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Sporting excellence on show as COSA finalists revealed
Sporting excellence on show as COSA finalists revealed

22 April 2025, 5:04 PM

Finalists have been named for the Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards (COSA) ahead of the awards night on May 8.The annual COSA recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and teams from across Central Otago over the past year.Sport Central sport and active recreation advisor Jo Knight said the calibre of this year’s nominations - which features a number of Wānaka athletes, especially in snowsports - speaks volumes about the strength of sport in Central Otago.“The level of competition made it incredibly difficult for our judging panel to select finalists, let alone winners,” Jo said.“It’s a wonderful reflection of the dedication and talent that exists across Central Otago.”The 2025 finalists include world champions, Olympians, and emerging stars across disciplines as varied as alpine skiing, kayaking, athletics, rugby, mountain biking, rodeo, tennis, rowing, and snowboarding – as well as the often-unsung heroes in coaching, officiating and community sport.Wānaka finalists among the categories include rising 16-year-old running star Phoebe Laker, who most recently won a gold medal at the Australian National Athletics Championships this week, as well as her coach, Michael Beable.There’s also Roger North, who has played an integral role in increasing youth sailing - participation and success - at the Wānaka Yacht Club; multi-disciplinary young athlete Ryan Enoka; and Wānaka Football Club.Within snowsports local finalists include a range of well-known names including Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Finley Melville Ives, Adam Hall, Luca Harrington and more.Sport central sport and active recreation advisor Ben Hamilton says the awards night promises to be a special celebration for everyone involved in the Central Otago sports community.“The Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards are about more than just celebrating individual success – they’re a chance for the whole sporting community to come together and celebrate an amazing year,” Ben said.Tickets to the awards night are on sale now.See the full 2025 finalists list below:Gary Anderson Sound and Vision Sportswoman of the Year: Alice Robinson – Alpine Ski Racing; Zoi Sadowski-Synnott – Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle; Sophie Winter – Ice Swimming.Central Lakes Construction Sportsman of the Year: Finley Melville Ives – Free Ski Halfpipe; Rocco Jamieson – Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle; Finn Butcher – Kayak Cross; Luca Harrington – Free Ski Big Air and Halfpipe.Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year: Mason Clarke – Cricket;Levi Casey – Squash; Luke Harrold – Free Ski Halfpipe; James Weber – Athletics; Lewis Laird – Mountain Biking; Charlie Manser – Rowing; Noa Milburn – Tennis; Dan Milburn – Tennis.Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Phoebe Laker – Athletics; Brooke Hansen – Freeride Snowboard; Mathilda Watterson – Alpine Ski Racing; Sky Sanders – Rodeo; Heidi Winter – Ice Swimming; Eva Small – Freeride Skiing; Siena Mackley – Running; Zara Hazledine – Equestrianl Rosa Dawson – Gymnastics; Bella Breen – Rowing.Jennian Homes Team of the Year: Upper Clutha Rams – Rugby; Wakatipu U18 Coxed Quad Scull; Wakatipu U17 Boys Double Scull; Wakatipu Boys U18 Double Scull; Sky City Stampede – Ice Hockey; Wānaka Football Club Otago Polytechnic.Para Athlete of the Year: Mac Denniston – Athletics; Adam Hall – Para Skiing; Workplace First Aid Coach of the Year:Alex Dickson – Upper Clutha Rams;Michael Beable – Athletics; Dan Bogue – Para Skiing; Hamish McDougall – Skiing; Sean Thompson – Snowboard; Nils Coberger – Alpine Ski Racing; Murray Buchan – Freeski; Cam Frear – Stampede.Duncan and Kelly Good Ray White Real Estate Junior Spirit of Central Award: Charlie Nisbet – Gymnastics; Eli La Rose – Swimming; Liam King – BMX; Ryan Enoka – Athletics, Ki Uta, Rugby; Eva Small – Freeride Skiing, Mountain Biking, Multi-sport; Matilda Watterson – Ski RacingWānaka Physiotherapy Senior Spirit of Central Award: Roger North – Wānaka Yacht Club; Jess Lake – Cromwell Athletics; Shane Norton – Central Otago Football; Findex Official of the Year Flick Wallace – Snow Sports; Craig Anderson – Rugby; Adam Nagy – Ice Hockey.PHOTO: Supplied

