supported us and wrote great reviews,” Krystle said. “It's been really hard work over these last years but our guests made it totally worth it.”Krystle said the business was lucky to have the help of skipper and guide Shilo, as well as the support of Kiwis, many of whom have recommended the business to other guests. Brent has been home since January “minus half a leg and half a foot but plus a new kidney and a new heart valve”, Krystle said.He finally had his kidney transplant at the end of 2020/21 (which was “a fantastic season”), but during the next season the business stayed closed until Christmas because of the Auckland lockdown and Brent having more setbacks, eventually losing half his second foot. Since he returned in mid January the pair have done trips together. Krystle said the Wānaka Water Taxis tend to be booked “last minute”, so it’s hard to say what next summer will bring. “But bookings are coming in already, especially for the Wānaka 4x4 Explorer tours which have been very quiet in the last two years… [and] also for Mou Waho Island. “We are so grateful for all the support we have had,” she said. PHOTOS: Supplied

A former Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student had her horticulture skills put to the test at the Young Grower of the Year regional finals earlier this month.Christie Kirk (24) was among the cohort of young horticulture professionals from around Central Otago who spent a full day irrigating, identifying pests and diseases, operating tractors and proving their knowledge of fruit and vegetables and horticulture for judges.The HortInvest orchard foreman earned third place in the competition, which is designed to celebrate New Zealand’s young horticulture professionals. Christie told the Wānaka App the highlight of the competition was getting to meet other young people in the area who work in her industry. “I also liked the challenge of putting my skills to the test, and finding out what I know well and what I need to work on,” she said.Christie grew up with a family involved in the horticulture industry and she currently works for HortInvest, a local company which grows cherries and apricots, as an orchard foreman. Learn more about HortInvest here.“I manage day-to-day tasks, make sure things are getting done and make sure staff are happy,” she said. “It’s pruning and tractor work and growing the crop.”Although she was almost talked out of working in the industry, Christie said she is very happy to be in horticulture: “It’s been the best thing for me,” she said. The Young Grower of the Year competition is organised by HortNZ and vice-president and director Bernadine Guilleux said the competition is essential for supporting the next generation of talent.“The Young Grower of the Year competition brings together the whole industry, but the most important people are our young people. They are our upcoming leaders and are essential to the future of horticulture,” she said.Jacob Coombridge (22) who works as a supervisor at Webb’s Fruit Orchard took first place at the Central Otago Young Grower of the Year competition and Gregoire Durand (28), a manager at Cherri Global, placed second.Jacbon will join other regional winners at the Young Grower of the Year national finals on September 21.PHOTO: Central App

After almost three years of having their incomes restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic local businesses face the busy holiday season with yet another problem, a lack of staff.Job advertisements in the Wānaka App are running at an all time high in recent weeks and Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke says there is a big hole to fill in the seasonal workforce.“Businesses are reporting a lot of enquiry and bookings, the biggest challenge is having enough staff,” he said.“Almost everyone is constantly advertising but because of the lack of working holiday visa holders and applications for new visas not kicking in until the end of this month there is a big hole in the seasonal workforce.“If there were plenty of Kiwis available to take up the jobs that would be no problem but they simply aren’t there despite significant increases in pay being offered.”Tim said there was a noticeable change in gear with the flow of enquiries since the border testing was dropped and said the Wānaka i-SITE had noticed a good uptick in visitors from Australia.“School holidays are looking great with plenty of snow setting us up perfectly for the holiday period.“The i-SITE has been busy finding accommodation and plenty of activity bookings for people arriving in town but also a lot coming in for the summer,” he said.Puzzling World marketing manager Duncan Spear said the number of Australian families visiting the attraction in the past week has been encouraging.“We expect it [holiday visitors] to be almost back to normal,” he said. “However, servicing that demand is tricky as we are three to four roles down.“There just isn’t that supply of staff but we are managing.”The July school holidays start today and run for two weeks, ending on July 24.PHOTO: Wānaka App

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) says farmers should be aware of recently implemented rules relating to rural discharge.The regional council has ratified changes to the Regional Plan: Water for Otago, which makes operative some key parts of proposed plan change 8 (PC8).ORC’s policy and science general manager Anita Dawe said PC8 rules - which set minimum standards for animal effluent storage and application, intensive grazing, and the establishment of small in-stream sediment traps - are now operative.PC8’s key provisions are to further reduce adverse water quality effects, by promoting good farming practices and for use as a guide to decision making on consent applications.In some rare cases farmers’ consents for existing animal effluent storage may not be required until a later date, she said.Further PC8 information is available at the ORC website.Questions about the changes should be directed to [email protected] for more information.PHOTO: Supplied

A career in civil construction may now be on the cards for some female Mount Aspiring College (MAC) students after experiencing a day on the job with HEB Construction in Wānaka.Twenty one students from MAC and Dunstan High School took to the tools at HEB Construction’s Wānaka water supply upgrade project last Thursday (June 9).The local event was the second of 30 set to take place around the country as part of a ‘Girls with High Viz’ (GWHV) campaign - managed by Connexis - designed to introduce young women to the opportunities available in the infrastructure industry.Alexis Harvey-Wills from MAC (left) getting a few tips from HEB construction site traffic management specialist Tara Murphy about driving a 5.5T digger.“Before experiencing the HEB Construction project and the work it involves they probably did not understand what an infrastructure career had to offer, let alone considered the industry a viable option for when they leave school,” Connexis director Kaarin Gaukrodger said. “The fact that this event has opened up a new career option for them is fantastic and exactly what we’re aiming to achieve with the GWHV events.”The students got behind the controls of a digger and operated a plate compactor and GPS radar.HEB Construction graduate engineer Tess Allen and site traffic management specialist Tara Murphy shared with the students an insight into their work experiences and career paths. The infrastructure industry is facing a severe shortage in skilled workers and women are part of the answer, Karen said.“Less than 14 percent of New Zealand’s civil construction workforce are women, and the sector’s business owners say finding skilled workers remains its biggest challenge.”“Those types of discrepancies across the country’s infrastructure sector demonstrate a clear need to promote the full range of infrastructure jobs in a way that makes them appealing to women.”The GWHV campaign, which involves 15 companies and 71 schools, will introduce 620 female students to what a career in the infrastructure’s civil, energy, telecommunications and water industries can offer.PHOTOS: Supplied