Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) celebrated the service and achievement of its senior students at its 2024 Senior Awards ceremony on Wednesday night (October 30).Josh Moody was named Dux for academic excellence of the highest order, Amy Benson was named Proxime Accessit for academic excellence, and Tom Sides was named Best All-Round Student. Also announced at the event were the college’s new head students for 2025: Ania-Kanu Saklani, Charlie Roy, Ryan Enoka, and Lucy Radford. MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards also recognised student achievement across a range of disciplines. “We pride ourselves on being a place for all students to grow and be proud of who they are, and encourage our students to not only make the most of the curriculum opportunities available, but to get involved in all aspects of school life,” she said.“We want every MAC graduate to leave our school equipped with the skills and self-knowledge they need to contribute to the common good and flourish in a complex world.”MAC Proxime Accessit for 2024 Amy BensonShe said MAC students’ academic results were “well above” the national average, and the school places strong emphasis on values.“Observing our senior cohort of 2024, I feel very confident our students will go on to make a positive contribution to our society,” she said.The ceremony included performances from the college leavers’ band, the classical group, the jazz combo, the college choir, Angelo Dale performing ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley, an original song ‘Shapes’ performed by Bryne Bloxham, Otis Murphy and Calum Martineau, and a haka pōwhiri performed by Te Mākahi o Tititea (MAC’s kapa haka group). 2024 Best All Round Student 2024 Tom Sides with MAC Principal Nicola Jacobsen.See the full list of awards recipients below.Academic awardsYear 11 Highest achievement: Noah Moody (mathematics, history, economics and business), Bede Laming (agriculture and woodwork), Francesca Peters (English, geography, event and entertainment technologies), Tommy Cotter (music and level 2 calculus), Denali Emmitt (level 2 statistics), Jack Sides (level 2 physics), Nico Pettit (te reo Māori), Ethan Highsted (science), Georgia Davies (art design), Sophia Menlove (outdoor pursuits), Zoe Gumpatzes (art painting and photography), Phoebe Laker (Spanish), Sam Harper (physical education), Quinn Bailey (computer studies), Millie Slaven (spatial product and design), Laila Wray (food and nutrition), Ashley Beaton (mechanical engineering), Susannah West (drama).High achievement: Jack Sides (level 2 calculus and economics and business), Mikayla Botting (English, drama and level 2 physics), Rhian Telfer, Madi Lovelock (economics and business), Jack Stanley (mechanical engineering), Ruby Smith, Kaitlyn Tooley, Maja Griffith-Jones (English), Dani Maguire, Sam Harper, Zoe Gumpatzes, Kasey Brooks (mathematics), Denali Emmitt, Alianna Hay, Caroline Smith (science), Nico Pettit (maths and science), Susannah West (science and English), Phoebe Laker (physical education), Tommy Cotter (computer studies), Tasmin Murphy, Dougal McConnell (outdoor pursuits).Year 12Highest achievement: Dan McKean (computer studies), Archie Bruce (English), Lachlan Hay (outdoor pursuits and physical education), Grace Thomas (geography and history), Lucy Liddell (chemistry and food and nutrition), Cody Brett (woodwork), Amber Leslie (art painting), Ania-Kanu Saklani (Spanish), Dorothy Anderson (financial capability), Elizabeth Pell (economics), Jessie McNeil (event and entertainment technologies), Max Bretherton (mathematics and statistics), Sam Wilson (music technology), Will Blyth (business), Alex Coupland (psychology), Ayla Howard (photography), Chloe Field (tourism), Monty Brown (gateway), Ryan Enoka (te reo Māori), Sophia Lyon (art design), Chloe Murray (music), Rebecca Blanc (agriculture), Amelia Latchford (biology), George Allwood (mechanical engineering), Mia Waite (drama) Joseph Combe (spatial and product design).High achievement: Ryan Stembridge (psychology and English), Lucy Liddell (biology and English), Dan McKean (level 3 calculus), Lucy Johns, Axel Macdougall, Douglas Wise (English), Cody Brett (outdoor pursuits), Aria Winter, Cholula Brown (mathematics and statistics), Barnes Metcalfe (physics), Midori Osnabrugge (chemistry).Year 13Highest Achievement: Elsa Buckley (chemistry, physics and academic English), Josh Moody (biology and psychology), Ruby Ives (agribusiness and food and nutrition), Will Anderson (gateway and financial capability), Katie Lawrence (statistics and outdoor pursuits), Sophie Walsh (visual art painting), Oisin Corbett (spatial and product design), Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills (economics), Daniel Clark (pathways), Anton Jones (computing), Eva Gilbertson (mathematics and statistics), Otis Murphy (music), Suki Leigh (drama), Mackenzie Hall (event and entertainment technologies), Emily Lovelock (English), Aryenyo Emasu (visual art photography), Hamish Tye (visual art design), Ollie Baldwin (business and enterprise), Sacha Swanson (te reo Māori), Tai Treadwell-Burke (calculus), Tom Sides (history), Hunter Tuck (woodwork), Anna Worsley (materials technology), Annie Wells (Spanish), Taylah Jones (tourism), Lulu Pettit (geography).High achievement: Jodie Wellwood (physics and biology), Hunter Webb, Annie Wells (English), Amber Robinson (geography), Matthew Botting (physical education), Oisin Corbett (psychology), Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills (business and enterprise), Ollie Mann, Sean Byres (outdoor pursuits), Emily Schmidt (mathematics and statistics), Elsa Buckley (biology), Tai Treadwell-Burke (chemistry), Tom Sides (academic English).Special Academic Awards: Tommy Cotter, Dan McKean (science and technology scholarships), Tom Sides (history), Josh Moody (mathematics scholarship), Alyssa Fellingham (outdoor pursuits scholarship), Oscar Leigh, George Allwood, Anna Worsley (effort in workshop), Cody Brett (woodcraft workmanship).National achievements: Olive Sinclair, Olivia-mae Stanley (dance), Noah Burrows (surf rescue), Sophie Fountain (equestrian), Sylvia Trotter (skiing), Nico Pettit (biathlon), Phoebe Laker, Amaya East, Cody Armstrong, Millie East, Matthew Botting (athletics), Lily Wilson (2025 St John National cadet).International achievements: Grace Thomas, Hannah Thomas (dance), Heidi