Extravaganza of machinery draws thousands
Extravaganza of machinery draws thousands

21 April 2025, 5:04 PM

More than 65,000 people made the trek to Wheels at Wānaka in Three Parks this Easter (April 18-20), along with 5,000 vehicles.The vintage machinery fair included steam engines, tractors and farming heritage, cars, motor-bikes, snow-mobiles, traction engines, trucks, earthmovers and heavy machinery spread over more than 50 acres at Three Parks.The biennial vehicle extravaganza put on an extraordinary show for its final year, starting on Good Friday with the ‘earthmoving practise day’ featuring vintage and modern earthmovers and a range of demonstrations, plus the 2025 Cat Operator Challenge, where the ‘best of the best’ competed with three different Cat machines.A rarity in New Zealand, the 1916 Waterloo Boy Model R tractor from Wheels at Wānaka organiser Allan Dippie’s tractor collection.Overnight rain cleared to an overcast but mild Saturday morning (April 19) after a damp Friday at the event.As a result of the better weather, traffic was backed up for kilometres on all the major roads to and through Three Parks and every available parking space was taken as the hordes descended on the event on Saturday. Locals took to social media to describe the gridlock and the travel times within the Upper Clutha as a result.The show celebrated 125 years of Mack trucks with a huge turnout in the display ring and the commentators calling it the biggest and best display of Macks ever seen at Wheels at Wānaka.A beautifully presented collection of Hart-Parr steel wheeled pre 1930 tractors.Wānaka resident Chris Menzies had his 1998 Mack MH613 truck and trailer unit on display. A rural workhorse used for carting fertiliser, timber, gravel, hay and baleage, the truck was retired with more than 1.24M kms on the clock.A futuristic looking Tesla Cybertruck caught the eye of many attendees as did another rarity on display, the 1916 Waterloo Boy Model R tractor from Wheels at Wānaka organiser Allan Dippie’s tractor collection.A cheer went up from the crowd for the little tractor that could - in the popular tractor pull contest.The name John Deere is arguably the most successful agricultural machinery maker in the world but its venture into tractor production began in 1918 when it purchased the company which produced the Waterloo Boy tractor. Its 6.5ltr, two cylinder engine design was so reliable it powered nearly all John Deere tractors for about 50 years. Wheels at Wānaka general manager Allan Dippie said the event “felt successful in every way”.“The volunteers and vehicle enthusiasts’ contributions were exceptional, the sun was shining, we had record numbers through the gate and everyone had a wonderful time,” he said.However he acknowledged the traffic problems, saying while the event had “plenty of parking and a robust traffic management plan in place, the roading network simply isn’t designed to cope with the level of traffic experienced on Saturday morning”. “We apologise for the delays and thank everyone for their patience and understanding,” he said.Crowds gather for the big machinery excavation displays.The Wheels at Wānaka charitable trust has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various national, regional and local charities including Cure Our Ovarian Cancer, Heart Kids NZ (via the Heartlands Tractor Trek) and Coastguard Wānaka Lakes.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Commemorations ahead for ANZAC Day
Commemorations ahead for ANZAC Day

