Prolific, award-winning Wanaka writer Liz Breslin has had a stellar month: picking up prizes from both the International Writers' Workshop and the Queenstown Writers’ Festival.Two weeks ago, November 5-8, Liz won the adult category of the inaugural Queenstown Writers’ Festival Short Story Competition.Dr Maxine Alterio whittled down the entries and chose Liz’s story, The Very Bones, as the winner. "The majority of stories entered in this category were of a high quality, making the task of selecting a short list very difficult,” Maxine said. Liz has also been announced as the 2020 winner of the Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems, at the annual prize giving ceremony of the International Writers' Workshop.Liz won the $1,000 prize for her sequence of poems, entitled: "In bed with the feminists.” The competition was judged by 2019 winner Siobhan Harvey, who read two of the poems from Liz’s sequence at the award ceremony. “I was so surprised and delighted to get the call to say I'm this year's winner. I worked on these poems during a period on my own in lockdown, so it's really affirming to see them recognised outside my head and my house,” Liz said.Siobhan commended Liz’s winning entry... "for its unapologetic voice, clear vision and assured awareness"."The her-storical narrative and creativity make this a compelling lyrical analysis of feminism both in the contemporary age and in the past," she said.Liz, who sets off this week with fellow wordsmiths Laura Williamson and Annabel Wilson on a poetic tour of the Rail Trail, is also currently working on a play for the Festival of Colour.PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has appointed a new Upper Clutha liaison manager to support the work of the Wanaka Community Board.Jessica Garrett joins the QLDC on Monday December 7 and will be based in the Wanaka office in Ardmore Street. She replaces Robyn Steel, who originally took up the position in early March 2020 and resigned recently.Jessica has a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in International Studies (Asian Studies), and has previously worked in local government and higher education.Having been working in Canterbury for the past two years, Jessica brings with her experience in governance, stakeholder engagement, and business management, the QLDC said.

A range of academic, cultural and service awards were granted at the Mount Aspiring College’s (MAC) annual senior prize giving ceremony last Wednesday night (November 4) before a packed audience in the college’s gymnasium.The four premier awards were awarded to Siena Shotwell (dux), Michael Gealogo (proxime accessit and best all round boy) and Emily Heath (best all round girl).Siena has attained academic excellence in art design, art painting, english and drama. Next year Siena will be studying law and arts at the University of Canterbury.Michael has attained academic excellence of the highest order in calculus, physics, economics and physical education. MAC said in a statement he has also excelled in his various leadership roles at the school. Next year Michael will be studying engineering at the University of Canterbury.Having achieved a 2020 Class Act award, a World Vision Scholarship and a Duke of EdinburghGold award, Emily has also gained numerous titles in her sport, swimming, and is an active volunteer. She will be studying veterinary science at Massey University.Michael Gealogo, who was also named proxime accessit, with dux Siena Shotwell.Scholarships were awarded to Helene Price and Hannah Craig (leadership); Aimee McArthur (medical); Maggie Miller (hospitality); Olive Pujol, Jack Findlay, Oliver Clements, Meg Breen, Jono Watson, Ryan Schmack, Lukas Schafer, Kiera Gray, Rata Horan, Czaliya Viloria and Ben McNabb (leadership and role-model); Zelda Boyd (engineering); Luca Georgalli, Jessie McKenzie and Owen Lea (music); Siena Shotwell (law); Jaydon Jordi (technology); Quinn Curtis (design); and Katey Donovan (vocational). The prize giving ceremony also celebrated many students’ personal achievements in winning national awards. They are Holly Gibson, Laura Neale, Kiera Gray, Isobel Smith, Cecilia Gardner, Olly Thomas, Siena Shotwell, Luca Georgalli, Jaimee Vink and Ollie Blyth (showquest 2020 national winners); Ollie Blyth (Young Shakespeare national selection); Benjamin Silipo (swimming); Scarlett Norman, Abby Fisher and Georgie Bruce (athletics); Ines Stephani (tennis); Hannah Prosser, Zach Smith, Georgia Prosser, Leo Staufenberg, Jack Findlay, Campbell Wright and Laurie Watson (triathlon).A number of students represented New Zealand in sport and other endeavours this year. Premiere sports awards went to Lukas Schafer (fairplay); Abby Fisher (girls sports); and Campbell Wright (boys sports and international achievement in cross country skiing and biathlon).Cultural awards went to Tawhiri Rupapera (mana pounamu) Jessie McKenzie (te korowai o te maatauranga), Lillian Eastwood (music), Ruby Burke (art), Siena Shotwell (drama), Isobel Smith (speech), and Ollie Blyth (writing).Year 11-13 students also received individual academic awards for highest achievement and high achievement in the year levels. PHOTOS: Supplied