Kendrick (equestrian), Angus Smith, Sophie Smith (rodeo), Josh Moody (triathlon), Fin Melville Ives, Luke Harrold (skiing) Carter Guichard (road cycling), Baxter Pollard (biathlon), Cam Melville Ives (snowboarding).Premier sports awards: Millie East (girls’ sports), Tom Sides (boys’ sports).Service awards: Ben Pell, Zoe Raffills, Neve Brugman, Tom Sides, Lulu Pettit, Aryenyo Emasu, Nicole Power, Caspar Waddington, Jessica Gould, Vida Osborne, Kyan Prince, Tane Haines, Ben McMurray, Jodie Wellwood, Kate Ritchie, Sophie Walsh, Evie Pendlebury, Josh Moody, Abbey Ragg, Annika Massey, Isabella Noble-Kirkbride, Ella Sarginson, Ruby Ives, Emily McCarthy, Lola Underwood-Vize, Lily Wilson, Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Lottie Hunt, Will Anderson, Zavier Taylor, Eben McCamish (students in the community with distinction), Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills (students in the community – special recognition), Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Zoe Raffills, Sacha Swanson, Josh Moody (house spirit), Lulu Pettit (special recognition - sustainability), Jodie Wellwood, Katie Lawrence (whole-hearted contribution), Zavier Taylor, Daisy Sanders, Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Ella Sarginson (special recognition), Ruby Ives (student council recognition).Duke of Edinburgh International Awards: Dani Maguire, Ruby Ives, Jazz Gillespie, Phoebe Gillespie, Ania-Kanu Saklani, Lili Kaler, Ella Asberg, Zoe Gumpatzes (bronze), Chloe Murray, Katie Lawrence, Lola Ritchie, Olive Sedon, Ruby Smith, Tom Sides, Zavier Taylor (silver), Amy Benson, Lucy Radford, Lulu Pettit, Anton Jones (gold).Cultural awards: Rāhana Brett (te ūkaipō), Sacha Swanson (te korowai o te mātauranga).Arts awards: Otis Murphy (wholehearted contribution to the arts).External scholarships: Abbey Ragg, Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Amber Robinson, Amy Benson, Annie Wells, Annika Massey, Anton Jones, Aryenyo Emasu, Baxter Pollard, Ben McMurray, Coco Bentley, Daisy Sanders, Ella Sarginson, Elsa Buckley, Eva Gilbertson, Freya Hawker, Hugo Corin, Hugo Sinclair, Hunter Webb, Isabelle van der Wilt, Isla Hearley, Josh Moody, Katie Lawrence, Kyla Go, Lena Pollard, Lewis Turner, Lily Wilson, Lucy Laker, Millie East, Neve Brugman, Nicole Power, Renee Cunningham, Ruby Ives, Sacha Swanson, Sophie Walsh, Tai Treadwell-Burke, Tom Sides, Vida Osborne, Zavier Taylor, Zoe Laws.Scholarships: Lily Wilson (medical), Otis Murphy (music), Lottie Hunt (law), Ollie Baldwin (art), Beau Gordon, Kyle Millar, Will Anderson, (vocational), Ania-Kanu Saklani, Tyler Gawn (leadership), Zavier Taylor, Kate Watson, Ben McMurray, Tai Treadwell-Burke (leadership and role model), Lily Wilson (polytechnic and medical).Premier awards: Josh Moody (dux), Amy Benson (proxime accessit), Lucy Radford, Nico Pettit, Ryan Enoka, Toby Mills, Amy Benson, Josh Moody (best all-round students), Tom Sides (best all-round student overall).PHOTOS: MAC

Cardrona Alpine Resort’s base complex is getting an upgrade: plans have been approved for a 619m2 building with retail services on the ground floor and food and beverage facilities upstairs.The existing retail and administration building will be demolished to make way for the new one, named ‘Project Arcadia’.Project Arcadia is one of a number of projects the ski field is undertaking to better equip it for the increase in users expected from ski area expansion.Plans for ‘Project Arcadia’, a new retail, food and beverage building, have been approved.Cardrona Alpine Resort is developing a new chairlift and ski runs in the Soho Basin which, together with the Willows Basin, make up the Soho Ski Area.Earmarked to open for winter 2025, the new six-seater chairlift will service around 150ha of terrain. Project Arcadia and other projects will “support this new development and the additional visitors it may bring to the mountain”, application documents said.The old retail and administration building, pictured, will be demolished to make way for Project ArcadiaA separate project billed to include a high speed electric passenger lift system linking the Cardrona Valley to Cardrona Alpine Resort and Soho Ski Area was also announced earlier this month.An initiative of Blackmans Creek Holdings Limited, it was selected as one of the government’s fast-track approval projects, and includes on-mountain visitor accommodation, guest facilities, and workers' accommodation.Cardrona Alpine Resort general manager Laura Hedley said the project was being designed and developed by a third party.“With the planned opening of Soho Basin to skiers in 2025, making Cardrona New Zealand’s largest ski area, we welcome an alternative transport option to the mountain and look forward to seeing how the process progresses.”Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) approved the company’s resource consent application for Project Arcadia earlier this month.PHOTOS: Cardrona/ Supplied

A Hospitality NZ representative says a dozen restaurants in the district are likely to scrap outdoor dining as a result of fee increases, but the local council says the increases are fair.Fees for eateries’ use of public spaces for outdoor dining increased from $100/m2 to $225m2 for the Wānaka lakefront and $70/m2 to $125/m2 for other Wānaka areas when the Outdoor Dining Policy 2024 was adopted in May.Restaurants in Queenstown also faced increases, varying depending on their location, and other fees associated with outdoor dining like licences.More than five months after it was signed off, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is still being urged to reverse the decision, including by Hospitality NZ head of membership Darelle Jenkins, who said the increases were “blowing budgets out of the water”.Speaking at last week’s full council meeting, she said she represented 151 member businesses from across the district.Twelve members intended to remove outdoor dining from their eateries and another 14 were “very concerned” about the impact on business, she told councillors.Darelle also said the public “wasn’t fully informed” during consultation on the proposed increases, “regardless of what council has said about indicating fees”.A QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App this week that, until May, outdoor dining fees hadn’t been increased since 2005.Increases were signalled in 2019 but put on hold due to the impact of the pandemic on hospitality businesses and “the assertion that fee changes were not previously communicated is… misleading”, the spokesperson said.The fees were assessed by an independent valuer and reflect current market rates, they said.For Wānaka eatery Big Fig, the issue wasn’t that the fees were increased but the sudden, substantial jump.Co-owner Shaz Lahood said she was sent a bill for outdoor dining fees which was several thousand dollars higher than the previous year and was initially given five days to pay it.After contacting QLDC, the payment period was extended, but Shaz questioned why the fee had suddenly surged rather than a gradual year-on-year increase, which she said would have been manageable.