James (Jim) Boult (CNZM) has been appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government, tourism and the community in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.The former Queenstown Lakes District mayor has led and advocated across a range of roles and organisations over a 40-year period.He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015.Jim was elected as mayor in 2016 and re-elected in 2019. In April 2022 he confirmed he would not stand for re-election later that year. During his five-and-a-half years in the role of mayor he led a series of projects to bolster the district.They included an initiative to provide affordable homes; a $2 bus transport scheme; a government working party for freedom camping; a bed tax proposal as a solution for funding the infrastructure needs of 3M+ visitors per year; and other infrastructure and transport changes. During the Covid-19 pandemic he led the implementation of funding and support for migrants without homes or work; establishment of the Queenstown Greater Needs fund for the medical needs of migrants; and the the Economic Recovery and District Diversification taskforces.Jim also worked with central government on initiating shovel-ready projects and establishing the Major Events fund, and chaired the Otago Lifelines Programme for natural disaster readiness and the Metro Mayors section of local government. Jim is a patron of the Child Cancer Foundation, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and Whakatipu Rowing Club, and the chair of the Canterbury Museum Working Party.This is the first time appointments have been made to the “King’s Service Order” (formerly the Queen’s Service Order), acknowledging the new sovereign.PHOTO: QLDC

Wānaka’s Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet has re-established its Kenneth Myer Artist/Writer in Residence Retreat, which provides the opportunity for a writer, poet, visual artist, photographer or composer to create art in the Wānaka environment.The 2024 recipient of the retreat is Sarah Tomasetti, an artist specialising in mediaeval techniques and materials, including fresco (a painting done rapidly in watercolour on wet plaster so the colours penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries).Sarah was based at the Whare Kea Chalet for two weeks recently, documenting the landscape and movement of weather of the Tititea/Mt Aspiring range.“I’ve been working with mountains in my practice for the last 20 years but I’ve never before been able to spend an extended time in one place looking at a range,” she said.“Usually I’m passing through on a trek or staying nearby and trying to capture changing light with a camera in a short space of time.”Once back in the studio Sarah will take her catalogue of sketches and scale the works up for her next body of work. She plans to develop a panoramic installation that depicts the mountain line and includes aspects of the geological and human histories of the area.The Kenneth Myer residency was established in 2012 by Martyn and Louise Myers (proprietors of Whare Kea) to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Martyn’s father, Kenneth Myer, who had a long involvement in the arts and an affinity with the mountains. Past recipients of the retreat include local artists Martin Hill and Phillipa Jones, whose project ‘Watershed’ looked at the relationship between human systems and the water cycle.The retreat is donated by Whare Kea Lodge and includes accommodation at the lodge, guidance from Wānaka mountain guides, and helicopter flights with Aspiring Helicopters.

From taking up road cycling on a whim to competing in the Olympics in just three years: Kim Cadzow is one to watch. The 22-year-old, who lives in Luggate when she’s not working for her trade team in Genoa, Spain, says being selected for the Paris Olympics Games 2024 was “a bit of a surprise”.It happened “a lot faster than I thought,” she said.In August Kim will travel to Paris to compete in the 158km road ride event, which starts and finishes at the Trocadéro, overlooking the Eiffel Tower. It’s a long way from her first rides in Luggate.“I hadn’t really touched a bike until I moved down to Wānaka,” Kim told the Wānaka App.“I started after I finished school, during Covid-19; I got injured doing some triathlons so I decided to try some road racing.”She says her former coach, Wānaka-based Patrick Harvey, “showed me the way” into the professional world of road cycling.Kim has already won the NZ national time trial in 2024, placed sixth in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege monument and achieved a top-10 GC in the Vuelta Espana.Kim is now a full-time professional cyclist employed with EF Education-Cannondale and she spends most of the year training and competing around Europe.Earlier this year Kim dominated the New Zealand national championship time trial in 2024 and also placed an outstanding sixth in the famed Liege-Bastogne-Liege monument and top-10 on GC in the Vuelta Espana.She has two more significant races before she competes at the Olympics; alongside “a lot” of training, Kim will race in the Tour of Switzerland and the Giro d'Italia.The job “takes a lot of work: a lot of training and hours on the bike and everything that goes with it”, she said.When she’s not competing or training, Kim spends time at home in Luggate with her husband and her wider family.“It’s important to have a good support structure around you and I have some really good people supporting me,” she said.“Trying to remember to enjoy it is important too - it’s easy to get caught in chasing results but sometimes when you are pushing it too hard every race feels like a chore.”Kim is one of 16 Kiwi cyclists who make up the New Zealand team for the Paris Olympic Games 2024, and one of two with roots in Wānaka; former Wānaka resident Ellesse Andrews is competing in the keirin. Cycling New Zealand high performance director Ryan Hollows said the athletes make up one of the strongest track and road teams the country has sent to the Olympic Games.Kim will compete in the women’s road cycling event on August 4.PHOTOS: Supplied

