Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is seeking permission for the harbourmaster to use a speed restriction buoy on Lake Wānaka as a temporary mooring for runaway vessels.The council said there was a “critical need” to use the buoy as a temporary mooring because private vessels often slip their moorings.They would “aid the harbourmaster… in emergency situations to temporarily secure vessels adrift, or as immediately necessary to provide for the safety of the waterway,” QLDC said.QLDC is asking for use of the buoy near the Wānaka Marina as the temporary mooring.It is also asking to use the buoys on Lake Wakatipu - at Pigeon Island and Queenstown Bay - for the same reason.In its resource consent application QLDC said it was important to note the buoys would be used as moorings for short-term emergency purposes only and they would be “distinct from traditional moorings”.QLDC also wants to use the buoys to help make firework displays from the lake possible.It asked to use them to “secure a fireworks barge/vessel on occasion to support community events”. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wellington-based photographer Nick Netzler will return to Wānaka later this month to share an exhibition he has created following an eye-opening experience with WAI Wānaka.Nick travelled to Wānaka earlier this year as part of Creative NZ’s Pacific Arts Nature Residencies, where Pasifika photographers capture the stories of New Zealand’s rural communities, and he says he was struck by Wānaka landscape and how the community looked after the land and its resources.“This was a whole new experience for me. As someone from urban Wellington, spending time with WAI Wānaka and their community really opened my eyes,” Nick said.“I was surprised by how familiar it felt, like working with whānau. The way we came together and valued the environment felt very natural for me from a Pasifika worldview.”Nick’s residency was one of two in the 2025 pilot, and WAI Wānaka partnerships lead Michaela Blacklock said the organisation was thrilled to be involved with the debut.“This has been a fantastic initiative and opportunity for WAI Wānaka,” she said. “To have Nick spend time with the team, in action, seeing and learning what we do and documenting it visually, is exciting.”Nick said the experience was “a big learning curve seeing how hands-on and practical the work is to keep the waterways healthy and flowing”.“I was in awe of the beautiful Wānaka landscape and the community’s efforts to protect it.”Nick will be back in Wānaka on Thursday June 19 to present a digital photography exhibition and give an artist talk about what he learnt during his time with WAI Wānaka.The event will take place at the Wānaka Community Hub from 6.30pm.Light refreshments will be provided before Nick’s presentation, WAI Wānaka said.It’s free to attend but attendees are asked to RSVP - by emailing [email protected] - to keep track of numbers.PHOTO: Nick Netzler

Members of the public will get their say on a proposed organisation - independent from council - to deliver water services in this district.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) elected representatives discussed the issue at their meeting last week (Thursday May 29), and agreed - with the exception of councillor Niki Gladding - to public consultation on a proposed Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO).A WSSCO would operate as a council controlled organisation to manage and deliver drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services in the district, and to own QLDC’s current water assets and their associated debt and liabilities.Councillors raised concerns at the meeting that the costs of such a model could be much higher than estimated, and out of council’s control.Deputy mayor Quentin Smith said neither of the models proposed (a WSCCO and an in-house council model) provided “an affordable solution for water provision into the future”, despite three versions of the report having been delivered.“None of these have dealt with the fundamental problem which is affordability,” he said, adding that in ten years’ time the cost for water users in the district would “one way or another be unaffordable”.“I don’t have particular faith that a WSCCO model automatically provides better expertise or better professional governance,” he said.Mayor Glyn Lewers argued in favour of the WSCCO, saying political parties were “forcing” councils to go with a WSCCO model and eventually “a more amalgamated version across the country”.“You’d have to have your head buried in the sand to think that’s not going to occur over the long term,” he said.“In my time as mayor I’ve had to deal with the cryptosporidium outbreak, the current Shotover Plant [non-compliance], also we’re trucking waste from Hāwea, all rooted in decisions made long before any of us turned up.