“I don’t begrudge paying a fee; I begrudge the size of the hike. If fees haven’t been increased since 2005, why is that?” The Wānaka Business Chamber was approached for comment.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Police responded to a search and rescue (SAR) call out on the Pisa Range on Saturday (October 26) following unseasonal snowfall.“A party including an eight-year-old child were stuck in the Kirtle Burn Hut, Snow Farm,” Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona Roberts said.“They had adequate clothing and remained in the hut overnight until they could be extracted by a three person snowmobile team.”Fi said she was pleased to hear that New Zealand recorded its lowest Labour Weekend road toll in over 10 years, with no deaths over the holiday period. “This is something that we strive to achieve towards [the] ‘Road to Zero’ strategy,” she said.Every officer in the area who was rostered to work was out and about engaging with drivers during Labour Weekend.“Visibility was the focus and it was pleasing to see the results,” Fi said.“Police congratulate drivers for stepping up and driving to the conditions when the weather event tracked through. Drivers slowed down, kept safe following distances.“It really showed a great attitude to driving despite the snow and rain.”Between 4.30 and 7.30pm on Friday (October 25) police, Queenstown Lakes District Council and Central Otago District Council set up a fatigue stop in Tarras to provide drivers coming into the area with refreshments - sausages and jelly beans.One thousand and five vehicles were involved in the fatigue stop.“The partnership with the local councils is great, we are all behind the ‘why’,” Fi said.“Despite the great results, it is still concerning that we are seeing high speeds i.e 139/100; 130/100; 110/80. Police will continue to drive speed messages and enforcement and make no apologies for it.”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

A faster, cheaper solution to Luggate’s water treatment issues has been found after Queenstown Lakes District (QLDC) staff took a close look at delivery options.Councillors congratulated council staff at last week’s full QLDC meeting (October 24) for reducing the cost of installing a long term UV treatment plant for the Luggate community.The water treatment plant was one of the proposed amendments to QLDC’s capital works programme, in response to “emerging opportunities for early delivery and avoided costs”, the council report said.Mayor Gyn Lewers told council staff he was “particularly impressed with [staff] utilising a temporary solution to a more permanent solution”.A UV treatment unit in a container was to be installed in the Luggate scheme on a temporary basis to ensure the scheme is compliant with Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules.The container was only meant to remain until a permanent water treatment plant and scheme upgrades were delivered elsewhere in Luggate by 2031/32, but the council compliance response project team identified it could be located on the future permanent water treatment plant site, providing a longer-term water treatment arrangement for the scheme. “To leverage this opportunity, planned reticulation upgrades required to connect the permanent treatment site with the scheme will be required earlier than otherwise planned in the LTP,” the council report said.The scheme would also be completed for less - reducing the overall budget by $2.76M. Councillors approved a $0.40M increase in the compliance response project budget for the next two financial years, which would be offset by a reduction to the Luggate Scheme Upgrades budget in later years. PHOTO: Wānaka App

The formation of the Southern Lakes Kai Collective, a food resilience project, was announced at the first day of the Wānaka Wao Summit on Tuesday (October 29).The Wao Summit is an annual, five-day event to address the region’s climate and sustainability challenges. This year’s theme, ‘Better Together’, refers to the power of collective action in building resilient communities.Wao media spokesperson Arna Craig said the Southern Lakes Kai Collective “aims to deepen connections between the community and local food systems, fostering opportunities for growth, production, and community-driven food resilience”. The collective follows the completion of the Wao Food Resilience Project in 2023, which identified that 94 percent of food consumed in the Southern Lakes region is not locally produced.The project identified five key challenges for the region, including over-reliance on importing food, insufficient local produce and lack of food diversity, and limited access for local producers to the local market due to prohibitive costs and regulatory burdens.The collective comprises a team of local food system advocates to address these regional challenges, Arna said.“This network is uniquely positioned to amplify efforts toward a sustainable, fair, and self-sufficient food system for the Southern Lakes region and beyond,” she said.The Wao Summit opened with a focus on food resilience and the future of New Zealand’s food systems, highlighting the important of shopping locally, and encouraging participants to “vote for change” with every dollar.“Speakers also addressed the unique challenges within New Zealand’s current food system, questioning why Kiwis often pay more for local produce than consumers of those exact products abroad. They advocated for a model that supports local farmers, reduces regulatory burdens, and prioritises sustainable, community-focused production,” Arna said.The summit continues into Saturday (November 2). Find more information here.