Peter Thiel’s bid to build an 1800sqm+ luxury lodge overlooking Lake Wānaka has been rejected again, this time by the Environment Court.The Environment Court has denied the US billionaire’s appeal to overturn a 2022 decision by a Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) consenting panel which had turned down the proposal.Judge Prudence Steven noted that the proposal (by Thiel’s company Second Star Ltd) was “substantially the same” as the one commissioners had considered: a lavish, multi-building retreat in an Outstanding Natural Landscape zoned (ONL) site near Damper Bay.The judge said the lodge would stretch across the lakefront site for some 190 metres, noting that was “nearly the length of two football fields”.The US billionaire has been trying to get the lodge (which would be built on his $13.5M lakeside site) approved for at least two years. PHOTO: SuppliedArchitects Kengo Kuma and Associates (best known for designing for the Tokyo Olympic stadium) designed the lodge, which the judge said was “attractive and responsive to its setting”.However, mitigation via planting and design elements would “not serve to significantly mitigate the horizontal effect of 190m and 35m of glazed windows,” she said.“We… find that the values of the ONL will not be protected.”Thiel was not the only one to be delivered a blow in the judgement.The judge said it found QLDC’s position as respondent “troubling”.“While the council claimed to be a neutral party in the proceedings, the council brought planning and landscape evidence that openly supported the applicant’s case,” the judge said. QLDC had changed its position on the proposal since the 2022 decision from opposition to support.If a council is intending to call evidence in support of an opposite position, its duty is to act with fairness and full transparency, but QLDC hadn’t done that, she said.“The council took an active and supportive approach of the appellant’s position in court and was hardly neutral.”Thiel purchased his 193ha property (located off Wānaka-Mt Aspiring Road) in 2015 for $13.5M after controversially gaining New Zealand citizenship.QLDC was approached for comment.

What happens when a scenic winter adventure turns into a fight for survival?In this gripping episode, we sit down with Ken Wylie, who recounts the day he was caught in a devastating avalanche 20 years ago.Ken takes us through the critical moments before the disaster, from the overlooked morning meeting to the ominous "wumpf" sound that signalled impending doom.His vivid storytelling brings to life the harrowing experience of being swept away by the avalanche, his struggle to stay afloat on the snow, and the moments of awareness before he passed out. This life-altering event has since driven Ken to dedicate his career to teaching avalanche safety and risk management.Listen to The Outlet Wānaka.

The Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust and Dunstan Hospital will be the beneficiaries of funds raised by the Upper Clutha Winter Crop Competition which was organised by the Rotary Club of Wānaka.The competition judges the quality of local winter feed crops based on entries received from local farms. The awards presentation night and fundraising auction on Friday (May 24) raised more than $30,000 for the beneficiaries.The Rotary Club of Wānaka president Marie Fitchett said the cropping competition is generously supported by the rural community, which will directly benefit from the funds raised.“We want to make sure that our community is all the better for the effort that goes into this event,” she said.“A portion of the proceeds will go towards the training and development of paramedics within the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust and we hope to make a significant donation to Dunstan Hospital to update heart monitoring equipment including telemetry for remote cardiac monitoring.”Award winners L-R Hayden Dickey (Fodder Beet), Mark Rapsey (Kale and Supreme Winner), Rotary Club of Wānaka president Marie Fitchett, James McCaughan (Turnip), and Matt Walker (Swede).Competition organiser Geoff McLeay said more than 130 people attended the awards night at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre and prizes were awarded across four categories as well as a supreme winner.“It has been a tough season for crop growing, but we had some excellent crops entered,” he said. “The awards night auction was a real success and I can’t thank the businesses who supported us enough.”This year's supreme award went to Mark Rapsey of Long Gully Farm for his Kale crop, which judges said was exceptional given the season's challenges.The Rotary Club of Wānaka is the official organiser of the Upper Clutha Winter Crop Competition which is supported by Aspiring Rotary and endorsed by the Upper Clutha A&P Society.Crop WinnersTurnip: Geordie Hill Station - James McCaughanSwede: Lindis Crossing Station - Matt WalkerKale: Long Gully - Mark RapseyFodder Beet: Grandview - Hayden DickeySupreme winner: Long Gully - Mark RapseyPHOTOS: Rotary Club of Wānaka