“It is political interference that has got us to this point and has made us pay more for water now.” Glyn said QLDC was about to spend $1.47B on capital works over the next ten years.“I’d rather have a group of professionals focus purely on that, delivering and driving a cost to the ratepayer as efficiently and as effectively as possible. I think the water [WS]CCO is the only way that can happen. As councillors we know we don’t have [the] capability to figure it all out amongst ourselves.” Councillor Barry Bruce told the Wānaka App he preferred the WSCCO model, “as it puts ‘waters operations’ on a more business-based approach and takes away political influences that have not always worked in the best long-term interests of our communities”.He was concerned about “the relatively short consultation period and the complexities of the process”, and said he had advocated for more opportunities for residents to learn about the proposed model.There will be four weeks’ consultation on the proposal, which must be considered as part of central government’s Local Water Done Well plan to address New Zealand’s water infrastructure challenges. Read more: New water model proposed for districtPHOTO: Supplied

Members of the public have been invited to have their say on a draft Climate and Biodiversity Plan (CBP) for the next three years, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance native biodiversity, and increase community resilience to climate impacts.The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) draft plan said “steady progress” had been achieved six years after QLDC declared a climate and ecological emergency - “but more needs to be done”.“The scientific evidence is clear: we must act decisively to reduce emissions, restore biodiversity, and strengthen our resilience to the changes ahead.”The plan outlines 51 key strategic actions — from rewilding and revegetating council land to predator and trapping control, wild conifer management, and cat management initiatives.Other proposed actions include implementing targeted investments to reduce the council’s greenhouse gas emissions, developing a robust climate risk assessment and reporting framework, and strengthening the resilience of the local food system.QLDC resilience and climate action manager Bill Nicoll said lessons from the current CBP have been factored into the development of the new draft.  “These include a commitment to stronger communication, storytelling and relationship building, as well as the need to continue the progress of a wide range of actions that are currently underway.”Councillors approved the draft CBP for public consultation at Thursday’s (March 29) council meeting, with mayor Glyn Lewers describing it as “a great piece of work”.Read the full CBP and have your say via the survey at Let’s Talk here.Council is also asking for feedback on a second environmentally focused plan - Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2025. Read more: Bold vision for zero wasterOnce the CBP survey closes the feedback will be taken into consideration before a final CBP is presented to council for adoption in late July.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Warbird aircraft engineers are eligible to apply for Warbirds Over Wānaka Community Trust scholarships this year, along with Warbird Pilots, as the scholarships resume and expand.Since 2016 scholarships worth a total of $40,000 have been awarded to young Warbird pilots to help them get valuable time flying historic aircraft - but they were put on pause after the airshow was cancelled in 2020 and 2022 due to Covid-19Following the successful 2024 airshow, the trust was now in a position to resume the scholarships, Warbirds Over Wānaka general manager Ed Taylor said.Read more: ‘Best Warbirds ever’“The original scholarships were restricted to pilots but we’ve now decided to increase the amount of the scholarships and expand who can apply,” he said. “This means Warbird aircraft engineers are now eligible.”Each individual scholarship will be worth up to $10,000 following each successful airshow, Ed said. The number and value of scholarships awarded will remain at the discretion of the trust scholarship team.Applications for the 2025 scholarship round will open on July 1 with application forms available now at the Warbirds over Wānaka website. Applications will close on July 31 and successful recipients will be announced in September.PHOTO: Supplied