Deputy mayor Quentin Smith has questioned how well Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is monitoring its delivery of projects.During discussion of proposed amendments to QLDC’s capital works programme budgets at last week’s council meeting (October 24), Quentin expressed frustration with not being able to assess the reason for individual project re-forecasts.Quentin told the Wānaka App, while it’s “normal for any organisation or business to test itself against whether it’s delivering projects on time and on budget”, the council’s current way of re-forecasting timelines and budgets means this information is not made clear.“You can’t get it wrong if you keep changing the goalposts,” he said.The capital re-forecast was the first of the 2024/25 financial year, and was undertaken as set out in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan (LTP).Councillors were asked to approve all the proposed budget changes in accordance with the ‘Capital Works - October 2024 Reforecast‘ report.During discussion Quentin asked QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen how councillors could distinguish between “normal capex re-forecasts” and those due to the council failing to deliver on time and within costs.He told the Wānaka App the council’s aim was “really simple”: to deliver projects on time and within budget.He cited the development of Paetara/Aspiring Central as a project which missed that mark. The estimated cost of the development was around $1M, and the final cost was around $5M.“That’s one example of a number… If we’re told it will cost $1M it should cost $1M,” he said. “There should be incentive and reward that that’s what we’re measuring against… we should have a means to hold the organisation to account in terms of delivering projects on time and on budget - the KPIs [key performance indicators] should reflect that.“We’re not always going to get it right but we need to be striving to ensure our estimates and times are as accurate as possible, and equally that we don’t want slippage in our budgets,” he said, adding that that leads to more re-estimates and re-prioritisation.He said parts of council are “getting better at it as time goes by”, and there are successes, including in “quick wins”.He also acknowledged that the capex re-forecast “is just the mechanism which reflects that change”, and the reason for the re-forecast is “clearly laid out through other processes in council”.The council capex report noted that submissions during the LTP process, requests from councillors, and “more recent project information” from QLDC staff meant there was some urgent re-prioritisation of projects required. Approval of the amended capital works programme budget was approved unanimously.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is giving owners of boats and kayaks on reserve land near Edgewater Resort until November 23 to remove them before council disposes of them. QLDC parks manager Dave Winterburn told the Wānaka App that complaints had been received from members of the public “about the large number of boats and kayaks in the council reserve near Morrows Mead”.“Some are in poor condition and seemingly unused for some time,” he said.“We’re keen to contact the owners of these vessels to find out which are still in use – and effectively being stored on the reserve – and which, if any, have been abandoned.Council staff have placed notices on vessels along the lakeshore, requesting owners remove them from the reserve by November 23.If an item is not removed by that date, the signs say, “QLDC will dispose of it”.“Our aim is to make sure public reserves like this one are kept clear and used appropriately so they’re safe and available for everyone in the community to enjoy,” Dave said.Council signs say “trespasses with any vehicle or boat on any reserve” are an offence under the Reserves Act.As the notices point out, “there’s also our legal requirement to enforce the Reserves Act which we’re happy to talk through with the owners”, he added.Dave said if any vessels remain in use but their owners can’t remove them by November 23, the owners should contact QLDC’s customer services team (as per the notice) or parks team ([email protected]). “Any which we’re told are abandoned, or which aren’t removed from the reserve by this date, will initially be moved to a single location so they’re not scattered throughout the reserve over the busy summer period,” he said.“We’ll then assess next steps which may result in any unclaimed vessels being disposed of.”PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A photographic artist from Wānaka has won two awards at the prestigious New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Awards 2024.Richard Young was the winner in two major categories at this year’s awards: the landscape category and the wildlife category.“This is my first time entering the competition in several years, so it's particularly rewarding to have my work recognised,” Richard said. The landscape category winner catches a local scene: leaves falling from poplar trees next to the Clutha/Mata-Au River on a misty autumn morning.Richard said he has photographed the same patch of woodland every autumn since 2017.“The concept for this photograph arose from knowing these trees and developing my expression of them. It forms part of a larger body of work called ‘Metaphor’ which explores my relationship to trees within the landscape.”A photograph of two emperor penguins leaping out of a hole at the edge of an ice pack earned Richard his second award at the competition.Emperor penguins burst from a hole in an ice pack in Antarctica in Richard’s second winning photograph.He captured the scene at the McMurdo Sound in Antarctica after hours of observation.Richard’s landscape-focused work has won awards in numerous international competitions, including Best Landscape at the Banff Mountain Photography Competition in 2010, and his work has been widely exhibited across New Zealand, Canada, America and England.He is a full-time nature and landscape photographer and the founder of New Zealand Photography Workshops, which provides photography workshops, courses and tours.New Zealand Geographic said there were more than 6,000 entries in this year’s competition, and “33 deserving winners”.The winning photographs are on display in Britomart in Auckland until the end of November and they will be published in the November/December issue of New Zealand Geographic Magazine. PHOTOS: Richard Young