21 April 2025, 5:00 PM

No rain is anticipated but a typically cool morning and partly cloudy day is forecast for ANZAC Day in the Upper Clutha this Friday (April 25).Local ANZAC commemorations begin with dawn services at 7am at Wānaka and Hāwea; Wānaka’s civic service is at 9:30am, followed by a parade and the laying of wreaths and poppies at the Cenotaph around 10:45am.The Hāwea District ANZAC Committee and Hāwea Community Association will host Hāwea’s dawn service at the ANZAC peninsula on the Lake Hāwea dam. The service will begin with a “symbolic thunderclap” and a call to commemoration.Flypast at Hāwea’s Dawn Service. PHOTO: Wānaka AppStudents from Hāwea Flat School and Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) will participate, as well as a guest speaker, piper, trumpeter, and the traditional flypast (weather permitting).The Lake Hāwea Hotel has offered parking for ANZAC attendees as has Contact Energy on its land beside the garage (on the Wānaka side of the dam), signified by a large poppy on the gate.Hāwea Men’s Shed is hosting a breakfast at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre following the dawn service. Tickets are available by emailing [email protected]ānaka’s Dawn Service is held in the carpark at the lake end of Helwick Street. MAC student Noah Moody will speak at the short service, and Jen Anderson and Janine Weatherly will sing the New Zealand and Australian national anthems.Following the service, the public is invited to breakfast in the Armstrong Room, Lake Wānaka Centre (LWC), hosted by the Wānaka and Districts Lions Club and Upper Clutha Lions Club.Piper Clifford Hiscoke leads the visiting New Zealand Youth Choir in an impromptu chorus at the Cenotaph last year. PHOTO: Wānaka AppWānaka’s Civic Service at LWC will be led by Reverend Damon Plimmer. St John Wānaka will provide a Colour Party and four MAC students (Anita-Kanu Saklani, Lucy Redford, Ryan Enoka, and Charlie Roy) will be the guest speakers.Former Cardrona entertainer Martin Curtis and MAC student Ruby Smith will each sing during the service; trumpeter Amos Wells will perform at the dawn and cenotaph services; and piper Clifford Hiscoke will, once again, perform at all three Wanaka services, as well as lead the parade about 10:30am from the LWC to the Cenotaph.At the Cenotaph on Chalmers Street, attendees will be welcomed by Wānaka RSA committee member Commander Lyal Cocks (RNZN Rtd) and encouraged to lay wreaths and poppies at the foot of the CenotaphWeather permitting, classic aircraft pilot Peter Hendrix plans a flypast over both dawn services and over Lake Wānaka and the Cenotaph, wrapping up Upper Clutha’s ANZAC Day commemorations.

Beach clean-up for Earth Day 
Beach clean-up for Earth Day 

20 April 2025, 5:00 PM

A WAI Wānaka beach-clean up will take place tomorrow (Tuesday April 22) to coincide with Earth Day, which calls for people to demonstrate support for environmental protection.Celebrated internationally for more than 50 years, Earth Day also aims to raise public awareness about environmental challenges.“Here in the Upper Clutha, we’re fortunate enough to live in paradise, with the lakes, rivers, and mountains on our doorstep,” WAI Wānaka said.“We want to protect this natural beauty and ensure it’s available for generations to come.”The Earth Day beach clean-up will take place at the Wānaka lakefront near the Dinosaur Park between 10am and midday, with a morning tea supplied by Big Fig.The rubbish collected during the event will be sorted and recorded into Sustainable Coastline’s national Litter Intelligence database, WAI Wānaka said.A few days later WAI Wānaka will host ‘Get Your Feet Wet’ at Bullock Creek opposite the Speights Ale House, from 4pm-5pm.“It’s a chance to learn about, measure and record a selection of indicators that reflect water quality,” WAI Wānaka said, “[and] about having fun, hands-on learning, and making a positive impact on local waterways.” “Both events are during the school holidays, so take the kids and teach them a thing or two about protecting our environment.”For both events, attendees can RSVP via the Facebook page or show up on the day.Find the full list of WAI Wānaka’s upcoming events and volunteer opportunities here.WAI Wānaka is a non-profit community organisation working to protect local waterways.PHOTO: LWT

More funding for Advanced Care Plans
More funding for Advanced Care Plans

18 April 2025, 5:00 PM

More people in Otago can now be assured health providers will know what their health care wishes are at times where they are unable to speak for themselves, often at the end of their lives. In February 2024, WellSouth, the primary health organisation (PHO) for Otago and Southland, changed the way it funds general practices to support patients writing and recording Advance Care Plans (ACPs).WellSouth has created a funding stream for practices to claim for processing ACPs, alongside offering training and support via two dedicated WellSouth shared care plan coordinators (Helen Sawyer and Michelle Anderson).  The funding means that anyone 60 years and over, or people of any age who are Māori, Pasifika or who are former refugees are eligible for a free ACP consultation. General practices can identify these people and contact them to start talking about advance care planning. Since ACP consultations became funded by WellSouth in February 2024, 36 general practices have created 154 ACPs, well above previous years. Helen said creating an ACP “involves thinking and talking about your values and goals and what your preferences are for your current and future health care”.“An advance care plan speaks for you often because you can no longer speak for yourself,” she said. “However, while these plans are important, clinicians often have limited time, and feedback to WellSouth from practices was that ACPs, done well, take time to complete and upload. The funding for ACPs is in recognition of this feedback, acknowledging the time and effort to complete these plans with patients,” she said.  People can discuss their wishes with a GP, practice nurse, health improvement practitioner or health coach at their general practice. Plans are signed off by a GP or nurse at the practice the patient is enrolled at.Helen or Michelle review the ACPs to ensure they are medically interpretable across the spectrum of healthcare provision.  “These plans are important to a person and their family. They should be in a person’s life kit with wills and insurance policies, and we encourage anyone to have an ACP conversation with those they love, and to contact your general practice to ask for an appointment,” Helen said.PHOTO: Supplied