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) released its winter outlook on Friday (May 30), predicting a warmer than average winter with above or normal rainfall for the Southern Lakes region.NIWA’s principal forecasting scientist Chris Brandolino said, while NIWA doesn’t explicitly predict snow, if it is warmer than average “it may be a bit tough to get low elevation snow events”.“The odds for a banner snow year [are] not looking ripe,” Chris said.“There’s going to be a lack of southerlies this season.”Chris said that while snow to low elevations is less likely, it may be little changed above 1,500 metres.Cardona Alpine Resort’s base elevation is 1,670 metres, the Snow Farm’s is 1,520 metres, and Treble Cone’s is 1,260 metres.Despite predicting generally warmer temperatures, Chris said the Southern Lakes will still have cold snaps and frosts but they will be less frequent. There will be a cold snap at the end of this week (June 6-9), he said.“We could see some snow - good news for you - to low elevation for the South Island.”NIWA’s forecast stated that ocean temperatures around New Zealand are unusually warm, and airflow over winter is expected to be primarily from the north, which makes it hard to find any long or persistent cold snaps in the next three months.Read more about NIWA’s winter forecast here.IMAGE: Supplied

Queenstown resident and former mayoral candidate Nik Kiddle has announced he will run for mayor of Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) later this year.Nik contested the mayoralty unsuccessfully in 2019 against incumbent Jim Boult, following his opposition to Boult’s bed tax proposal.Nik was a member of a tax equity lobby group which said the proposed levy (five to ten per cent applied to visitor accommodation in order to help fund tourism infrastructure in the region) would have disastrous consequences for accommodation providers’ profits.The former owner of Villa Del Lago now says it’s time for “big improvements” at QLDC, starting at “the top”.“New leadership is vital to rebuild a trusted well functioning team,” Nik said.“The mayor must return to forging consensus among elected representatives and opening up the council’s administration to community led views.“No more back room deals, no more selling out to drive corporate profits. Transparency and information sharing must become the new norm. Care with ratepayers’ money must dominate decision making and prioritisation must deliver first on core business.”Nik said while QLDC rates have been increasing there has been “a deterioration in the quality of life here”. “This council has got us into a great deal of trouble over sewage, transport and housing. Productivity is suffering. Neighbourhoods and the environment are suffering. All these issues need fresh leadership to drive improved outcomes.”  Nik said QLDC’s relationship with central government also needs to be improved. “We’ve got a golden opportunity now to grab new resources. But we need a leader focussed on options that exist, instead of peddling a pipe dream of new law so council can tax business turnover.“This must be our focus now without distractions over outdated complex ideas. Current leadership is mired in the past and needs to be swept aside to achieve success.” He criticised a lack of compliance with regional standards, and public transport decisions which “fail to take account of our district’s unique needs, whether it’s school buses or miles of traffic cones, traffic jams and drawn out roading ‘improvements’.”  “We can do way better. The best strategy to improve our council is to vote for change and ‘tick Nik’,” he said.Glenorchy resident and Shaping Our Future executive officer John Glover announced in April that he will contest the mayoralty. Read more: John Glover to contest mayoraltyLocal body elections will take place from September 22, 2025.PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has released its draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP) and it is asking the community to have its say.The draft WMMP outlines a bold vision to move together towards zero waste and a circular economy, QLDC said, focusing on an approach that avoids waste altogether by changing behaviours, or manages waste and used materials better with the right tools, services, and facilities. As part of developing the draft, QLDC hosted stakeholder workshops and a public webinar in September 2024, input from which helped shape the priorities and actions outlined in the plan.   “We’ve worked with key groups in our community to shape a new direction for how we respond to the waste challenges in our district,” QLDC infrastructure committee chair and councillor Gavin Bartlett said.“Council has an important part to play in leading this work, but minimising our waste will require our community to work together, collaborating on opportunities and making change happen."  