Outgoing Rams coach Paul Glynn says five years is enough: “I’ve put my heart and soul into it. It’s time to give the boys a different voice.” Paul began coaching the Upper Clutha premier rugby team, The Rams, in 2016. Under his tenure the club won its first premiership in 39 years and reached the semi finals on three other occasions.On the outside Paul is a ‘Southern man’, a tough, no-nonsense, loose forward from Southland. But losing his father when he was a teenager made him realise the importance of community, and how important it is for young people to have a place they belong.“I lost my father when I was 18. When that happens you look for support networks and rugby provided that for me,” Paul said. “I was fortunate enough to be involved in several good rugby clubs, clubs with good strong cultures and I had good coaches around me.”A promising player, Paul was told he’d never play rugby again when he was 25-years-old. “I tore all the ligaments in my knee. I was determined to play again but in the meantime I started coaching and learnt a lot from established coaches.”Thanks to his dogged determination, Paul did get back on the paddock, and after a move to Wanaka in 2008 he played for The Rams. He says the club had an outstanding team but it just didn’t feel right. “The culture just wasn’t there and I didn’t find it enjoyable,” Paul said.“I remember thinking then that I’m going to come back to this team and coach.” Paul returned to Wanaka and took over the head coaching role in 2016. “I came back in 2016 and found a great bunch of young guys, all top mates and they were great guys and a strong group.” Paul says he went ‘hard’ on attitude and culture. “Culture is the number one thing. The key is basic human nature, that sense of belonging to something,” Paul said.The team responded and the boys went to work over the 2017/18 summer and when it came to the 2018 rugby season the boys were fit, but better than that, they were “tight”, Paul said.He said it was a focus on a healthy club culture which laid the groundwork for the 2018 championship victory.“What we achieved in 2018 was absolutely special. The average age of that team was 23 and it was a special year. Those guys will hold those memories for the rest of their lives.”Paul said things worked because everyone was on the same page. “The culture went beyond the team. When we went into the 2018 grand final the physios [Central Lakes Physio] really worked hard to ensure the boys were as fit as they could be. I can’t say enough about Vicky, Lauren, and Anna from Central Lakes Physio & Pilates. They were outstanding and absolutely professional.”The side went on to lose in the semi finals in 2019 and 2020, both times to Arrowtown. “Arrowtown is a club I admire,” Paul said. “They have a great attitude and look after their players. They’ve become a bit of a bogie team for us.“In 2019 we were looking good, we won the premiership but lost in the semi finals. There was plenty of disruption that year with the new club rooms being built and having to play away a lot. When you’re dealing with young guys it doesn’t take much to put them off key, but that was just the way the cookie crumbled.“This year pre-COVID we had the strongest team I’d ever seen at the club, but COVID interrupted preparations and when we got back on the paddock a third of the guys weren’t available. We still made the semis.”Paul says player numbers are growing and many players are missing out on game time. He says it may be time for a new rugby club to emerge. “There is a field at Hāwea and a community centre. A club could start there and build into it. The other option is Upper Clutha Rugby Club [could] operate two teams but it is very difficult to run two premier teams out of the one club,” he said.The club has some very experienced coaches who may be interested in the role of head coach at the club, Paul said. “There are people wanting to be involved and that is what club rugby is about.”The future of the club looks bright and for the club to go forward they just have to look after the players, he said. “As for me, I’m going fishing.”Paul would like to thank the following people: Jason Richan, Robert Nolan, Rob Boller, Hamish Lamb, Paul Cosgrove, Katrina Bristow, Richard Pledger, Gary Reid, Blair Kenedy, and Jai Baxter.Paul's team of the last five years:Blair KennedyMichael DonaldFergus SmithBrendon MurdochGeorge ReedHamish CooperFraser DowlingSam CalderWillie ShortJason RichanJimmy DownsAdam FaulksTyler FordGeorge GilchristBen PurvisScott CunninghamMatthew TempletonTom HudsonJack GilchristJai BaxterOliver StirlingBrodie FlannerySomln PagePHOTOS: Wanaka App