Autumn adventurers warned to be prepared
Autumn adventurers warned to be prepared

17 April 2025, 5:00 PM

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) is reminding trampers to be prepared for autumn conditions when planning their outdoor adventures this Easter. MSC warns that shorter daylight hours, cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather need to be key considerations, particularly for those heading into national parks. All adventurers should plan thoroughly and pack the essentials, MSC chief executive Mike Daisley said. “When choosing a trip, trampers need to consider that summer is over, daylight hours are getting increasingly shorter and temperatures are dropping,” Mike said.“Depending on your fitness and experience, that may mean choosing a shorter tramp.” If heading into a national park, carefully consider the weather.“Regardless of the trip, all trampers need to be ready for all weather, including packing extra warm layers and a waterproof rain jacket, and keeping these easily accessible,” Mike said.“We also highly recommend taking a headtorch and emergency communication device.” Be prepared to alter plans if conditions look unfavourable, Mike said, and when on the track, stick together, check in with each other regularly and continue to stay aware of the weather.“If anyone in your group is fatigued or if the weather deteriorates, it’s crucial to stop and assess the situation, discuss a plan with everyone and turn back if that’s safest,” Mike said “Don't let the arrival of colder weather cloud your judgement by thinking this might be your only chance before winter. Your top priority is always getting home safely.” PHOTO: NZAC

Abatement notice for Hāwea oxidation pond
Abatement notice for Hāwea oxidation pond

17 April 2025, 1:45 AM

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has received an abatement notice from Otago Regional Council (ORC) over performance of the Hāwea Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) but the council says there are “no adverse effects”.The facility failed to achieve its 12-month rolling mean for nitrogen levels within treated wastewater discharged to its oxidation pond.An abatement notice is issued by a controlling authority when there are violations of environmental laws, regulations, or resource consents, to prevent or remedy adverse environmental effects.QLDC property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said while the breach and abatement notice are disappointing, environmental monitoring in Hāwea River showed there are no adverse effects associated with the treatment plant’s elevated nitrogen levels.“Treated wastewater is discharged to land either via the facility’s land treatment area or an infiltration trench, both of which are located downstream from Lake Hāwea and ultimately drain through to Hāwea River,” he said. “As a priority, staff are exploring further measures to improve performance and to bring the plant back into full compliance with its consent conditions.”Tony said QLDC had been aware of “fluctuating nitrogen levels” in the treated wastewater and it had attempted to resolve them through upgrades to the facility’s wastewater treatment processes in the “recent past”.“While these changes have resulted in significant improvements, nitrogen remains above consented limits.”Water quality sampling locations Hāwea Wastewater Treatment PlantHāwea’s existing wastewater treatment plant was built in 1998 and upgraded in 2000; but it doesn’t meet current demand and it has breached compliance for many years. Since 2022 loads of waste have been trucked each week from Lake Hāwea’s Longview subdivision to Project Pure - with the cost met by Longview developer Universal Developments.Plans are in place to connect Hāwea to Project Pure/Wānaka Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tony said, part of the wider Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme project, which will see significant investment in wastewater management capacity across both the Hāwea and Wānaka schemes.Funding for this project is included in the adopted QLDC Long Term Plan 2024-2034, with an overall budget of $80.1M which includes approximately $22M of funding from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.PHOTO: Supplied

Freestyle trampolinists qualify for world champs
Freestyle trampolinists qualify for world champs