Changing the story of how our district’s waste is minimised or managed relies on working together on innovative but achievable solutions, QLDC strategy planning manager Sophie Mander said. “This WMMP is a draft, and we invite everyone to provide feedback on whether you think these are the right actions to take, together.” The plan, which outlines how the district will manage and reduce waste, is updated every six years under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.Since the 2018 plan was adopted, progress has included a new three-bin kerbside collection service, boosted public education, the introduction of community composting hubs and the annual Waste Minimisation Community Fund, and a commitment to a future kerbside organics collection.Partnerships with local organisations including Wastebusters, Sustainable Queenstown, and Wao have also been key to helping reduce waste, Sophie said.   “Progress has been made, but there’s still a long way to go,” she said. “This is a crucial opportunity for the community to help us define the next chapter.”  Find more information and to have your say on QLDC’s draft WWMP here.  PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka’s Ellesse Mote Andrews has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours for services to cycling.Ellesse (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) is a world champion cyclist and four-time Olympic medallist. She became the second New Zealander to win three medals in a single Olympic Games, and now ranks as New Zealand’s sixth most successful Olympian. Ellesse grew up in Luggate and attended Wānaka Primary School and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC, where her mother Angela taught music) until her final two years when she attended St Peter’s in Cambridge.“It was the right move for me and my family, but I was always gutted not to be a MAC survivor of all seven years,” Ellesse told the Wānaka App.Ellesse said she loved growing up in Wānaka, where she was “exposed to so many amazing sporting opportunities and amazing people along the way”. “I also loved my creative side and have so many amazing people in the community who played a part in influencing that side of my life too. Coming back to Wānaka feels like I’m coming home - the most special memories and very special people.”Ellesse set a new world youth record at the 2017 Junior Track Cycling World Championships and was recognised with the Halberg Emerging Talent Award. She went on to win three gold medals and a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and two golds and a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. Ellesse Andrews in action. PHOTO: Cycling NZIn 2023, Ellesse became the first New Zealand female sprinter to claim a world title, winning gold at the World Championships. She was recognised as Cycling New Zealand Road and Track’s Female Track Cyclist of the Year in 2022 and 2023, and has been a top-five finalist in the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year category for three years running. “It is so special to be receiving this honour,” Ellesse told the Wānaka App this week. “But I think it’s important to acknowledge the amount of people who have influenced me in my cycling journey. I want to say thank you to all of them too as I would not be where I am today without them.”Through her role in the Athlete Leaders Group, Ellesse has been an important advocate for her teammates, and a key driver of applying tikanga Māori to Cycling New Zealand’s programme. She has given back to the community through speaking engagements, mental health awareness campaigns and voluntary roles at community events, including Cambridge’s Cycling Festival.Ellesse (centre) with her parents Angela and Jon at the World Champs in Italy, 2017. PHOTO: SuppliedSport and recreation minister Mark Mitchell said the 2025 Honours List recognises “the outstanding depth of talent, dedication, and leadership across New Zealand’s sport sector”.“My congratulations to all our sportspeople honoured this year. Your contributions continue to shape New Zealand’s sporting legacy and inspire us all,” he said.

Kāhu Youth is proud to host One Day School, a specialised programme for gifted tamariki.A gifted child is one who has the potential of exceptional performance (top 5%) compared with what other children of the same age can do. It is involuntary, they are born gifted. Performance, however brilliant, is essentially an outward manifestation of an inner reality – the distinctive way in which the gifted child perceives and responds to what he or she observes, experiences, discovers, is told or taught.Common traits of the giftedExceptional vocabulary especially in area of interestProlific reader, often of texts beyond peersUnderstands the abstractCreative solutions to problemsLoves to learn and gain informationBeyond peers in one or more curriculum areaEnjoys conversations that analyse, go deepExceptional memoryIntense emotionsCurious and questions unexpectedlyAdvanced or sophisticated humourNeeds the understanding behind the factsEnjoys discussions with adults or older childrenStrong sense of morals and justicePerseveres for lengths of time on a taskPresenter: Danielle Nicholson, teacher for One Day School and Mt Aspiring College's Kitenga.What: Tips and proven practice for parents of gifted children of any age.When: Wednesday June 11, 7-8pm and Tuesday June 17, 7-8pmWhere: Kāhu Youth Centre, Paetara Aspiring CentralThere will be time for questions and a chat after, with tea and biscuits. Supervision provided for school age children.For more info email: [email protected] or visit kahuyouth.org Photo Credit: Deanna GerlachKāhu Youth Centre, Paetara Aspiring Central

