With generous support from locals, the Family2Family food appeal is progressing well at both local New World stores, with close to 300 bags donated so far.The annual appeal, which runs at New World supermarkets around the country, is designed to provide access to food and everyday essentials for New Zealand families experiencing hardship.Shoppers at New World can donate a pre-filled bag worth $20, or fill a bag with items of their choosing, and drop them off at the in-store collection points.All local donations will go to Wānaka’s Community Link food bank, which provides food to local households in need.Demand for the food bank doubled last year and it is on track to increase again this year, Community Link manager Kate Murray said, making the donations more helpful than ever.Read more: Food bank demand at all-time highNew World Wānaka owner Stuart Hope said on Friday (May 9) that around 200 bags had been donated so far the store was “grateful to every customer who’s taken part”.“Family 2 Family is all about locals helping locals, and our whole team are right behind it.”Meanwhile at New World Three Parks, scan coordinator Gina Ursua said the campaign was off to a strong start, with 87 bags donated by Thursday afternoon.Shoppers can buy a pre-filled $20 Family2Family bag in-store or online, or fill a bag with items of their choosing.New World Three Parks will be donating an extra $2,000 to Community Link in addition to its donated bags.The Family2Family campaign will run at both stores until May 25.As well as the option of filling or purchasing a bag to donate in-store, online shoppers can also opt to donate a bag, with New World dropping off the bag on the purchasers’ behalf.New World nationwide spokesperson Giselle Bleakley said the campaign gives shoppers “an easy and practical way to make a difference”.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Nine Lake Hāwea fire fighters are preparing to climb 51 flights of stairs in full firefighting kit - and they’ve all completed the Auckland Sky Tower Challenge before.Lorne Capell, Teresa Cotter, Lily Graham, John Cooper, Phoenix Cooper, Africa Barker, Sam Hensley, Benn Cash, and Amie Cotter are all “repeat offenders” in the annual fundraising challenge.This is the third time a group from the Lake Hāwea Volunteer Fire Brigade has competed, and there are just two weeks’ of training left before the team heads to Auckland, Amie said.“Training schedules are up to the individual, but Snap Fitness have very kindly sponsored us gym memberships, so the stair machine has been getting a good workout,” she said.“Our local mountainous terrain is also always a bonus.” The event is a fundraiser for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.Every day, eight Kiwis are diagnosed with blood cancer or a related blood condition. It can affect anyone, at any age and any time in life. Last year the event raised nearly $2M, with the Lake Hāwea brigade contributing $11,000, Amie said.“This year we are on track to donate even more,” she said. A hundred percent of the proceeds from a quiz night and auction on Friday (May 9) went directly to the cause. People can also donate here.The challenge will take place in Auckland on Saturday May 24. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka athletes shone at the 2025 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards, held on Thursday night (May 8) at the Lake Wānaka Centre.Snowboarding star Zoi-Sadowski-Synnott was named sportswoman of the year while sportsman of the year was also scooped by a local - Luke Harrold (freeski halfpipe).Other local winners included alpine skier Adam Hall who won para athlete of the year and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College senior student Ryan Enoka (athletics, karate and rugby) who won the junior spirit of Central Otago award.The annual awards, hosted by Sport Central, bring together 200 people from the region’s sporting whānau to celebrate sporting excellence as well as the spirit, passion, and people who make Central Otago a powerhouse of sporting talent, Sport Central sport and active recreation advisor Jo Knight said.“The judges had an incredibly tough job this year, which reflects the calibre of talent in Central Otago,” Jo said. “The finalists seem to raise the bar every year.” “All categories were hotly contested, with so many national and international champions and multiple athletes breaking local, international and world records.”Sport Central celebrated the 2025 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards with athletes, supporters, coaches and more on Thursday night."As Dale Butcher said - the Central Otago recipe for growing great athletes is a winning one.” Jo said Sport Central extends its congratulations to all award winners, nominees, and those who continue to give their time, energy, and passion to sport in Central Otago. “We would also like to sincerely thank our generous event sponsors, whose support makes this celebration possible,” she said.Full list of winners: Gary Anderson Sound and Vision Sportswoman of the Year: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (Snowboard Big Air & Slopestyle)Central Lakes Construction Sportsman of the Year: Finn Butcher (Kayak Cross)Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year: Luke Harrold (Freeski Halfpipe)Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Heidi Winter (Ice Swimming) Jennian Homes Team of the Year: Sky City Stampede (Ice Hockey)Workplace First Aid Coach of the Year: Nils Coberger (Alpine Ski Racing)Otago Polytechnic Para Athlete of the Year: Adam Hall (Skiing)Ray White Wānaka Junior Spirit of Central Otago Award: Ryan Enoka (Athletics, Karate & Rugby)Wānaka Physiotherapy Senior Spirit of Central Otago Award: Shane Norton (Football)Findex Official of the Year: Adam Nagy (Ice Hockey)John Fitzharris Trophy for Services to Sport: Flick Wallace (Snow Sports)Forsyth Barr Supreme Award - Bruce Grant Memorial Trophy: Finn ButcherPHOTOS: Image Central