16 April 2025, 5:06 PM

Two Wānaka athletes took top spots at the New Zealand and Australia freestyle trampolining championships - the GTGames ANZ - this past weekend, earning them an invitation to the world championships in Barcelona later this year.Blake Hartley (23) and Cole Rasmussen (16) took part in the event at Frankton trampolining facility Site on Friday and Saturday (April 12-13).Blake won the senior category (over 15 years old) and Cole came third.Freestyle trampolining is a relatively new sport, Blake told the Wānaka App. “It started getting popular in the 2000s with people pushing the limits with what was possible on backyard trampolines,” he said.Now there are sponsored freestyle athletes, he said. Freestyle differs from Olympic trampolining, which is “quite strict” and competitors have to follow a certain routine. Freestyle, on the other hand, Blake said, “is for people who just love doing flips and pushing their limits”.At the competition the three judges considered each person’s routine on its difficulty, creativity, and execution.Cole Rasmussen (left) and Blake Hartley (centre) on the podium.“Some people focus on doing the most amount of flips they can,” Blake said. In traditional trampolining events competitors must only do up to three, but in freestyle trampoline “there are no rules”, he said, and the record is nine flips“I’m tall so I focus more on style,” he said. Blake created and was the first person to achieve the ‘shuricutter-in-half-out’ - a double back flip with three kicks and two full three-sixties - which he performed on the weekend. “I think that’s what put me above the rest,” he said.The top three competitors were invited to the world championships in Barcelona this September. Blake hopes to attend, and will be fundraising over the next few months.He is a keen ambassador for trampolining.“Even though it seems like a daunting sport, anyone can get involved with it,” he said. “You don’t have to do it from a little kid - anyone can come and learn a back flip.”PHOTOS: Supplied

Crimeline: Armed offender training, Easter readiness
Crimeline: Armed offender training, Easter readiness

16 April 2025, 5:04 PM

Wānaka Police wish everyone “a safe and happy Easter”, Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts says.She warned locals to expect to see increased activity on the roads. “We often see risky driving behaviour as some drivers look to make every minute count, which often means attempting to get to their holiday destinations as quickly as possible,” Fi said.“Drivers and riders who risk the safety of themselves and others can expect that our people will follow through with the appropriate enforcement action…”Tri-agency training dayPolice, Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) and Hato Hone St John held a tri-agency exercise at Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College on Tuesday (April 15). “The training involved emergency services responding to an active armed offender at the college,” Fi said.People in the area would have seen a heavy emergency service presence, but there was no cause for concern, she added. She thanked the volunteers who assisted the teams and the college itself “for allowing our agencies to train and refine our skills and drills in a realistic environment”. Road policingPolice were called to a vehicle accident on Maungawera Road early on Saturday (April 12).“The vehicle flipped in the ditch; fortunately the driver sustained only minor injuries,” Fi said.On Sunday (April 13) a vehicle was stolen from Northlake and later recovered on the Wānaka-Luggate Highway. “We don’t see a lot of car theft, but we ask people to lock your vehicles and remove the keys to remove the opportunity,” Fi said. “Thieves use a range of techniques, but most offending is opportunistic, please help us by mitigating their opportunities.”She advised people to park in well-lit areas and take their keys with them. She also recommended installing an alarm to provide extra security.On Friday (April 11) a 35-year-old male was stopped on Aubrey Road with an elevated blood/breath alcohol (EBA) of 777 mcg - significantly above the legal limit. “He is also facing a charge of driving while disqualified,” Fi said.On the same day a 50-year-old male was stopped on Aubrey Road with an EBA of 317 mcg and a 26-year-old male was stopped on the Wānaka-Luggate Highway with an EBA of 369 mcg.“Daylight savings has ended, the [temperatures] have dropped. Please drive to the conditions,” Fi said.Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Encouragement and support at dance competition
Encouragement and support at dance competition