The countdown is on for the 2025 ski season with a North Island ski field opting for a soft launch this weekend while snow guns are blazing in the south.Staffing and accommodation shortages have hampered ski fields in recent years, but operators said their luck had turned around and scores of people had applied to work on the slopes.Nestled on Mount Ruapehu, Tūroa Ski Area was ready to open its cafes and offer snow play and sightseeing on Saturday (May 31).Chief executive Jono Dean said people could enjoy a day in the snow before the snow bunnies started hitting the slopes next month."There's a little bit of snow in and around bottom of the mountain just in the base area, which is really exciting and it's a good precursor to what we think is coming next week, which looks like a nice, healthy storm to get the snow off and running for 2025," he said."As we start to snow on the ground and snow on the forecast, we'll be progressively opening lifts and facilities over the coming month of June and we anticipate readiness for the 28th of June and the start of the school holidays."The ski area had almost 1200 applicants for 200-250 jobs and was fully staffed."It's actually a real blessing against previous years where we have really struggled in our part of the world for availability of staffing and, of course, skilled staffing," he said.Cardrona and Treble Cone experiences general manager Laura Hedley said they had been hard at work over the warmer months to get the ski fields ready.Speaking on Friday afternoon with snow falling outside her window, she was feeling positive for the season ahead, especially with a strong group of staff - half of whom were returnees.There was less pressure on finding accommodation as they had a 120-bed backpackers they renovated about three years ago to fall back on and rentals were not quite as hard to come by, she said."We've got staff, they've got good accommodation and we've got all these upgrades. I'm touching wood that it's going to be a good season and that mother nature comes and helps us as well."Cardrona Alpine Resort's new Soho Express chairlift opens this season, offering 150 hectares of new terrain.Mt Hutt was expected to lead the charge and open its slopes on Saturday (May 31) after receiving more than a metre of snow in April.NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson earlier said he was pretty confident it would stick around but those hopes were dashed by nor-west winds."The snow around the base area just wasn't enough to get access to the lifts so we wanted to give it every chance and we threw everything at it but that early season snow can disappear early," he said.Anderson was not ruling out opening next weekend if the conditions played ball, but said Mt Hutt could always fall back to its original opening date of June 13.Further south around Queenstown, the picture was not looking so promising earlier in the week, but he said some good wintry weather had settled in so it could crack on with snowmaking.NZSki had invested in three new groomers, about $750,000 on improving its rental equipment, more 4WD buses in Queenstown and about a million dollars spent on snowmaking across the mountains, Anderson said.After a bumpy few years for staffing, it had a record staff return rate and plenty of newcomers which he put down to people feeling more confident travelling here with memories of border closures fading and tougher economic times meaning more people were looking for work.NZSki had previously taken the plunge into accommodation, buying a hostel and offering just under 100 beds.It had also built apartments for staff and planned to build another 12 in the coming years, he said.He believed some landlords might be getting tired of offering short term rentals and putting them back onto a fixed tenancy basis, which had also eased the pressure.Looking at the forward bookings, the Queenstown slopes were getting plenty of aroha from locals and Australians, he said.The Remarkables celebrates its 40th birthday this year, and Paul Anderson said there would be a 1980s themed party in late spring so people should prepare their perms, straight skis and retro ski suits.