The first planting day to improve an area of damaged historic wetland in Dublin Bay took place last Saturday (May 3).WAI Wānaka urban facilitator Trudie Hirst said passionate residents who had been working towards a restoration project within the Dublin Bay reserve joined in 2024 to officially form the Dublin Bay Restoration Group.“With the support of WAI Wānaka, the group gained permission from [the Department of Conservation] to establish a planting project to restore an area of damaged historic wetland within the reserve,” Trudie said.Members of the group (alongside volunteers from WAI Wānaka, Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust and Upper Clutha Wilding Tree Group) made excellent progress on Saturday.Close to 350 plants were planted before a truckload of mulch was applied around newly planted trees; invasive weed control was undertaken; and rabbit netting was attached to perimeter fencing which the Dublin Bay Restoration Group had installed at an earlier date. “The primary objective of this group is to restore and enhance native biodiversity - both flora and fauna - within the reserve and create a safe and inclusive space for the whole community to enjoy and use for recreation,” Trudie said.PHOTO: WAI Wanaka

Residents should expect more noise than usual at Wānaka Library over the next couple of weeks.Starting on Monday (May 12), the local library - which is the busiest of all eight libraries in Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago - will be undergoing renovations.There will be a reduction in library space availability over the renovation period, which is expected to wrap up by Friday May 23. A Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) spokesperson said the council was excited to be adding “a small meeting/programme room” for community and staff use.“We look forward to sharing more about this once the work is completed,” the spokesperson said. “For now, we’d like to thank library users in advance for their understanding with a bit of noise and disruption likely over the next two weeks.”Wānaka Library members checked out more than 270,000 books in the past financial year and approximately 120,000 people walked through its doors.Library-goers may want to take the chance to check out the smaller Hāwea Library while renovation work is underway (open Mondays 10am-midday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm).Find more about all the things on offer at local libraries here.PHOTO: Wānaka Library

Queenstown residents Brett and Hollis Giddens - the soon-to-be owners of historic Hāwea Flat church St Ninians - are interested in community ideas for how the church should be used.Brett told the Wānaka App he and his family are “incredibly grateful to become the next caretakers of such a special local landmark”. “At this stage, we haven’t settled on any plans beyond exploring some landscaping ideas to beautify the grounds,” he said.“We've got a lot to work through at this point and don’t take ownership until the end of the year, but we're keen to get input from the community about possible uses.”Brett said he and Hollis are “not new to heritage buildings - or churches for that matter”.The couple has restored the Waikākā Church and Hazelnut Cottage at the base of Coronet Peak, as well as bar and restaurant, gin gin, on New Regent Street in Christchurch.A group of Hāwea residents looked at ideas for the community to buy the church when it came up for sale in November 2024. Ideas for the church included a music venue, a cafe, art space, a venue to host courses and other events, as well as a museum.Read more: Community hopes for churchThe 87-year-old church was listed for sale because the Hāwea congregation had “outgrown” it, according to minister Reverend Aaron Johnstone. Hollis and Brett Giddens The congregation plans to build a new church within the Longview subdivision at Lake Hāwea.PHOTOS: Supplied

The Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) says it wants the community’s ‘bold ideas’ after confirmation a fund for local projects is set for a sizeable deposit.The sale of the final slice of council-owned land at Scurr Heights may push the value of the Wānaka Asset Sales Reserve (WASR) to “up to eight figures”, WUCCB chair Simon Telfer said.And with new guidelines giving the WUCCB the “ability to influence” use of the fund, now is the time for the community to share its big ideas, Simon said.“We want our partners in the community coming to us with…really bold community ideas,” Simon said at yesterday’s (Thursday May 8) WUCCB meeting.The WASR has always been earmarked for Wānaka projects - and its funds have helped enable things like the Wānaka pool and Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) purchase of Mt Iron - but the new guidelines provide a “really clear pathway for decision making”, Simon said.They help clarify roles, strengthen governance, and better align the WASR with strategic priorities and legacy outcomes, according to QLDC, and the new guidelines say the WUCCB “plays a key role as a strategic partner in ensuring that the WASR is used effectively for community benefit”.WASR funds have supported projects like the Wānaka pool and the purchase of Mt Iron, and WUCCB chair Simon Telfer told the board he wants to hear from the community on bold ideas. PHOTO: SuppliedBoard members celebrated the milestone at yesterday’s meeting.WUCCB member John Wellington said most members stood for the idea to reempower the board - “and this is a step towards that”.Councillor Cody Tucker said the board’s previous role was “like a Santa Claus with very limited money or no elves”, however, with the changes to the WASR guidelines, the board “has the chance to have real power”.The WASR has around $3.4M in it at present and the remaining Scurr Heights land could be “ready to market” by spring, according to a QLDC representative.

Wānaka Rowing Club recently took delivery of three new boats which will help the growing membership of masters and juniors to row, train and compete. Club members met last month to name, bless and launch the new boats in a ceremony and karakia conducted by club captain Tristan Hughes, with a waiata sung by Alanna and Troy Brett. “Since then the boats have been enjoyed in both social, developmental and racing situations by club rowers of all ages and abilities,” club spokesperson Lizzie Ritchie said.Lizzie said the club was grateful to several funders for making the procurement of the boats possible, “enhancing the experience of many of our current and future rowers”.The Lion Foundation and the Grassroots Trust jointly funded the purchase of the Laszlo coxless quad/four named ‘Shane Gibson’. Left: Shane and Tracy Gibson with daughter Holly. Right: Jaime, Anna-Kate, and Daisy Hutter. AAW Jones Charitable Trust funded the purchase of the newly named double boat ‘Jaime Hutter’ and the quad ‘Te Waiatakaia’.Ngai Tahu gifted the club with the name Te Waiatakaia, the original name for Mount Iron. Lizzie said it was a name the club would “treasure”.“Shane Glibson has filled many roles within the club and is an encouraging and driving force for club members of all ages. He rarely misses a training session,” Lizzie said.“Jaime’s involvement with the club goes back many years and he has helped introduce plenty of new rowers to the sport and was club treasurer for 15 years.”She said naming the boats recognised the “selfless input” of both men and their families “to build the club and develop and encourage new and existing rowers”.PHOTOS: Supplied

Almost 70 tickets were gifted to community members at the recent Wānaka Festival of Colour, thanks to the ‘Pay it Forward’ initiative.The checkout option allowed ticket buyers to donate the cost of a ticket to someone who might not otherwise have been able to attend, festival executive director Ruth Heath said. “Thanks to the generosity of our amazing festival-goers, we were able to gift nearly 70 tickets - valued at $2,765 - through Community Link Upper Clutha to families, solo parents, over-65s, and others in our community who were genuinely surprised and grateful,” she said.“For many, the festival wasn’t something they’d considered attending - and the chance to experience it brought unexpected joy.”Ruth said donors felt great about giving, the festival gained ticket sales, and recipients enjoyed unforgettable festival experiences - “a true triple win”.Community Link general manager Kate Murray said the initiative was “a treat many of our clients wouldn’t have thought possible”.“We’ve already seen first-hand how powerful it is for people to be given the opportunity to attend events like these. It’s not just about the show itself – it’s about offering people moments of fun, connection, and belonging,” she said.Wānaka Festival of Colour took place from March 29-April 26. The festival’s next event will be next year’s Aspiring Conversations (March 27–29, 2026).Become a Festival of Colour donor here.PHOTO: Supplied

There has been a “spike” in motor vehicle thefts, Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts says.“Most offending is opportunistic,” Fi said, but added that thieves use a range of techniques.She encouraged motorists to take precautions to mitigate opportunistic offending.“Please ensure vehicles are locked, and valuables removed,” she said.Drivers should also close all windows, park in well-lit areas, and consider installing alarms to provide extra security, she said.Fi said motorists should expect to see increased police activity around peak school pick-up and drop-off times.“Drivers and riders who risk the safety of themselves and others can expect that police will follow through with the appropriate enforcement action so that we can ensure that our students get to and from school safely,” she said.She also issued a warning to people using motorised scooters on shared walkways.“Depending on the make and model, some of the scooters complained about are classified as vehicles and are therefore subject to road laws,” Fi said.“Where operation of a vehicle results in accident or misuse, police have the ability to prosecute users for careless driving which can result in the loss of driver’s license and or a fine.”Fi encouraged people to be careful this game bird hunting season.“Police want every hunter to have a safe and enjoyable game bird shooting season,” she said. “This means making sure we continue to be vigilant about firearms safety. “Have a plan for the maimai, so everyone knows what to do. Handle your shotguns with care – and always treat every shotgun as loaded. And save the drinks until all the shotguns are safely locked away.  “Plan safe, act safe, stay safe.”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