The Wānaka Squash Open, which will be held over King’s Birthday Weekend, will feature one of the country’s top players.Wānaka Squash Club (WSC) president Tony Johnston said spectators are welcome to come along to the club and watch some “top-level” squash.The Men’s Open will feature New Zealand’s number two ranked male player Lwamba Chileshe, who has recently arrived back in the country after a successful season in England.His likely opponent in the final will be Christchurch’s Oliver Johnston, a former national junior champion and NZ team member.“There are, though, a strong contingent of players from around the South Island meaning real depth in the men’s open draw,” Tony said.In the Women’s Open, the top seed is WSC vice-president and tournament controller Emma Brown and her likely opponent in the final is Queenstown’s Tracey Flux.Tony said the club is fortunate to have a player of Lwamba’s calibre playing in the local open thanks to generous sponsors.“Without them, we would not have been able to have players of such a high calibre entering our tournament and it’s great for a small town… like Wānaka to be able to showcase our sport at such a high level.”Tony said club numbers are currently increasing fast - particularly in juniors and young women - and as a result it has made plans to double the size of the club.The club has sold some land at the back of the club site and that, combined with funds earned over the years, is enough for a “reasonable deposit” on costs, but he said the club would still be relying on funding organisations and other fundraising options to “bring our plans to reality”.The Wānaka Squash Open will begin today (Friday May 31) and run through to Sunday (June 2).Find more information at the Wānaka Squash Club website.PHOTO: Supplied

McDonald’s is hoping to have a Wānaka restaurant up and running by 2026.The fast food giant has received approval to purchase a 0.3 hectare Wānaka site for its proposed restaurant, a consent decision from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) says.The OIO decision said the restaurant “is expected to be operational by 2026”.Few updates have been provided since news of McDonald's plans for a Wānaka restaurant became public - to much local fanfare - in November 2023.A petition was quickly created which opposed the company’s proposal for a round-the-clock, 24/7 McDonald’s operation with a restaurant and drive-through.The petition now has close to 5,500 signatures.Read more: Residents not lovin’ it - McDonald’s backlashThe OIO decision does not identify the location of the 0.3 hectare site but lists Mt Iron Junction as the vendor. Mt Iron Junction owns the site McDonald’s proposed for a Wānaka restaurant in its resource consent application to Queenstown Lakes District Council (just off the SH6/SH84 roundabout).QLDC has not yet made a decision on the company’s resource consent application, which proposes a 445m2 restaurant that could seat 75 diners. The application is currently on hold at the applicant’s request. McDonald’s application to purchase the Wānaka land went through the OIO (which administers New Zealand's overseas investment laws) because the applicant is ultimately owned by McDonald's Corporation, a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange, the OIO decision said.“Consent has been granted because the application met the investor test and the non-residential use test,” it said.IMAGE: Supplied