Year 12 Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Ollie Blyth has been selected for the experience of a lifetime: representing New Zealand in the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) Young Shakespeare Company in England in 2021. Ollie and the 23 other Kiwi members will travel to London and have 12 rehearsals with a Shakespeare’s Globe director in scenes from one of Shakespeare’s plays, which they will perform for the public on the Globe stage. During their time in London, members will also take part in workshops, talks, have Q&A sessions with Globe actors and directors, have behind the scenes tours of London theatres. Emily McRae, Ollie’s drama teacher and head of drama at MAC, said she was incredibly proud of Ollie’s prestigious and highly competitive selection. “As an educator there is nothing better than seeing your students excel in their work beyond the classroom,” Emily said. “This is a stunning achievement and thoroughly deserved after an incredible amount of focused hard work.”Ollie (who uses the gender pronouns they/them/theirs) said they were stunned by the news of their selection. “The group of people I'm going with to London are incredibly skilled performers, and great friends. The idea of spending three weeks with them in London, working with high level directors and tutors, and putting on a show in the Globe Theatre still feels unreal.”Ollie entered the regional University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival (as both a student actor and director), where they won Best Student Directed Scene and were selected for the competitive SGCNZ’s National Shakespeare Schools Production 2020 alongside young actors from all over New Zealand. “This was a nine day long intensive programme in Dunedin late last month with 48 other young performers which culminated in two public performances,” they said. Following the programme, 24 students were selected to represent the country in London.While there is a chance that COVID-19 will affect the feasibility of the trip, Ollie is keeping an “optimistic outlook”.“If COVID eases its grip by July, the trip to London is going to be an incredible next step in my journey as a performer.”Ollie has always loved the performing arts and hopes to work in the industry when they leave school. Since moving to Wanaka in 2018 Ollie has been a part of a variety of productions, including Box Theatre productions (the MAC drama department senior theatre company) and school musicals. In 2019 they were also one in a group of MAC students who acted in the devised piece Permission to Speak with Goya Theatre Company as part of the Festival of Colour. “Art has an immense power when it comes to reflecting and influencing society. It's a very life giving experience to be a part of a performance process, and the life skills I've learned as a result have been highly beneficial,” Ollie said. Ollie thanked MAC for its support.“I'm deeply grateful to the school – particularly the drama department – for its support of me throughout this process, as well as the wider community. I wouldn't have been offered this position if I had not been encouraged and supported by my teachers and wider whānau.” PHOTO: Memory of Light Photography

An Auckland deputy principal of a 2,000 student high school has been appointed principal of Mount Aspiring College (MAC).The MAC Board of Trustees (BOT) said they were “delighted” with Nicola Jacobsen’s appointment.Limited statutory manager Madeleine Hawkesby said Nicola, who will begin at MAC at the start of next year, is an ideal fit for the school. “As a leader of teaching and learning, Nicola has a focus on personal excellence. Her ability to collaborate, problem solve and critically analyse will be a significant asset to the college,” she said.“A key strength of Nicola’s was clear and effective communication and I am confident that she is the right person to lead Mount Aspiring College as we move forward together.”Nicola, who is originally from Blenheim, has been at Auckland’s Pakuranga College for the past six years. “I believe that education is for everyone; and to lead a school which serves the whole community is a great opportunity,” Nicola said.The new principal understands the importance of strong community connections and will bring a fresh perspective to the school, BOT chair Ian Hall said. PHOTO: MAC“I’m looking forward to getting to know the community. The staff - who are a valuable asset of the college - the students; who we serve - and the wider school whanau. This partnership is crucial for our youth to achieve their personal best and become the leaders of the future.” she said.Before her appointment to Pakuranga College, Nicola held senior positions at Botany Downs Secondary College. She is a graduate of the University of Canterbury and the Christchurch College of Education and completed a Master’s degree from the University of Auckland in 2019.The recruitment process was led by Madeleine in consultation with the BOT. Madeleine was commissioned by the BOT in early June to complete an analysis of issues at the school, following a critical Education Review Office review last year, the resignation of two members of the board in April as well as long term principal Wayne Bosley’s resignation in May.She identified a raft of issues in a scoping report (released in July), which included an immediate need for strategic and focused leadership.BOT chair Ian Hall said Nicola’s appointment is a positive step for MAC. “Nicola comes to the college with an impressive track record of effective educational leadership and strong academic credentials. The board was impressed by Nicola's presentation to us and by her vision of a high-performing college that caters for the needs of all students,” he said.“Nicola will bring a fresh perspective and she well understands the importance of strong community connections.”Nicola will meet with MAC senior leadership later this term, and will be welcomed officially to the school with a pōwhiri at the start of Term 1, 2021.