The government is moving to streamline the building consent regime by swapping out some council inspections for a self-certification scheme.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the proposal was for building professionals with indemnity insurance working on low-risk projects.It would allow qualified trade professionals - including plumbers, drainlayers and builders - to sign-off on their work without needing council inspection.The changes were also expected to cover large homebuilding businesses that construct hundreds of near-identical homes a year."The building consent system is intended to protect homeowners from defective building work by requiring work to be inspected and consented by a Building Consent Authority," Penk said."But the regime is inefficient and adds cost and time to the build process, which makes it harder for Kiwis to realise their dream of homeownership. It takes on average 569 days for a home be built and consented [to] - amid a housing shortage, that is simply too long to wait."Under current legislation, building consents are issued by a building consent authority, usually a local and district council, but can also be a regional council, or private organisation.Penk said the new opt-in self-certification scheme would undergo a robust consultation process in two stages."The first is that qualified building professionals, such as plumbers, drainlayers and builders, will be able to self-certify their own work, for low-risk builds, without the need for an inspection."This brings them in line with electricians and gasfitters who can already do this and is something the industry has been calling for, for years."The second pillar is that businesses with a proven track-record - for example, group homebuilders who build hundreds of near identical homes a year - will be able to go through a more streamlined consent process."At the moment, a single-story basic home might go through 10 or more separate inspections. This is clearly too many and the cost-benefit has become unbalanced."Penk said building professionals are already subject to quality assurances like holding a practicing license, keeping records of their work and having their details in a publicly searchable database.Additional safeguards like a clear pathway for customers to remedy poor work, tougher qualification requirements for building professionals and strict disciplinary actions for careless or incompetent self-certifiers would be put in place, he said."We will make detailed policy decisions in the new year following thorough consultation, which will consider what residual role existing Building Consent Authorities should have in the self-certification scheme, for example through an auditing function."Kiwis need confidence in the safety and quality of their homes, but it's possible to do this through a more streamlined assurance pathway. We are committed to cutting through the tangle of red tape so that we can get more Kiwis into the quality homes they deserve."PHOTO: Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A range of community groups have outlined the principles they wish to guide the next steps in planning for Wānaka Airport.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has signalled it will begin to work on a long-term planning process for Wānaka Airport in this financial year (2024-2025), which would “form the basis of a future masterplan”. Representatives of the Wānaka Airport Users Group, Wānaka Stakeholders Group Inc (WSG), Wao Aotearoa, Albert Town Community Association, Cardrona Ratepayers and Residents Society, Hāwea Community Association, Luggate Community Association, and Mt Barker & District Residents' Association met recently with the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB).The community groups provided a memo to the board members (and Wānaka’s four elected councillors), which outlined six ‘key principles’ the groups want to guide the planning process.“It was useful in setting out expectations of the upcoming Wānaka Airport master planning process,” WSG chair Meg Taylor told the Wānaka App.“The feedback from local representatives was positive and all of us will be tracking the master planning process closely to see that it is independent, transparent, and locally accountable.”WUCCB chair Simon Telfer said the session was “engaging and constructive”.The fraught recent history of planning for Wānaka Airport means planning must be led by an independent consultant, a range of local groups says. PHOTO: Supplied“Their insights into what would make for a successful consultation have been passed on to QLDC staff,” he said.“Creating a master plan for [Wānaka Airport] continues to be a top priority for the board.“Key for us is that every member of the community has the opportunity to share their thoughts on the future of a key community asset. We know that QLDC executives are actively discussing the shape and form of the consultation process and it is our expectation that the board will have clarity on this by Christmas.”Wānaka Airport is owned by QLDC and operated by Queenstown Airport Corporation under a management services agreement. In 2021, the High Court found that QLDC’s granting of the Wānaka Airport lease to the Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) was unlawful. The judicial review was brought to the High Court by WSG, which believed QLDC had not consulted properly and transparently about plans for the airport.Now, the WSG and other groups want “a local focus” to airport planning; “local governance” which represents the interests of the Upper Clutha community; timely, thorough, and transparent consultation; evaluation of environmental and infrastructure impacts; and “an independent process”. “Given the recent history of Wānaka Airport - this process must be led by a consultant independent of QAC, guided by the principles above,” the memo said.The groups asked for two stages in the planning process: consultation on the scope of the planning, followed by information and options for master development plans “for full, open and transparent community consultation”.Read more: Planning for Wānaka Airport looms

Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) celebrated the commitment and achievement of its students in the arts, service and te ao Māori on Wednesday night (October 23).Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards reflected the breadth of opportunities available to students at the college.“In addition to our strong focus on academic excellence, we encourage our students to make the most of all aspects of college life so they can grow and be proud of who they are,” she said.“The arts offer our students a window into the human experience, allowing them to develop the skills they need to tell their own stories and explore different perceptions of the world and their place in it, through music, drama, dance and visual art.”Nicola said MAC was also “thrilled to see students recognised for growing te ao Māori at our school”.She said the recognition of service “reflects how important we believe it is for students to give their time and skills in the service of others at our school and in the local community and beyond”.Arts Service Blues were awarded to students who have dedicated significant time and effort to serving school and/or community arts groups; Arts Achievement Blues were awarded to students who have attained high-level achievements in the arts; Arts Commendation Certificates are awarded to students who have shown commitment, leadership or achievement within the arts for a particular year.Students awarded Service Blues were recognised for their high standard of achievement and commitment to voluntary service at the school or in the local community, including service to the school library, M!NT, Kahu Youth, Hato Hone St John, and the 40 Hour Challenge.Te Ao Māori Blues were awarded to students for their contribution to te ao Māori and leadership and achievement in this area, including regular participation in Te Mākahi o Tititea (kapa haka) practices and performances, whānau hui leadership, cultural committee membership, and involvement in kura reo and other language wānanga.Selected students were awarded MAC Values Awards in recognition of the way their behaviour