News of another New Zealand retail giant in trouble comes at a time when the industry is facing what one expert calls its most dynamic phase in decades.Smith & Caughey's yesterday announced a proposal to close after 144 years of trading. The closure would result in close to 250 job losses, and follows a 40 percent drop in in-store revenue in the past five years. "We're seeing retailers that have been around for generations closing and these curveballs that have been thrown, certainly since Covid, have been things that none of us have ever experienced before," says Chris Wilkinson, managing director of the consultancy First Retail Group.Meanwhile, at the other end of the retail spectrum, whoever takes over leadership of The Warehouse Group is faced with a company that has taken drastic steps to get back on track.After the sudden departure of chief executive Nick Grayston, the international search for a new chief executive is likely to take months. The news on the afternoon of 20 May that he was leaving, effective immediately, followed an earnings downgrade, a $23 million half-year loss, a slump in its share price and asset sales. NBR co-editor Calida Stuart-Menteath called time on Grayston weeks before that in her weekly editorial Last Word. "We concluded that Nick Grayston had been there eight years and hadn't managed to do what he said he was going to do," she says.The retailer has gone from being a pioneer in its day, opening up consumer and households goods to low and middle income Kiwis at prices not seen before, to one struggling against competitors such as Australian-owned K-Mart.Stuart-Menteath details the Red Sheds' period of growth through the 80s and 90s, and its listing on the stock exchange in 1994. In 2000, sales exceeded $1 billion and it was in the top 10 largest listed companies in New Zealand.A buying spree in the past decade under the previous chief executive saw The Warehouse expand into a group of retail brands, some of which became top performers. Others flopped. Among them was sports chain Torpedo 7. It was bought for tens of millions of dollars and recently sold for just one dollar.The Warehouse Group has since refocused to three key brands - the Red Sheds, Warehouse Stationary and Noel Leeming.Wilkinson says The Warehouse was a forerunner to big format retail and shoppers went there not only for the bargain but because the shopping experience was a novelty."People were drawn to these new and differentiated environments, they were drawn to the concept of saving money by shopping in a very basic environment, having lots of products, in many cases they were products that people hadn't seen before."That was really the start of experiential retail, which is kind of what is driving consumers' behaviour now."But he says consumer behaviour over the past decade has changed, with consumers spending less on products and more on experiences and entertainment. "That trend has been going for quite a while now - well over a decade - as our successive audience, so younger consumers, are in many ways less materialistic."So retailers are having to respond to this change in consumer needs and behaviours in different ways."And that's a challenge that The Warehouse Group must contend with."For the very big box models without any strong differentiation, yes, it will be challenging going forward. "The Warehouse now really needs to think about the categories that it can own and succeed well in."Is that gardening, is that going to be home furnishing, clothing it does well in, grocery? Developing the right types of environments for these categories to succeed is going to be really important."So The Warehouse does have quite a challenging road ahead, but it's not insurmountable."For Stuart-Menteath, that means a focus on both their website and their brick-and-mortars - and she thinks that needs some work. "It's going to be a hybrid model from now on, I think, and that's another reason why retailers like The Warehouse, like Briscoes, really need to have a website that's usable for consumers, not really tricky to navigate, easy to use. "People want to go in store but they also want to go online."Now the idea is they've got rid of TheMarket.com and they will focus on getting The Warehouse online platform up to speed. "But it seems to make more sense that rather than just getting The Warehouse up to speed, they should have a whole overarching website for its three core brands where people could go and purchase their electronics from Noel Leeming, their bed duvet covers from The Warehouse and their stationary from Warehouse Stationary, all on one platform." 