16 April 2025, 5:00 PM

Tititea Performing Arts Competition adjudicator Dr Sarah Foster-Sproull says she was impressed by the skill of the dancers at a four-day Wānaka dance competition which ended on Monday (April 14).The competition - billed as a celebration of dance - brought together 125 dancers from Wānaka and further afield for the second year in a row.“It was so good to see a community of young, energetic dancers coming together from the lower South Island, with an impressive standard of technical ability and stage presence,” Sarah said.She said the wellbeing of the dances was “a strong focus” throughout the event.The competition was held over four days, starting on Friday April 11.The competition, organised by the Tititea Performing Arts Trust, fosters a welcoming, supportive and enjoyable culture for performers from all backgrounds, geographical areas, and abilities. During the competition more than 600 items were performed by dancers at the Lake Wānaka Centre.Awards were given for achievements in a range of dance categories across all age groups, and categories included ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, self choreography, and more. On the first day of the competition (Friday April 11), the nomination for the National Young Performer Awards (NYPA) - the pinnacle achievement for many dancers - was held.This year the competition included a hip-hop battle.Isabel Martin (Wānaka), Sophia Hannigan Johnson (Mosgiel), and a troupe from Dance Wānaka were awarded nominations to the NYPA, which will be held in Palmerston North in October.  There were also two ‘firsts’ at the competition this year: a hip-hop battle and the new ‘Adjudicator’s Choice’, which celebrated some of the adjudicator’s favourite performances.Tititea Performing Arts Trust founding trustee Maxine Frazer said there was an “excellent atmosphere” across four days.“We were delighted to see dancers from across the South Island supporting and encouraging each other right throughout the competition. That’s what this is all about.”The event is designed to celebrate dance and the arts in a supportive and encouraging environment.She thanked the dance parents, enthusiasts, supporters, and local businesses involved: “We simply couldn’t have delivered this event without their generosity,” Maxine said.Maxine, together with her co-founding trustees Leigh Cohen, Maria Hearle and Gillian White, are gathering feedback from dancers and parents to help refine next year's competition.PHOTOS: Supplied

Health NZ ditches appointment letters 
Health NZ ditches appointment letters 

15 April 2025, 5:06 PM

A new email-based system to send appointment letters will significantly improve the way Health New Zealand communicates with South Island patients, the agency says. However, to ensure patients receive these communications, they are being asked to not automatically consider them spam but follow the verification process outlined below instead.“Currently, 1.2 million appointment letters are posted annually in the South Island, yet it’s not the most efficient way for patients to receive information promptly or securely," Health NZ regional group manager Kirsty Martin said. "[Starting this week] patients who have previously provided Health NZ with an email address will receive an email prompting them to visit a secure website to validate their email address."Once they have validated their email address, they will receive their future appointment letters by email.” Responding to the email is a simple verification process that will enable Health NZ to send information about appointments and other important health information by secure email. Some appointment information will continue to be sent via post when email is not appropriate, for example when a patient is asked to return information to Health NZ that is relevant to their appointment.The system is being rolled out across most of the South Island, including the Southern District, at present."As well as added security, patients will receive their appointment details faster, [the switch to email] supports environmental sustainability and, depending on the uptake, reduces the cost associated with traditional postal services,” Kirsty said.When patients receive an email they should check their email inbox (and Junk/Spam folders) for a verification email (from [email protected]); click on the link in the email to confirm their email address and to consent to receiving health information electronically; and once verified, they will start receiving appointment letters via email. This service is optional, and patients who prefer traditional mail will continue to receive appointment letters via post.PHOTO: Wānaka App

‘Very busy’ Easter expected
‘Very busy’ Easter expected

15 April 2025, 5:04 PM

A busy Easter is expected for the Upper Clutha, especially with the arrival of tens of thousands of visitors for the final Wheels at Wānaka show.Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat said he expects Wānaka to be “very busy” over Easter.“It’s traditionally a strong period for local businesses, particularly in retail, hospitality, and tourism,” Glenn said.“With school holidays overlapping plus ANZAC Day and events bringing visitors to the region, there’s optimism among the business community for solid trading across the Easter period and beyond.”Wheels at Wānaka will take place from Friday to Sunday (April 18-20) at Three Parks. More than 40,000 visitors attended the Wheels at Wānaka event during Easter 2023, surpassing the 24,000 that attended in 2021.“Ticket sales have been phenomenal - we're really happy with the numbers thus far,” Wheels at Wānaka promotions & media manager Annabel Roy told the Wānaka App.“The weather will dictate final gate numbers, [it’s] too soon to call just yet.”She said traffic management for the event “is all in hand, with thanks to Fulton Hogan”.“Foot traffic will be high and [the] visitor spend steady”, says Wānaka’s Business Chamber. PHOTO: Wānaka AppGlenn said the “general expectation” for Easter is that “foot traffic will be high and visitor spend steady”, adding “there is still some caution due to ongoing cost-of-living pressures impacting consumer behaviour”.“Businesses are well prepared, and many are staffing up and extending hours where possible.”The recent Official Cash Rate reduction may also have an impact on spending, he said, although it may take time to flow through to visitor spending.“Overall, there’s a positive mood heading into the next few weeks – Wānaka continues to be a sought-after destination, and local operators are ready to make the most of it.”