‘Moving Day’ for the Southern dairy sector begins on Sunday (June 1) and the Otago Regional Council (ORC) is reminding farmers and truck companies to use best practices to safeguard water quality and transport safely when moving stock.Moving Day - which goes for several weeks from June 1 - is traditionally when dairy cows and farmers move between farm properties, either in herds by road or, more often, by stock truck.ORC environmental implementation manager Libby Caldwell said effluent from stock trucks can put road users and adjacent waterways at risk.She emphasised farmers should stand off their animals for at least four to 12 hours before transporting them. “The focus is on farmers’ standing their stock the day before moving, and for the trucking companies to then make use of the roadside effluent disposal sites around Otago,” Libby said. Effluent can get onto roads and become a safety hazard for other drivers and can also run off into roadside drains or pollute adjacent waterways, she said. ORC and several local authorities now operate nine roadside effluent disposal sites across Otago, with six disposal sites on State Highway 1 between Pukeuri and Clinton, and three on inland highways, at Raes Junction, Brassknocker Rd and Tarras. Farmers walking their herd along a road should keep them away from roadside drains and channels, and avoid disturbed soil, to stop effluent entering adjacent waterways, Libby said. Cows should be stood off green feed for at least four hours, but no more than 12 hours, before they are loaded onto trucks, to help reduce the amount of effluent on trucks. For welfare reasons, DairyNZ also recommends that a grazed-out paddock or stand-off pads are better options for standing stock, than a concrete surface, as the latter can contribute to tender feet and are not good for stock to lie down on.Road users can report stock truck effluent spills by contacting the ORC’s Pollution Hotline on 0800 800 033.PHOTO: Supplied

Wastebusters is inviting community members to roll up their sleeves and learn about low-waste living at its upcoming ‘Natural Cleaning’ workshop as part of its Low Waste Living series.The hands-on session (taking place on Tuesday June 10, from 6pm-8pm) is all about creating effective, eco-friendly cleaning products that are kind to people, the planet, and the pocket, Wastebusters staffer Ruth Blunt said.Ruth will guide attendees through how to make their own affordable cleaning products at home, without the chemicals often found in conventional brands.“The feedback we’ve had from past workshops is that cleaning and housework are often real sticking points for people trying to reduce waste in their homes,” Ruth said.“Many just don’t know where to start. This workshop gives people the tools and confidence to start making simple changes that really add up.”Participants will craft their own toilet pods and scent jars, and learn how to whip up everyday essentials like all-purpose sprays, cream cleaners, and laundry powders, using ingredients that are safer for their whānau and the environment, she said.Attendees will also be treated to low-waste kai and drinks, and have the chance to connect with like-minded locals on the path towards more sustainable living.“Our Low Waste Living events have become really popular,” Ruth said. “They’re relaxed, empowering and a great reminder that sustainable choices don’t have to be expensive or overwhelming – they can actually be beautiful, practical and fun.”The workshop is open to everyone - whether they’re well on their sustainability path or just starting to explore alternatives.Tickets are $10 and spaces are limited. Book at the Wastebusters website.PHOTO: Wastebusters

The iconic Makarora and Blue Pools bridges near Haast Pass will reopen tomorrow (Saturday May 31) in time for King’s Birthday weekend, after comprehensive upgrades. On Thursday (May 29) a small group of Makarora residents and conservation groups met to view the bridges and upgraded Blue Pools Track walkway, located 70km north of Wānaka.Department of Conservation (DOC) operations manager Charlie Sklenar said the occasion warranted a royal celebration after a two-year slog involving engineers, contractors, specialists, geotechnical consultations, unexpected complexities and a lot of hard work. “In May 2023 engineering reports on Blue Pools and Rob Roy bridges showed they needed to be upgraded for public safety, while Makarora’s swing bridge had to be completely replaced,” Charlie said. “We closed all three to get the work done.”The view from the Blue Pools bridge. PHOTO: DOCIn peak summer season 550 people a day cross the Blue Pools and Makarora bridges, she said.“At times 75 people would cross the bridges each hour, and visitors were regularly exceeding the signposted ‘safe number of people to cross’ advice. We needed to ensure these structures were safe for the public.” Upgrades included a new longer Makarora swing bridge with higher capacity, a 160-metre-long elevated board walk, and extensive upgrades to the Blue Pools bridge offering an improved experience for visitors. The Rob Roy suspension bridge was reopened earlier in October 2024 after substantial upgrades.“We are so fortunate to have the stunning clear waters, native forest and dramatic alpine scenery of Tititea Mt Aspiring National Park on our doorstep,” Charlie said. “These upgrades mean people can safely experience this special place for years to come and do so in a way that protects nature. “It’s an investment that preserves our natural taonga species and supports our local communities who rely on outdoor recreation and tourism.” Yesterday was a big day for the Makarora community, with a parallel celebration for the opening of the 1.1km Charteris Track in nearby Makarora township. See also: New track provides last link in Makarora loop. 