An Albert Town resident is hoping to spark discussion on the limited colour palette permitted for buildings in the district, having raised the issue at the most recent Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) drop in session.Rod MacLeod told the Wānaka App the predominance of black and grey makes parts of the district look like “a prison camp”. “I think we could be a whole lot more imaginative than having blacks and greys,” he said.“In the residential zone I think it’s totally unnecessary and unimaginative. There should be more flexibility.”Rod said he thinks there should be room for white, or even terracotta like in some of New Zealand’s older cities.“Even that is more cheerful than what we’re looking at around here - zone after zone after zone in the region with blacks and greys. It’s like Darth Vader’s pencil box.“We’ve got lots of beautiful colours in the rainbow and lots of beautiful colours that could be used without offence.”Rod acknowledged the requirement for recessive colours and low reflectivity in rural residential areas but he said once houses become part of the residential zone and have “made that transition from rural, people should have the opportunity to be more flexible”.WUCCB chair Simon Telfer said it was an interesting point to have been raised and something that could be looked at in the District Plan.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) requires “natural hues such as greys and beiges” in district plan rules in some areas to soften the visual impact of buildings. There are also requirements relating to some, mainly rural, parts of the district for buildings to have recessive colours and limited light reflectivity. “These rules can help buildings to blend in and let our stunning landscapes take centre stage, reflecting unique qualities of our district,” QLDC media spokesperson Sam White said.“Design guides also apply to other, mainly mixed-use, areas that promote natural hues and external finishes that help achieve design cohesion between buildings and reflect heritage or character design elements.”Sam said that private covenants can also specify requirements that are more stringent than the district plan, “but they don’t trump the district plan if they are less stringent”. Wānaka’s town centre and Business Mixed Use Zone have the most guidance for external appearance, while the residential design guide is more focussed on the density and layout of buildings, he said.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Three vehicles were involved in accidents yesterday morning (Wednesday May 29), backing up consistent messages from Wānaka Police over the past few weeks to drive to road and weather conditions.Black ice on the roads was the primary cause of yesterday’s accidents.Read more: Black ice vehicle crash a ‘cautionary tale’ “Black ice is a hidden hazard. It makes the road slick and can cause poor handling and radically reduce stopping distances,” Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said.“Please drive to the conditions, even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is the single biggest determinant in whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed. A small change in speed makes a big difference to injury severity in a crash – for you and everyone else involved.”Fi gave a “big shout out” to Aspiring Highways and Downers who maintain state highways in this area.“Their primary focus is on spraying the roads with CMA [Calcium Magnesium Acetate, a biodegradable chemical that stops ice forming] to ensure ice does not have an opportunity to form.“In winter, weather conditions are very changeable and there are more hazards on the road to be cautious of, so it’s even more important to watch your speed and drive to the conditions.”Fi advised people to carry chains all winter and know when and how to fit them. Online scams There have been reports of online scams in the past week, and “this time of year it seems to be firewood,” Senior Sergeant Roberts said.While there are plenty of legitimate buyers and sellers, Fi said there are also others who “take any opportunity to prey on vulnerable people”.She said a “trusting soul” could put money in someone’s account before finding out there is no firewood and the ‘seller’ does not live in Wānaka.“If you are buying something sight unseen, you are taking a risk. It is perfectly reasonable to expect a face-to-face sale.”Some online platforms have been set up specifically for trading and have measures to protect buyers and sellers (including the ability to leave feedback and make a complaint if the trade doesn’t go ahead as planned), however Facebook does not monitor sellers.Fi said anyone who thinks they or someone they know has been the victim of an online scam, abuse, harassment or other criminal activity online can report it online or call 105.“Providing as much information as possible helps us in processing your report, this could include any relevant evidence and documents available e.g. bank statements, emails, texts, social media accounts,” she said.Find more information here.ShopliftingSenior Sergeant Roberts said the police have been working with local retailers on shoplifting prevention using Auror technology.Auror enables police to link offending, such as petrol drive-offs and theft, around the country.“That’s really helpful for us,” Fi said. As a smaller community, Wanaka “has the ability to follow up on petty crime”, she added.“We’re such a trusting community in Wānaka … [but that] makes us vulnerable. “You don’t think to do things that you’d do in a metropolitan area because you don’t think that stuff happens here. Trust me, it does happen.”Road policingFi reported that the police Impairment Prevention Team (IPT) stopped 683 vehicles throughout the Southern Lakes over the weekend, of which 31 people had alcohol on their breath, and 10 people were over the limit.The IPT will be back in Wānaka this week and for King’s Birthday weekend, with increased deployment, she said, adding that people should expect to see police patrols “anytime, anywhere”.A crash on the Crown Range on Saturday (May 25) left two vehicles on their sides. There was a potential claim that the brakes in one vehicle had failed, but an ongoing investigation was considering all possible causes for the crash. There were no injuries.Fi said some drivers have been venting at roading contractors at roadworks sites.“[The workers] are bearing the brunt of everyone’s bad day. We will have a zero tolerance approach to that,” she said.“They are out there to keep people moving. Have a little bit of empathy with what they're trying to do: keep people moving and keep people safe.”Fi said Aspiring Highways had reported that the number of tourists and other drivers on the road is “back to pre-Covid levels”.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

More than 40 years after it was built the Luggate Fire Station is getting a major upgrade.The Luggate Volunteer Fire Brigade has operated from its current station on Main Road since it was constructed in 1980.Its 20-or-so operational members attend around 80 call-outs each year and a renovation of the station, which received resource consent approval last month, will help future-proof its operations.Station officer Rod Anderson has been a member of the local brigade for 52 years.“We originally had a very small station,” Rod said. “It was quite an upgrade to get the one we have now.”Renovation work on the four-decade-old station should start in the next few months, he said.The brigade was spurred on by an earthquake assessment which deemed the building earthquake prone and Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) decided to upgrade the station at the same time as earthquake strengthening to make it more fit-for-use.“We are pretty well set up for room other than for training and meetings where we need a bit more room,” Rod said. “There is an extension planned out the back for a training room.”Because of the earthquake risk the front of the station has to be demolished and the replacement appliance bay will be a few metres bigger than the original, providing more room for storage.The out-of-date kitchen will also get an upgrade and the bathroom will be upgraded to meet accessibility standards; other changes include a small expansion to the operations room and a new deck. Rod said the brigade was very grateful to have been offered space to use in Upper Clutha Transport’s former workshop (now owned by Lake McKay Developments) during the renovation.The site is directly across the road from the station and “it’s got the ability to house our appliances and there’s a room we can use for meetings”.Rod said membership numbers at the long-running brigade have gone up and down over time “but our present membership is the best I have ever seen it”.“Our biggest problem is the fact that very few of the [members] are here in Luggate during the daytime and during the week,” he said. Rod said it was the desire to do something for his community that got him started with the brigade and what had kept him involved for all these years.“If there’s anybody in the community that would like to join, or if they are thinking about joining and would like to have a look, they’re always welcome to come on down,” Rod said.The costs of the renovation work for the fire station will be covered by FENZ.PHOTO: Supplied