reflects school values, and special awards were also given to students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and achievement in the arts and culture.The full list of awards and recipients are below.Arts Commendation Certificate: Alice Chaly, Caitlin Harridge. Emma Head, Abby Jago, Isabella Noble-Kirkbride, Nico Pettit, Domenico Robinson, Ruby Smith.Arts Service Blue: Emily Anderson, Mikayla Botting, Kasey Brooks, Cholula Brown, Mila Culpitt, Mikayla Duncan, Harrison Eastwood, Hannah Gillespie, Maja Griffith-Jones, Zoe Gumpatzez, Abby Jago, Alex Kettle, Suki Leigh, Emily McCarthy, Dani Maguire, Toby Mills, Otis Murphy, Elizabeth Pell, Zoe Raffills, Domenico Robinson,Grace Thomas, Kaitlyn Tooley, Mia Waite, Nat Warburton, Zara Weatherly, Susannah West.Arts Achievements Blue: Mikayla Duncan, Casey Knights Johnston, Dani Maguire, Isabel Martin, Otis Murphy, Ania-Kanu Saklani, Olive Sinclair, Grace Thomas, Mia Waite, Nat Warburton, Lucy Wellington.Service Blue: Cholula Brown, Blake Cotton-Everitt, Tane Haines, Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Lottie Hunt, Ruby Ives, Ruby Laming, Amelia Latchford, Jessie McNeil, Toby Mills, Josh Moody, Grace Thomas, Caspar Waddington, Zoe Waddington, Susannah West, Lily Wilson.Te ao Māori commendation certificate: Alice Chaly, Emma Head.Te ao Māori service blue: Nico Pettit, Sacha Swanson, Jacob Toomey, Zoe Waddington.MAC values awards (Manaakitanga Awards): Arts - James Watson; Te Ao Māori - Sacha Swanson; Service - Toby Mills.Whanaungatanga Awards: Arts - Otis Murphy; Te Ao Māori - Ryan Enoka; Service - Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills.Aroha Awards: Arts - Zoe Raffills; Te Ao Māori - Nicol Pettit; Service - Jessie McNeil.Ihi Awards: Arts - Suki Leigh; Te Ao Māori - Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills;Service - Lily Wilson.Special awards: Junior Music Award 7&8 - Emily Anderson; Junior Music Award 9&10 - Emma Head; Senior Music Tech Award - Sam Wilson; Senior Music Award - Amy Benson; Thomson Award for Dance - Hannah Gillespie and Elizabeth Pell; Thomson Wright Award for Direction and Backstage - Tivi De’Souza; King Family Performing Arts Award - Otis Murphy; Haskell Award for Excellence in Drama - Suki Leigh; Kurano Live Music Grant - Harrison Eastwood; Kurano Composition Award - Bryne Bloxham; Kurano Musical Performance Award - Meela Sergeant Latta; Senior Visual Art Award - Isabella Noble-Kirkbride; Senior Language Award - Evie Pendlebury; Tecorians Award for Senior Speech - Josh Moody; Aspiring Writers Award - Elsa Buckley; Senior Debating Award - Zoe Laws.PHOTO: MAC

Deputy mayor Quentin Smith says a collaboration with a local developer to “unlock” 20 hectares of public space for future sport fields is an “incredibly unique” situation.Councillors agreed for the chief executive to enter into an agreement with Willowridge Developments to remediate the former oxidation ponds on Ballantyne Road - earmarked for sport and recreation - and create a flat, grassed site, at last week’s (Thursday October 24) meeting.“This will provide the first stepping stone to unlocking a massive…public space…that meets the need of hundreds of submissions we received during the Long Term Plan,” Quentin said.The project, which could begin as soon as mid-2026, was a “mutually beneficial situation,” he said.“We have a need and we have a willing provider who is uniquely placed, not only in Wānaka but probably in the lower South Island, to provide that need.”Councillor Lyal Cocks agreed it was a win-win: “This is a really significant project for our district and will provide a huge asset.”Willowridge Developments will remediate any contamination, complete earthworks using clean fill, and grass the site, at 101 Ballantyne Road, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) community services general manager Kenneth Bailey said. “While this work will not in itself create usable playing fields, it would in time help achieve the long-term vision of developing a Ballantyne Road Sports Hub for community use,” he said.QLDC sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick said Wānaka residents and groups had provided a “clear message” during Long Term Plan submissions “that new sports fields are wanted urgently for different codes”.“We listened and looked for creative ways to fast track the site remediation process which may well deliver facilities earlier than current LTP funding allows.”Councillors unanimously agreed to enter into the agreement with Willowridge at the meeting, following endorsement from the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board earlier in the month.Read more: Collaboration to produce ‘green canvas’ for sports fieldsThey also agreed to bring forward $5M in funding for the project from year six of the Long Term Plan.The work is expected to take between nine and 16 months once spades hit dirt.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Year 12 Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) student Harrison Eastwood has been selected as the first-ever recipient of the Kurano Music Event Grant.Established this year by 24-year-old multi-award-winning musician Rakuto Kurano, the grant offers a unique opportunity for a MAC student to plan and present their own music event, supported by $400 in funding and mentoring by Rakuto.Rakuto visits Wānaka frequently as the artist-in-residence at the Aspiring Lifestyle Village and as artistic director of the Magic Carpet Music Trust, a charitable trust he co-founded with local music patron Lyn Milne, MNZM.Read more: Opening up the world of music: Lyn Milne, MNZMHarrison said the grant was an awesome opportunity and he was excited to see how his chosen event would play out.“My event will feature the band I am in, ‘Superficial', and we plan to play a small ticketed concert at Rhyme x Reason Brewery,” he said."We think it will be a really fun way to put our band out into the Wānaka community, and we plan on having another band support us and play some tunes too.” Harrison said the music course at MAC had helped him rekindle his passion for music and the arts. “Having access to all of the equipment and connections I need to jumpstart myself into the world of music is super cool. Since I began taking music at MAC, I have started practising all of the instruments I love, finding new music, and making new friends. “I'm thinking about pursuing something in the music industry in the future and I definitely give MAC a lot of credit for that, especially the never-ending support of our head of music Mr Doyle.”Rakuto Kurano PHOTO: Heather Joy MilneThis year’s grant selection committee included Kurano, Lyn Milne, and Taylor Williams (Karen Walker International general manager retail and sales). Rakuto developed an interest in event management during his first year at the University of Canterbury, when he realised that musicians can’t simply focus on practising their instruments and wait for opportunities to come their way.“With this in mind, I took the initiative to organise my own events and concert tours and it’s the reason I have established the grant,” he said.The grant is part of a trio of music awards he has launched this year to encourage musical talent at MAC.The others (the Kurano Composition Award and Kurano Musical Performance Award) recognise exceptional skills in composition and performance respectively.