Submissions in favour of a proposed ‘health precinct’ for Wānaka, including a hospital, are now being considered by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).In May 2024 Wānaka-based property investment company Roa revealed plans for a $300M privately funded project comprising a five-level hospital with four operating theatres, imaging services, a 24-hour emergency department and more than 70 inpatient, emergency, and post anaesthetic care beds.  Roa said the hospital would be at the heart of a broader “health precinct” which would include four offices for allied medical services such as consulting and treatment rooms, on-site parking, and ground level retail and hospitality opening out onto public pedestrian spaces.Roa initially sought Fast-track Approval for the plans, but its application did not make the cut. CEO Mike Saegers told the Wānaka App the plans were a “straightforward” consent application which was “never reliant on fast tracking to overcome a consenting hurdle”.Roa encouraged locals to make submissions to QLDC on the proposal, saying: “You don’t need to write much, but noting your own personal experience having to travel to Dunedin regularly would be valuable, and what it is you support about having a hospital and health precinct all in one place in Wānaka.” Submissions closed on Friday (May 23), and a Roa spokesperson told the Wānaka App 17 submissions were received, “all of which supported the proposal”.“We are now awaiting the council's decision,” she said.While Roa initially announced it planned to engage “a high-quality private healthcare operator to manage the hospital”, Mike told the Wānaka App it was “an absolute priority for us for these facilities to be available to everyone”.“We’re looking at all options to make that happen, and we’re engaged with the public health sector about ways to do that. “Ultimately, we’re building what’s within our control, which is a five level hospital, four operating theatres, 70 plus beds and a 24 hour emergency department.”Read more: A ‘void’ in health care planning as private plans proliferateIMAGE: Supplied

The Wānaka Business Chamber welcomed three new directors and celebrated a year of “connection and consolidation” at its annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday night (May 28).Three new business professionals - James Brewer, Holly Egerton, and Julia Langley - were elected to replace three incumbents who had stood down from the chamber’s board.James has a background in IT and consulting and he is currently ANZ Wānaka's commercial bank manager; and Holly, a former lawyer, is the founder of Succession, an online business that helps Kiwis get their wills and enduring powers of attorney sorted.Julia is a senior executive with over 20 years’ experience in sustainable finance, ESG strategy, financial services, and regulatory engagement.Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat said it was “fantastic” to welcome the new directors.“They bring a great mix of fresh energy and deep local insight, which will serve the Chamber and our wider business community well,” Glenn said. “I’m really looking forward to the contribution they’ll make as we take the next steps forward.”Glenn reflected on the past year, where he said the chamber had “continued to build strong relationships across our business community, delivered a range of quality events, and reignited the Wānaka Business Excellence Awards, which was a real highlight”. “We’ve also made great progress on our leadership academy, which is developing into a key programme for local business capability building.”Looking ahead, the focus is on establishing a permanent home for the chamber, Glenn said.“It would be great to have a dedicated office and hub to host events, meetings, training, and co-working,” he said.“Alongside this, we’re committed to continuing to deliver value for members through advocacy, training, and networking, particularly as businesses navigate a challenging economic climate.”Wānaka Business Chamber has 330 members and its mission is to empower Wānaka’s business community with the support, resources, and connections needed for sustainable growth and success.PHOTO: Supplied

Walking is not easy for Makarora landowner Gary Charteris.An accident decades ago means he now spends more time in a wheelchair or on his mobility scooter than he does on his feet.But that has not discouraged him from pushing ahead with the creation of a new walking track through the native forest on his hillside farm around the back of the small settlement.The idea came to him 20 years ago, and this week the signs for the Charteris Track were finally put in place, marking its completion, and a formal opening with around 50 people was held this morning (Thursday May 29).Gary took his track idea to the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust (UCTT) six years ago, and ever since the trust has been working through the paperwork - a Queenstown Lakes District Council resource consent and Department of Conservation (DOC) approval - and track planning and