A police officer who attended the scene of a vehicle accident in Hāwea Flat this morning (Wednesday May 29) said it served as a “cautionary tale” on winter driving.Two ambulances were dispatched to Camphill Road at 8.18am after Hato Hone St John was notified of a crash “but they were not required once they were on scene as it was a non-injury accident,” a St John representative said.Two vehicles left the road after hitting black ice on the west side of the Camphill Road bridge: a truck flipped on its side and a van rolled off the road. Police said the incident was a cautionary tale to drive to the conditions.Around seven minutes earlier a single vehicle also lost control after hitting black ice in Albert Town.Wānaka Police sergeant Dylan Hannah-Jones spoke to the Wānaka App at the site of the Camphill Road crash.He said it was “a cautionary tale to drive to the conditions”.In very cold temperatures, drivers should be cautious of black ice and “if a patch of road looks wet or damp, assume it’s black ice and let your car slow down on its own - brake gently before you get to a curve,” NZ Police said in a statement.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

An upgrade for the Albert Town Bridge may include expanding it to two lanes, with potential construction from 2030.Improvements to the bridge are part of the NZTA Waka Kotahi State Highway Investment Proposal 2024-2034.“The business case would consider upgrading the bridge to two lanes given the growth in the Queenstown Lakes District Council area,” Waka Kotahi Southern media manager Frances Adank said.An average of 5,500 vehicles cross the bridge each day, about five percent of which are heavy vehicles.It’s a far cry from when the James Horn bridge opened in 1930 to replace the punts which had operated since about 1862.The first cars driving across the bridge when it opened in 1930. PHOTO: SuppliedThe one-lane bridge has been witness to many stand-offs and incidents before traffic lights were installed in autumn 2019, due to the increasing number of tourists and a rapidly growing resident population.A Queenstown Lakes District Council spokesperson told the Wānaka App a pipe would be attached to the Albert Town bridge as part of the extension of Wānaka’s wastewater system Project Pure to Hāwea. “We have taken steps during the design phase to ensure that we'll be able to realign the pipe and attach it to the new bridge when the current one is eventually replaced,” he said.“We'll continue to discuss any opportunities to integrate our respective projects with our partners at NZTA Waka Kotahi.”Frances said at this stage NZTA has proposed funding for the bridge upgrade business case in the 2024-27 period. Detailed design work would take place in 2027-30, “with a start to construction in this period if all goes well”. “The bridge was built in 1930 so approaching its 100 years of life and will be regularly monitored and maintained,” she added.

Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) members discussed plans for the future of the Mount Iron Reserve at a workshop yesterday (Tuesday May 28).Around 100 hectares of land around Mount Iron and Little Mount Iron are now in public ownership and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is in the process of creating a Reserve Management Plan (RMP) to determine how the land be used now and into the future. At the workshop elected members discussed a range of draft policies for the RMP (which will go out for public consultation later in the winter), from commercial activities to community partnering and infrastructure.They discussed what kind of commercial activities, if any, might be appropriate on the reserve, including activities like coffee carts and yoga classes; whether or not the flat area is suitable for ‘park and ride’ or event parking; and guidance around track formation.Board members agreed that community partnerships, guardianship and volunteering should be encouraged in the RMP and that any lighting should be limited to toilet blocks but they were divided on whether or not the site was suitable for ‘park and ride’ during events.There was some division on whether or not a ‘qualified’ expert was required in the planning of any future tracks on the reserve, with some board members noting that there were many locals with extensive experience and knowledge around tracks.Initial work on the draft RMP has been informed by last year’s consultation, during which 870 members of the public contributed via the Let’s Talk webpage and in-person engagement.Residents highlighted a desire for things like good mountain bike tracks, open space for play and links to the active travel network.They said they didn’t want to see ‘excessive’ safety signage and rules, a loss of nature or the sense of solitude, and the like.Earlier this year QLDC finalised the purchase of 94 hectares of the Mount Iron land from former owners Cleugh Family and Allenby Farms and in May the day-to-day management of another 50-or-so hectares of neighbouring Department of Conservation land was also transferred to QLDC.The draft RMP for the Mount Iron Reserve is expected to be completed in July; after this, it will be presented to the WUCCB for endorsement and public consultation is expected to open in August or September. The final Mount Iron RMP is likely to be presented to full council for adoption by the end of the year.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Winter Games NZ has confirmed an extensive programme for this winter, including the first FIS World Cup events held in New Zealand since 2019. Ten world class events are set to be held across alpine, freeride and park and pipe disciplines between August 23 and September 9 in Queenstown and Wānaka.  “I am delighted that we are once again preparing to deliver the largest snow sports event in the Southern Hemisphere,” Winter Games NZ CEO Marty Toomey said.“Winter Games NZ provides fantastic opportunities for homegrown athletes, while showcasing the incredible facilities at our local resorts. We are excited to invite the best snow sports athletes in the world back to Aotearoa New Zealand.”The 2024 Winter Games NZ will kick off with The North Face Frontier 2* and 4* Freeride World Qualifier events at The Remarkables ski area in Queenstown. The action will then head across the Wakatipu Basin to Coronet Peak, where two FIS Australia New Zealand Cup Giant Slalom and two FIS Australia New Zealand Cup Slalom races will be held. Wānaka’s Lucia Georgalli competing in Snowboard Slopestyle at Cardrona Alpine Resort at the 2023 Winter Games NZ.The FIS freeski and snowboard park and pipe programme at Cardrona Alpine Resort is comprised of four competitions, including two FIS Australia New Zealand Cups (snowboard halfpipe and freeski slopestyle) and two FIS World Cups (snowboard slopestyle and freeski halfpipe).  The FIS World Cups mark the beginning of the journey to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games as the first events in the global FIS calendar that count towards Olympic qualification. “Winter Games NZ has confirmed two World Cup competitions that balance out the global Park and Pipe World Cup calendar, allowing all athletes to start the 2026 Winter Olympic qualification process with the best possible scenario,” FIS Park & Pipe contest director Roby Moresi said.“Visiting New Zealand has always been special with a great vibe, we are all looking forward to travelling down to New Zealand once again." View the full programme here. PHOTOS: Winter Games NZ

Six district councils that adopted policies to allow trading on Easter Sunday had let them lapse before this year's public holiday, putting some businesses at risk of enforcement action.A law change in 2016 gave local councils the option to set their own rules for trading on Easter Sunday, on the condition the policy was reviewed within five years of being adopted. If a review didn't take place, the policies would be revoked after another two years.Queenstown Lakes, Westland, Grey, Wairoa, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki district councils all adopted local Easter Sunday shop trading policies but had not reviewed them within the specified timeframe, for various reasons, so they were revoked ahead of Easter.ACT MP Cameron Luxton said in some cases, councils had let the policies lapse unwittingly, so traders had been at risk of breaking the law. He said the confusion showed there was a clear need for reform."There's a super complicated amount of regulations over Easter weekend - four days and four different sets of rules."Last month, a private member's bill by Luxton proposing to repeal Good Friday and Easter Sunday as restricted trading days was drawn from the ballot.Cameron Luxton's private member's bill would standardise the rules around the country. PHOTO: VNP / Phil SmithHe said it would make things simpler over Easter by allowing businesses around the country to choose for themselves whether they wished to trade or not."What this bill will do is provide clarity for New Zealanders on how they spend their Easter weekend, so we don't end up, every Easter, every business in the country trying to figure out what the rules are."He said councils that adopted policies had taken the initiative to enable more liberal trading over Easter weekend, but it had resulted in "a complicated patchwork of rules" that even local councils themselves could not keep up with."A lot of businesses who thought they could trade over Easter ended up getting a rude surprise that it might not be the case."He said no-one was being well served by the law as it stood.The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) adopted Easter Sunday trading policies in 2017 that lapsed before Easter this year. QLDC said it was awaiting the outcome of the member's bill before taking further action.A QLDC spokesperson said central government had signalled an intention to review the Shop Trading Hours Act, which would likely change council jurisdiction regarding Easter Sunday trading."Hence, Queenstown Lakes District Council is deferring any review of the most recent policy, or creation of a new one, until quarter three of this year to see whether the matter has progressed at a national level."If it hasn't, we would expect to begin the process then."PHOTO: Wānaka App