Some of New Zealand’s best young dancers will be taking to the stage in Wānaka this weekend for a special, one-off tour of the inaugural Ripple showcase.Eleven dancers from the New Zealand Youth Ballet Company (NZYBC) will perform a mixture of classical ballet, neo-classical and contemporary dance in three pieces.The Ripple showcase is also a collaboration with Wānaka studio Centralpoint Dance Studios.Some 23 local dancers will perform excerpts from Centralpoint’s end-of-year show, The Nutcracker Remixed, and a part of Foundations, performed at this year’s Wānaka Festival of Colour.Centralpoint Dance Studios director Briony Martin said Wānaka was lucky to have a performance like Ripple taking place locally.“It’s fantastic to be able to provide opportunities like this for our local dancers to be part of, and it’s of huge value to offer something of this calibre to a Wānaka audience,” Briony said.“Our connection with the NZYBC is important for both our local dancers and the community.”The NZYBC lineup includes notable talents Hamish Giddens (17), Tamison Soppet (15), and Wānaka’s own Isabel Martin (15), who have each experienced individual successes at aninternational level and are on the way to becoming world-class professional dancers.Christchurch-based NZYBC founder Olivia Russell said she chose Wānaka to debut Ripple due to her passion for the region and a strong connection with Briony.“It’s truly wonderful to connect with passionate teachers and individuals who share the same vision,” Olivia said.“We are very grateful for [Briony’s] support and the opportunity to perform and inspire the younger dancers of Wānaka.”The two Ripple performances will be held this Saturday night (May 10) and Sunday afternoon (May 11) at the Lake Wānaka Centre.“The more we support performances coming to town often, the more likely we are to see more touring here,” Briony said.Buy tickets here.PHOTO: Supplied

The MetService has issued an Orange heavy rain warning for the headwaters of Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea from 4pm Thursday (May 8) to 1am Friday (May 9).An active front preceded by heavy rain and gale northwesterlies is expected to move northwards over the South Island during Thursday and Friday morning.Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain near the main divide and 60 to 90 mm within 15km east of the divide. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h expected about the divide with possible thunderstorms.Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.Anyone heading into Mt Aspiring National Park is advised to take extra care or delay travel.

Progress is on track for two new Wānaka retirement villages, which will eventually increase retirement accommodation in the township by more than 220 residences.Completion of stage one of Northbrook, the Winton Properties owned village at Northlake, was announced this week.Winton spokesperson Sonya Fynmore told the Wānaka App that stage one includes 32 residences (two or three-bedroom independent living apartments) for one or two people.“The total number of residences at Northbrook Wānaka, once complete, is 131, which includes another 64 independent living residences and 35 Northbrook care suites,” she said.“There is a mix of where residents are moving from – about half are Wānaka locals and the other half have a connection with Wānaka but are moving from other southern towns e.g. Te Anau or as far as Auckland.”Meanwhile retirement village giant Metlifecare, which operates 32 North Island retirement villages, expects earthworks for stage one of its Three Parks village to be completed within the next six weeks or so.“Construction of the first 28 independent-living villas … will follow and is scheduled for completion around mid-2026,” a Metlife spokesperson told the Wānaka App. Once all stages are complete, the village will be home to approximately 150 residents. The accommodation options include around 95 independent living villas and 30 premium care suites, she said.Read more: $200M retirement village announced for Three ParksRetirement village approved - with conditionsIMAGE: Supplied

Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) members will decide whether or not to approve new guidelines for a valuable financial reserve at tomorrow’s (Thursday May 6) meeting.The Wānaka Asset Sales Reserve (WASR) is currently valued at around $3.4M but the upcoming sale of the last slice of council-owned land at Scurr Heights is likely to push its value up significantly. The reserve is “a key financial mechanism for supporting strategic community projects in the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Ward”, QLDC community investment advisor Giovanni Stephens said.Guidelines for the fund were created in 2017 but proposed updates have been prepared over the past year, and WUCCB’s input taken into account via a workshop, Giovanni said.More than $15M was raised for the WASR when the majority of council-owned land at Scurr Heights was sold in 2016 and, in the years since, funds from the reserve have supported a range of local projects.With the final slice of Scurr Heights likely to be listed for sale by summer - and the money raised earmarked for the WASR - the new guidelines will help “clarify roles, strengthen governance, and better align the WASR with strategic priorities and legacy outcomes”, Giovanni said.Also on the WUCCB meeting agenda tomorrow is a license to occupy (LTO) request for an air quality monitoring station at Rosella Lane, Lake Hāwea, and board chair Simon Telfer’s regular report.The meeting will take place at 10am at the Lake Wānaka Centre.PHOTO: QLDC

A long-awaited playground at Hāwea Flat is getting closer to fruition, with a resource consent application for the project now lodged.The playground is proposed for McPhee Park, a reserve bordered by Loach Road and Long Grass Place, and it will include climbing structures up to two metres high, as well as seating, shade structures, and a public toilet.The plans are the result of a collaborative effort by the Hāwea Playground Committee and QLDC, after which funding was brought forward from year three of the Long Term Plan to the current financial year.The playground committee was formed a few years ago to help address the shortage of playgrounds in the Hāwea area.Playground committee member Louise Merrall said a playground for Hāwea Flat was a “well-placed investment” given the growth in the number of young families in the area.A report prepared by resource management and landscape planning consultants Vivian + Espie says the playground is proposed for the western road boundary of the park.The 4004m2 recreation reserve is a flat, grassed site, currently only housing a tyre swing from a macrocarpa tree, and rugby goalposts.McPhee Park in Hāwea Flat. PHOTO: Wānaka AppThe subject site is within the Rural Residential Zone and the consent application will not be publicly notified.Read more: Hāwea Flat to get playground

Cardrona's new Soho Express chairlift is spinning, with Doppelmayer in final testing mode of the high-speed six-seater chairlift ahead of handover later this month.Cardona Alpine Resort & Treble Cone general manager Laura Hedley said she expects the lift to be operational by June 28, two weeks after the skifield opens for the 2025 winter season."They're just finishing commissioning it now, with the electrical engineers, getting those chairs on the line and spinning it," Laura said."We're expecting handover about mid-May."We'll do our training with our teams ... once we're confident and capable on that, we're good to go. We're aiming for the start of the school holidays."Soho Basin has 150ha of skiable terrain, the equivalent of 150 rugby fields. The lift project will increase Cardrona's ski area from 465ha to 615ha – making it the biggest commercial ski area in New Zealand."It's quite hard to comprehend when you talk about the numbers but when you stand out there ... it is just a huge basin," Laura said.The Soho ski area will rely on nature for its snow this season. Snowmaking infrastructure will be added to the basin for season 2026.Soho Express has capacity for 3,000 passengers per hour, on 75 chairs along 1,237m and a vertical rise of 379m. It has 11 towers and is the same model as the $23M Shadow Basin chairlift, installed last summer by Doppelmayer at NZSki's Queenstown skifield The Remarkables.Doppelmayer is also installing a T-Bar chairlift at Cardrona in the main basin for the 2025 season, between the existing McDougalls and Whitestar chairlifts alongside the terrain park.Read more: New lift for Cardrona’s terrain park