construction.While it is only 1.1km long, the Charteris Track is a valuable last link in a loop taking in the Makarora township on State Highway 6, the camping ground, and DOC’s short nature walk in Mt Aspiring National Park.UCTT project manager and retired surveyor Brian Weedon says the route had to follow the contours of the hillside, all the while (with the guidance of an ecologist) ensuring there was no damage to rare and endangered plants.The gravel track gently winds its way through huge matai, kahikatea, rimu and beech trees.A crowd of 50 or so people walked the new track today during its formal opening.The high rainfall at Makarora required considerable work on managing water flows, by way of drainage ditches, culverts and bridges.Brian said the trust would have liked the track to have been wheelchair accessible, with slopes of no more than three degrees, but the substantial amount of earthworks that would have been required made that too difficult.The track does however have relatively gentle slopes Gary negotiates with ease on his mobility scooter, and he gets a kick out of seeing members of the public walking and running through his forest.Gary was fully engaged in the planning and construction of the track and plans to help with maintenance as required.The forest is covered by a QE2 covenant meaning it cannot be cleared or damaged by future owners.Gary, a former possum hunter, has taken care of that problem over the years, and the track has allowed the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust to put 50-60 new stoat traps in place to help protect the forest’s birds, including kaka.UCTT secretary John Wellington said the track cost the trust about $180,000.Gary, UCTT trustees, DOC staff, QE2 National Trust representatives, Makarora School students and other Makarora locals gathered this morning for the Charteris Track’s official opening, walking the track together before enjoying a sausage sizzle.PHOTOS: Caroline Harker

Otago Regional Council (ORC) has restored funding for an Upper Clutha public transport case to the current financial year, ORC councillor Michael Laws says.Michael moved the motion to restore the funding at yesterday’s full council meeting (Wednesday May 28).“As a consequence of the regional council's decision [yesterday], $250,000 will be allocated from the council's general rates to fund a business plan for Wānaka public transport,” Michael told the Wānaka App.ORC had announced in March it would ditch the public transport business case for the Upper Clutha in its draft annual plan, blaming reduced government co-funding.Councillor Michael Laws PHOTO: SuppliedThe business case had been promised in ORC’s Long Term Plan (LTP) last year after the council’s proposal for yet another Upper Clutha public transport trial was rejected during consultation.Read more: ‘Things will get worse’: Public transport business case ditched by ORCMichael said Wānaka/Upper Clutha is the fastest growing ward in the Otago region, followed closely by Cromwell - and it deserves a public transport business case.“Neither receive a public transport service but pay for those provided in Dunedin and Queenstown through our general rates. So today's decision is a minor recompense for that levy," he said.Michael thanked the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board and Queenstown Lakes District Council “for their positive submissions to the ORC's annual plan”. “The information and advocacy that they provided was vital," he said.

Lines company Aurora Energy says it is looking for new ‘flexibility’ suppliers as demand for electrification in Queenstown and Wānaka increases.Decarbonisation efforts, a move away from fossil fuels, and population growth are driving increased electrification - shifting from non-electric energy sources to electric ones - across the district.As that demand increases, Aurora Energy’s network capacity and capability need to be ready to meet it, the company’s chief executive Richard Fletcher said.Aurora Energy successfully partnered with a solar battery aggregator in Upper Clutha in 2022, and the first-of-its-kind solar initiative allowed the company to reduce peak load by one megawatt by injecting energy at the right time. The company is now putting out a call for more flexibility providers and large businesses in the district who can provide capacity support during peak times, he said.Non-network solutions range from solar and batteries that generate electricity locally and options that shift electricity use away from peak time.“This is a new area for the energy sector, and we want to understand what resources are available so we can fully integrate these into our network strategy as we work toward a decarbonised energy future.”The local solar battery aggregator solution delayed major infrastructure upgrades by two years, which relieved pressure on the network and delivered cost savings for customers, Richard said. More suppliers of this kind could help defer or avoid Aurora Energy’s network investments in the medium-term, he said.PHOTO: Supplied