Wānaka locals and visitors will have a new permanent home for a raft of licensing and government ID verification services when the newest Automobile Association (AA) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency opens its doors next week.The agency was a response to increased demand in Wānaka for these services.“For several years we have had a mobile licensing unit service Wānaka at various set dates during a month, though with a rapidly growing population, some customers needed to travel to neighbouring towns in order to meet their licence renewal deadlines,” AA national manager government contracts Sheelah Ranson said.“We are excited to see this agency set up at its own ‘bricks and mortar’ location to provide greater access for the community. Initially the agency will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday weekly.”Sheelah said people will be able to get all their driver and vehicle licensing requirements sorted, including theory tests for learners, registrations, licence renewals, and International Driving Permits.  In addition, customers can also access IRD personal number applications, RealMe services and join the AA or renew their AA Membership at the agency.Sheelah said customers are encouraged to book an appointment online to guarantee service on the day of their choosing.Locals have been waiting a long time for a permanent AA in Wānaka: Long running-concerns were raised about the difficulties getting licences, making appointments for testing and undergoing practical assessments, most recently at a meeting with local MP Miles Anderson in April.Read more: Locals unhappy with AA driver servicesIn May, the AA began offering a new booking system designed to reduce wait times for the Wānaka mobile unit. The new AA agency will be open from November 5 at 58 Ballantyne Road, Wānaka Auto Centre.PHOTO: Supplied

A sculpture by local artist Nicolas Luppacino has been selected as the overall winner at the 2024 Wānaka Arts Labour Weekend Art Exhibition.The annual exhibition this year features works by 144 artists from the Upper Clutha and around New Zealand and it is open at the Lake Wānaka Centre for the next two days.Judges highlighted the balance of subject and workmanship and the “outstanding detail” in the “portrait of fear and attack” in Nicolas’s winning piece, called ‘No Escape’.Nicolas said he spent three months painstakingly creating the piece at his Luggate studio, but the win was unexpected.Judges praised the “portrait of fear and attack”.“It is quite a surprise,” he told the Wānaka App.An opening event on Thursday night (October 24) celebrated Nicolas and the other artists who had contributed to the exhibition.Curator Vicky Fulton said there was “a huge amount of artwork” filling the Lake Wānaka Centre, available for people to view and purchase.There’s something for every taste, she said, with “a very, very wide variety of styles of art and media”.The exhibition also features artist-in-residence Peregrin Hyde, guest artists Susie Ruddenklau, Cuba Pavlovich and Ben Reid, and working artists Dave Attwell, Stone Maka, Jasmine Clarke, and Rana Odell.Wānaka resident Rana Odell, one of the working artists at this weekend’s exhibition.Wānaka Arts president Gaynor Corkery said the entries and interest in the exhibition are increasing each year.“There's a lot of talent in this community….[and] now people are coming from all over New Zealand to exhibit at our Labour Weekend exhibition,” she said.Organisers have had to limit the number of pieces each artist can exhibit for the first time ever this year, she said.The exhibition, which has grown to become a key part of the Wānaka events calendar, is in its 45th year.Gaynor said Wānaka Arts - the non-profit group behind the event - does it, primarily, “because we are infatuated with art”.Visit the Wānaka Arts Labour Weekend Exhibition at the Lake Wānaka Centre today and tomorrow (Saturday October 26 and Sunday October 27) between 9am and 5pm.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

The six Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) members who competed at the Athletics Otago Interclub meeting at The Caledonian in Dunedin on Saturday (October 19) ran a total of six personal bests (PBs). There would also have been a new Otago record but for the wind being too great.Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) year 11 student Phoebe Laker (15) better known as a 400m specialist (she is New Zealand’s Women’s U16 double champion), showed her versatility in the shorter sprints.“In the Women’s 200m race she ran superbly, winning in an extremely fast time of 25.04 seconds,” AAC coach Michael Beable told the Wānaka App.This bettered by 0.3 seconds the Otago Age-15 record - but the wind, at 4.3 metres per second (m/s), was over the allowable limit of 2m/s for record purposes.Phoebe Laker (15) showed her versatility.This time was more than 0.4s faster than any time so far recorded in the country this year for age 15 girls. In the Women’s 100m on Saturday, Phoebe placed second with a PB time of 12.40 seconds, with a tail wind of 2.6m/s.Year 13 MAC student Cody Armstrong continued his form after his sub-50 second 400m at the opening of the season on October 12.On Saturday he set a PB time of 22.94 seconds, placing 2nd in the Men’s 200m. He was also second in the Men’s 100m race (with 11.41 seconds) and in the 60m (with 7.29s) - into a headwind.Read more: Wānaka athletes excel at new season’s meetTeammate Matthew Botting (also in year 13 at MAC) ran a PB with 23.63 seconds in placing fifth in the Men’s 200m. He also placed second in the 18-19 age category in the Men’s 100m race with 11.77 seconds.Year 8 MAC student Ruby Swamy (12) was not fazed in her first-ever track meeting at The Caledonian, in which the senior athletes competed.She won Section 2 of the W12+ 100m in 14.23 seconds - a PB, and also placed second in Section 2 of the W12+ 200m, in a PB time of 29.05 seconds – “a big confidence boost for her”, Michael said.Although early in her season, former MAC student Niamh Townsend (19) won the Women’s 60m race in a sharp 8.10 seconds, into a head wind of 1.4m/s. In the Women’s 100m she placed third in 12.56 seconds (with a 2.6m/s tailwind).Georgie Bruce (19), also a former MAC student, ran 13.42 seconds for 100m and 27.22 seconds for the 200m.