New ideas sought for waste minimisation fund
New ideas sought for waste minimisation fund

15 April 2025, 5:00 PM

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is inviting locals to take action on waste with the return of the Waste Minimisation Community Fund (WMCF). With up to $60,000 in funding available, the WMCF supports innovative projects that reduce waste and promote the sustainable use of resources across the district. Individuals, businesses, schools, and community groups are all encouraged to apply.“This fund is about empowering our community to bring those ideas to life and work together toward a zero-waste future, built on the principles of a circular economy,” QLDC sustainability advisor Emma Brockie said.  The WMCF was founded in 2018 and it has supported a wide range of projects that either reduce waste at the source or divert it from landfill.They have included upcycling old uniforms, school community composting, repair and reuse hubs, reusable packaging trials, sustainable period workshops, and food waste education campaigns.In the Upper Clutha projects include Mountainside Educare’s waste minimisation programme, reuse initiatives at Wānaka Community Workshop and Fabricate, and the Kids First Kindergarten’s Hāwea composting project, among others.QLDC is keen to see what new ideas emerge this year, Emma said.  “Collective small actions can have a huge impact and create lasting change,” she said.“We encourage anyone with a creative idea for minimising waste and maximising resource recovery to apply and help build a more sustainable future for our community.” Applications for the QLDC Waste Minimisation Community Fund will close on May 25.The council is particularly interested in initiatives that address gaps in existing waste reduction programmes. Find more information and apply here.PHOTO: Supplied

'There is nothing here' - Wānaka woman in mental health crisis made to feel like a burden
'There is nothing here' - Wānaka woman in mental health crisis made to feel like a burden