Parenting teenagers requires a special kind of stamina. Just when you think you've mastered parenting, your child transforms into someone who needs you differently—sometimes more intensely, sometimes more distantly, and often both within the same day. Here’s how to keep your energy reserves topped up for this important journey.Prioritise Your Sleep (Yes, Yours!)We often emphasise the importance of sleep for our teens, but how frequently do we take our own advice? Poor sleep affects your decision-making, emotional resilience, and patience—qualities you most need when parenting teenagers.Create a calming wind-down routine similar to what you’d recommend for your teen. Put devices away at least an hour before bed, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, and ensure your sleeping environment is relaxing. Remember, modelling good sleep habits is one of your most powerful parenting tools.Challenge Your Parenting Thinking TrapsYour energy can often be drained not by your teenager's actions, but by your own thoughts about those actions. Watch out for these common thinking traps:Catastrophising: "If they fail this class, they'll never succeed in life!"Mind-reading: "They haven't replied to my message; they must be hiding something."All-or-nothing thinking: "I'm a complete failure as a parent."When these thoughts arise, pause and reflect: "Is this thought helpful or draining? How else could I interpret this situation?"Set Boundaries That Benefit EveryoneBoundaries aren’t just beneficial for teenagers—they’re essential for parents too. Identify areas where you're overextending yourself, and practice assertive yet compassionate statements such as:"Let me think about it, and I'll get back to you shortly.""I'm busy right now, but I can talk later this evening.""I can see you're upset, but I need respectful communication to continue this conversation."Every boundary you set helps teach your teen about respect and self-care, while also preserving your energy.Build Meaningful Moments of ConnectionOften, what recharges us most isn’t less interaction, but deeper, meaningful connection. Discover activities that genuinely replenish both you and your teen, like hiking, cooking together, or even a peaceful drive. These interactions build emotional reserves, helping ease the challenges of tougher moments.Remember It's a Marathon, Not a SprintParenting teenagers is a long-haul journey. Like any endurance event, pacing yourself is key. Schedule regular, guilt-free breaks for self-care. Remember, your effectiveness as a parent is not measured by constant availability, but by your sustainable presence.These teenage years, despite their challenges, offer incredible opportunities for growth and deeper connections. Taking care of your energy isn't selfish—it's essential. You're ensuring you'll be fully present for every step of this journey.Parent | Whānau Support Group – Free Group Coaching for Parents – Begins 8 May 2025 with Ali.

NASA’s first super pressure balloon (SPB) flight for its 2025 campaign was terminated soon after the agency’s second - and final - balloon was launched.After 17 days in flight, with a journey that crossed South America and circled around Antarctica, the first SPB was safely terminated just before midnight on Sunday (May 4), ending in the Pacific Ocean around 1,300km east of New Zealand.Around 12 hours earlier the second SPB lifted off from Wānaka Airport, starting a journey which could last up to 100 days.“The picture perfect launch and ascent into float of our second super pressure balloon caps off a highly successful New Zealand campaign,” NASA balloon programme office (Wallops Flight Facility) chief Gabriel Garde said.“To have both missions aloft and nearby one another is phenomenal for such a complex mission operation.“Our launch team as well as all of the crucial support both onsite and remote enabled are what made this possible and we could not be more pleased.” The second helium-filled 18.8 million-cubic-foot balloon reached its operational float altitude of about 33.5 km above earth’s surface around two hours after launch.At the time of writing the SPB was travelling northeast over the Pacific Ocean.The mission will spend most of its time over water, though some land crossings will occur, NASA said.Meanwhile, the first SPB mission has been deemed a “successful mission”, Gabriel said, despite the discovery of a hardware interface performance issue. 'We conducted termination operations over open water to eliminate any risk to the public or the environment,” he said. “We were able to ensure all our viable data both on the science and support sides were telemetered down.”“Following engineering assessments of the likely hardware issue, we performed mitigations and planning to reduce the likelihood of a similar issue occurring on our second flight of the campaign,” he said.The public can track the second balloon in the Wānaka App: NASA Balloons PHOTO: Wānaka App

The opening weekend of the game bird season in Otago Fish & Game Region has been declared a success for duck hunters, with most across the region reporting varied but generally satisfactory results.Most hunting groups visited by rangers bagged average harvests, though there were some notably good exceptions."Overall, we saw reasonable hunting success across the Otago region this opening weekend,” Fish & Game officer Bruce Quirey said.“In a standout case, two duck hunters in the lower Clutha Valley declared it was their best opening day ever, after bagging 40 mallards before midday,” Bruce said.Bruce said rangers noticed several productive ponds, including local ones, sitting idle.On the north side of the Clutha River/Mata-Au only 20 percent of ponds visited by rangers were being hunted, despite good numbers of ducks on some of them, he said.Spots like these had “untapped opportunity”, he added.Otago rangers checked about 140 hunters on opening day, reporting a good compliance rate above 98 percent."The vast majority of hunters are doing the right thing, which speaks to the strong sense of responsibility within our hunting community,” Bruce said.A few junior hunters using sub-gauge ammunition were issued warnings for hunting with lead.“It’s a timely reminder to adults responsible for junior hunters that lead is banned from all shotgun gauges for game bird hunting over water.”Bruce said the mixed harvest results observed on opening weekend lined up with pre-season expectations.“Duck hunting on opening weekend is as much about the camaraderie and getting out amongst nature as it is about hunting success,” he said.“We’re encouraging more hunters to make full use of their licences to get outdoors and harvest wild kai over the winter months.”PHOTO: Otago Fish & Game