“Both Georgie and Niamh, having left school, are using these early competitions as training for their main competitions, which will occur in the new year,” Michael said.He said the athletes will now take a break from competition as they train for their next event on November 2.The senior MAC athletes’ (Cody, Matthew and Phoebe) focus before Christmas will be the NZ Secondary Schools Athletic Association Championships, to be held in Timaru on December 6-8.“Notwithstanding the interruptions to their training over the last two months due to the rain and using grass surfaces, their preparations for the nationals are shaping up nicely,” Michael said.PHOTOS: Supplied

The need for commercial jet boat operators to have a safety first approach to the routes they take has been highlighted in the prosecution of a driver.Patrick Perkins was sentenced in the District Court at Queenstown today (Friday October 25) following a guilty plea for operating a jet boat in a manner which caused unnecessary danger or risk to other persons or property under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994.Maritime New Zealand said the charge related to an incident on December 30, 2022 when Mr Perkins’s jet boat collided with a recreational jet boat on the Clutha/Mata-Au River during a commercial run with four passengers on-board. Mr Perkins was the sole director and driver for Go Jets Wānaka Ltd.Recreational users of the Clutha are many and varied, from rafts of all types, tyre tubes, kayakers, bathers and recreational jet boaters. The river is close to a large population and easily accessed by all, meaning collisions like this can have devastating outcomes, Maritime NZ investigations manager John Maxwell said.He said the Clutha is generally not a difficult river to boat."It is predominantly a wide deep river with a fast current. It has pressure waves which are best avoided for reasons of passenger comfort and safety, however these hazards can easily be navigated around," he said.Like all rivers in New Zealand, skippers must keep right, if going upstream must give way to vessels coming downstream. In addition, skippers must operate vessels in a manner that is safe and will avoid collision should the risk of collision arise.In this case, the driver of the recreational jet boat had spent most of the day parked up downstream of an island in the middle of the river fishing. As the commercial jet boat with four passengers on-board approached the island, it cut across the river to do a close pass of a rock just downstream of the island."Due to the line, Mr Perkins was unable to see the recreational craft at the head of the island. Despite attempting to take action to avoid collision, the commercial boat struck the recreational craft at about 65 kilometres an hour,” John said.The driver of the recreational jet boat survived, however, he suffered significant injuries and was in hospital for a prolonged period."This incident is a strong reminder to everyone driving jet boats, commercial and recreational, to understand their surroundings, to drive safe lines and to open up corners to ensure visibility,” John said. “The consequences of failing to do so can be catastrophic for all involved. Everyone deserves to come home safe from a day out on the water.”Mr Perkins was convicted and sentenced for one charge under s 65(1) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994. The total sentence of $51,727.41 included a fine of $4,950 (reduced from a starting point of $9,000 to allow for early guilty plea, remorse, payment of reparation and good character), and total reparation of $46,777.41.PHOTO: Supplied

The MetService has issued a heavy snow warning for the Queenstown Lakes district from early tomorrow (Saturday October 26) morning until midnight tomorrow night.The ‘Orange’ warning is for 20-40cm of snow above 600 metres with heavy falls expected to disrupt travel on the Crown Range and Lindis Pass.Snow may fall as low as 400 metres in places.A deepening low over the Tasman Sea approaches the South Island on Saturday. An associated front, preceded by strong northerlies and rain, is forecast to cross northern and central New Zealand. Meanwhile, another front directs cool and moist easterlies over the South Island, with significant snowfall likely above 600 metres from Canterbury southwards.In addition, rain is forecast to be heavy at times below the snow level. The MetService says there is little chance of the Orange warning being upgraded to Red.Travel disruption and damage to trees and powerlines are possible. Cold conditions may cause stress for livestock.The MetService advises people in the region to prepare for snow, cold temperatures, and possible power outages. Drive cautiously, and ensure you have snow chains, sleeping bags, warm clothing, and emergency items.Stay up to date with the latest Roads report in your Wānaka App.