14 April 2025, 6:35 PM

Warning: This story discusses self harm and suicide.A Wānaka woman who was trying to get help at a time of mental health crisis says she was made to feel like a burden.Her story follows the release of a community report that found people in Upper Clutha faced huge barriers when needing to access mental health support from a struggling, under-resourced system.Some described trying to access child mental health services as diabolical, while others chose to leave after years of struggling to get help.The Wānaka woman - who asked to remain anonymous - attempted suicide in late 2023.When she sought help, she said she was left alone in a hospital room for long periods without her medication, and offered no emotional support while overwhelmed and distressed.There is no emergency inpatient psychiatric service for people in crisis in the Queenstown Lakes.She was medically cleared at a local hospital the morning after she tried to harm herself, and said she felt pressured by a nurse to go home to free up a bed."I said to her... 'I cannot go home. Like, what, like I've literally just attempted suicide for the first time and you're going to send me home'," she said.She was eventually offered a respite bed in Dunedin."We finally got to Dunedin Hospital after all of this shit, of them making me feel like absolute shit, being made to feel like such a burden to them."The response made her feel more vulnerable, and she said Wānaka should have better support for people in crisis."The experience of being still sort of like an actively suicidal person, being almost forced to go home when they know you have no support ... I think that's just an example of how there is nothing here."Health New Zealand said there was a 24/7 mental health crisis response service covering Wānaka and people were transferred to inpatient facilities in Dunedin or Invercargill if needed.A crisis respite service, which was launched last year, was also available in Queenstown for people who present less acutely, a spokesperson said.Nine-month wait for an appointmentThe report from community-led advocacy group Health Action Wānaka found there were long wait times, care could be costly and there were shortages of specialists and other staff.Some respondents mentioned private mental health sessions costing up to $200 a visit, while others talked about waiting more than nine months for appointments.Read more:Health group to meet officials about ‘healthcare crisis’Healthcare crisis for Upper Clutha - reportHealth Action Wānaka mental health spokesperson Lucy Middendorf. PHOTO: SuppliedHealth Action Wānaka mental health spokesperson Lucy Middendorf was not surprised by the report findings.Her sister struggled for years to get support for severe depression from the public system in Wānaka."She had quite a number of referrals from her GP rejected or not accepted locally in Wānaka over many years," Middendorf said.When she was finally accepted, she sometimes had to go without treatment because she could not afford the travel costs, and she often waited three or more months for a medication change."It feels like the system is mostly interested in keeping people alive, but not really finding the right kind of tools for them to have a meaningful life," she said.Her sister ended up moving to Dunedin, because she could not get enough support in Wānaka.Now she was in a much better position with more access to support and programmes."If she'd had more services provided earlier in this journey, maybe she would actually be in a better position today," Middendorf said.Health Action Wānaka has asked the government to commit to introducing telehealth psychiatric consults.The current services were struggling to cope with a rapidly growing population, Middendorf said."I think telehealth psychiatric consults could actually save lives. You've got situations where patients could receive treatment and medication a lot quicker," she said.Begging for helpThe report found there were insufficient mental health services for children and young people, which was echoed in responses from community members.One resident said their family had been sitting on the referral list for child mental health services for 18 months without seeing anyone, describing it as diabolical."We've been forced to engage a local private psychologist after literally begging her to take us on as everyone was not taking any new clients. She's now left Wānaka, so we have to travel to Queenstown as nobody local will take us on," they said.Their child was too young to access services available in Cromwell."Our GP has been amazing and has finally, in desperation and after six months of high levels of mental health issues, managed to contact a consulting psychiatrist who has prescribed anti-depressants. It's been a nightmare," they said.Not-for-profit ADL works with young people and their whānau to improve mental health and well-being across the lower South Island.Chief executive Clive McArthur said gaps in healthcare in Wānaka were exacerbated by the region's isolation and demand."Their constrained resources just mean that support isn't always at the right time, the right place and you do find that services are stretched," he said.There were good services in the area, but there were not enough of them and there weren't enough staff for the demand levels, he said."It's stress and distress across the system. People worried, people stressed and stretched and obviously if there is that unmet need, then those issues that people were presenting with can get worse."The government earmarked $2.6 billion for ring-fenced mental health and addiction funding this financial year.As the Mental Health Minister and Associate Health Minister responsible for Rural Health, Matt Doocey said he had set clear expectations for accessing support."What I can commit to is the focus on ensuring that people in the Upper Clutha area, like other parts of New Zealand, have that guaranteed level of service of being able to engage primary mental health and addiction services within one week and specialists within three," he said.If areas were not up to scratch, he said local officials needed to put action plans in place to make that happen and the funding could be used to assist the areas lagging behind if needed.Telehealth services could be a gamechanger for rural communities and he would follow up with officials to work out how they could be rolled out faster, Doocey said."Then hopefully we move to a point in New Zealand where irrespective of where you live, you will be guaranteed a level of service."In 2023, the Ministry of Health launched the Rural Health Strategy for the next decade, outlining five priorities.They included ensuring services were available closer to home for rural communities, supporting rural communities to access services outside their area, and making sure the needs of rural communities were considered in decisions.Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu acting regional commissioner Greg Hamilton said the organisation was committed to improving access to rural healthcare services and ensuring ongoing financial sustainability for hospitals and trusts operating in rural communities."We acknowledge clinical and financial sustainability remains a challenge and we will continue to work closely with communities and providers to address this," he said.Several initiatives were underway including the Rural Hospital Sustainability project and the Rural Urgent Unplanned Care redesign project to address sustainability concerns following on from the Rural Health Strategy.Health New Zealand had not fully considered the Health Action Wānaka report yet, but planned to work with the group "to achieve the desired outcomes for the local community", Hamilton said."Catering for the needs of the growing population of the Central Otago region is an ongoing consideration for Health New Zealand in terms of what might be needed right now, and in the future, and how best to deliver those services," Hamilton said."We are committed to working with community leaders, papatipu rūnanga, and experts to design, deliver, and commission sustainable services that meet the current and emerging healthcare needs of the local community."Doocey would visit Wānaka as part of a rural health roadshow in July to update the community about the Rural Health Strategy and seek feedback about how it was being implemented.Health Action Wānaka says to inform its advocacy, the group undertook research to understand and document the Upper Clutha community's experience of accessing healthcare services, from a patient and healthcare provider perspective.About 300 members of the Upper Clutha community were consulted with for the research via two online surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews from July to September 2024.Where to get help:Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.Samaritans: 0800 726 666.Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email [email protected]'s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.Healthline: 0800 611 116.Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

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