A burst of colour and creativity has transformed a ten metre blank wall at Kāhu Youth into a vibrant canvas of youth expression! Led by the Upper Clutha Youth Council (UCYC), the Youth Mural Project was painted during National Youth Week.Under the mentorship of Jo Lewis, Volunteer Manager at Kāhu Youth, the UCYC orchestrated this remarkable initiative, securing funding from Otago Community Trust Rangatahi Led Fund and Ara Taiohi. This collaborative effort aimed to empower youth voices and cultivate a sense of community pride through art.Local artist Chrissy Wickes played a pivotal role guiding the project, facilitating workshops and channelling the collective vision of Wānaka's youth into a cohesive mural plan. Beginning with a focus group at Mount Aspiring College (MAC) in February, the journey unfolded through months of creative exploration, culminating in the unveiling of a stunning mural that encapsulated the essence of youth aspirations and unity.National Youth Week, with its theme of "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all," provided the perfect backdrop for the project's realisation. The UCYC seized the opportunity to engage the community, distributing muffins provided from the Community Kitchen and flyers promoting Youth Week and the mural project. DJ Sam Wilson's infectious beats drew crowds, igniting enthusiasm and support for the initiative.The culmination of Youth Week marked a triumph for the UCYC, fulfilling a long-held aspiration of bringing a youth mural to Wānaka. Over the course of the week, approximately 100 young individuals contributed their time and creativity to painting the mural, forging connections and leaving an indelible mark on their community.As the paint dried and the mural neared completion, Kāhu Youth found renewed vitality in their space, eagerly anticipating its upcoming fit-out. To further their endeavours, Kāhu Youth has partnered with Forsyth Barr to organise a Winter Wonderland Ball at the Lake Wānaka Centre on August 24th, rallying support and resources for their shared vision of community enrichment.Acknowledgments abound for the generous contributions that fueled the project's success. From B.Effect's sponsorship of Kombucha for the celebratory finale to Resene's discounted paints, each supporter played a pivotal role in bringing the mural to life.Photo Credit Deanna GerlachPaetara Aspiring Central35 Plantation Road, Wānaka 

Twenty-one years after the last community plan for Luggate, representatives of the town’s population of 600 or so, with the help of community advocacy group Shaping Our Future (SOF), has laid out a vision for how they’d like to see Luggate grow.An ‘aspirational vision statement’ for Luggate, along with a series of recommendations to deliver that vision, was presented at last week’s Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) meeting, following 10 months of collaboration between the community and SOF.“It’s long-term thinking,” Luggate Community Association (LCA) chair Rod Anderson told the Wānaka App. “It’s not doable in the next two or three years.”“It’s basically to give a direction to the way the Luggate community is thinking, what sort of things they’d like to see happen,” he said, adding the LCA presented it to the WUCCB so “it’s in the back of their minds”.Water was identified as the main challenge facing Luggate. IMAGE: SuppliedThe recommendations relate to water infrastructure (identified as the major challenge facing the area), the state highway corridor, reserves, shops and services, tracks, environment, and heritage.Read more: Luggate retail precinct plans progress“The number one thing for us was water,” Rod said, adding that the issue was identified as a challenge “ahead of anything else”.The report recommends that LCA meet urgently with Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to “provide a compelling case” to bring the water scheme forward in the next QLDC Long Term Plan.“I’m well aware that the council has umpteen projects, and just about everything has water problems but the big thing for us is it’s half way there. The bores are down, they just need to connect them up,” Rod said.The vision statement imagines a family-friendly neighbourhood with tracks and services centred around the nature reserves and the historic Luggate flour mill; with traffic management and planting easing the impact of the main highway which dissects the township.A ‘clip-on’ cycling path for the Red Bridge is one of the options to be explored in the plan. PHOTO: Wānaka AppIt also recommends active lobbying by the LCA to develop a “road corridor landscape/traffic management plan” with the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, with the goal of safe access across the highway, and new speed limits.Waka Kotahi maintenance of the Red Bridge is also to be discussed, as well as the possibility of a ‘clip on’ foot/bike path to enable safe access across the bridge.The identification of services locals want to have available are also on the to-do list, as is development of reserve options and long term planning for a track network across Luggate to Wānaka, Cromwell, and the Pisa Range high country.The Luggate community has identified a wish to maintain the quality of its dark sky (and will ask QLDC to ensure new developments have appropriate lighting control); it also wants solar generation where possible; and the preservation of heritage features, the report said. More than 100 people attended visioning workshops with SOF last winter, which informed the vision statement. Luggate currently has approximately 270 dwellings, and there is development capacity for almost 500 more, the report said.PHOTOS: Wānaka App