Like many tourism businesses in Wanaka, Eco Wanaka Adventures (EWA) has learned to adapt to the new pandemic world to survive.Pre-COVID, 95 per cent of its clients were international visitors attracted not only by their lake cruising, nature walks, heli-hikes and guided high country walks but also by the opportunity to participate in the company’s signature ecological efforts, planting trees and helping with pest eradication programmes.Now EWA relies entirely upon domestic Kiwi visitors.“We, like many other tourism businesses, have had to lay off staff but we supported many during the lockdown and beyond under the wage subsidy,” EWA co-owner Lee Eadie said. “We are functioning now on reduced staffing numbers but keeping the business open for any trips that do come along.Tree planting on Mou Waho.“We feel this is important so that visitors to Wanaka have a good range of options for activities to do when they get here and to support the local accommodation providers with activities for their clients.”Even though EWA’s most popular tours, such as the cruise and nature walk to Mou Waho and the Rob Roy Glacier guided walk, haven’t had to be substantially changed to cater for the domestic Kiwi market, the company has adapted its approach to the more budget conscious Kiwi traveller, who also tend to have a different perspective regarding their natural environment, she said.MAC students and teacher with the weta motels they constructed for Mou Waho Island. “Kiwis appear more knowledgeable about the natural history of New Zealand, as we would hope they would be, so learning about this does not appear to interest some Kiwis as much but they are interested in the local history, i.e. the settlement of the region and pre-European history of the local area,” she said.From the start of their business in 2006, Lee and co-owner Chris Riley have enthusiastically promoted the concept that nature based tourism businesses, such as theirs, should have an ecological and educational focus.Eco Wanaka Adventures co-owner and guide Chris Riley at the top of Mou Waho.Since early 2007 EWA has been planting native trees on Mou Waho Island to restore the island’s original forest diversity.“We have planted well over 8,000 native trees on the island since then,” Lee said. EWA has also worked in conjunction with the Department of Conservation and Mount Aspiring College (MAC) to install 44 “weta motels” to protect the rare, cryogenic weta and gecko from predation on Mou Waho. Utilising its boat, the company is currently working with Wanaka’s native plants nursery Te Kākano helping provide access for planting programmes along Lake Wānaka’s edge.  High country Heli-Hikes provide breathtaking views.High altitude pest trapping is another conservation effort the company blends in with its Alpine Heli Hikes and guided high country walks. It’s assisting the Matukituki Charitable Trust to establish a new trap line on the edge of Lake Wanaka as well as actively participating in the Trust’s high country stoat trapping programmes.“Chris and I are very keen to continue with these plant restoration and trapping projects... as they are part of the future of sustainable tourism in this beautiful Wanaka environment we are both interested [in] and passionate about,” Lee said.“By helping to restore and protect our wonderful backyard, we, like many Wanaka people, want to make sure we are kaitiaki - the nurturing and caring guardians of this beautiful region for future generations.” “We also find that many of our clients, both domestic and overseas, like to contribute actively to these projects, so the tree planting and trap checking on our tours allows them to do this, in a "hands on" style, in this unique opportunity to "give back" to New Zealand nature.“A win-win situation for all concerned,” she said.Right now Eco Wanaka Adventures is offering a limited time 20 per cent discount (until December 31 this year) off direct bookings for its Mou Waho Island guided tour. Bookings must be made by phone or email and children go free with a paying adult.Lee says this popular half-day adventure which combines a lake cruise, nature walk and wildlife encounter, is an ideal opportunity to “meet the real locals” – Mou Waho’s rare buff weka. The birds’ naturally inquisitive character adds to the pleasure of the walk to the top of the island to visit Arethusa’s pool and enjoy the vast 360 degree views across Lake Wānaka. “We recently had a photographer that took a trip to Mou Waho and enjoyed the island so much he brought his whole family with him on the next trip about one month later,” she said.For further information about the many and varied tours EWA offers click here.PHOTOS: Eco Wanaka Adventures

Long standing international mountain guiding business Adventure Consultants has been pleasantly surprised by the number of Kiwis who have signed up for climbing expeditions and courses in New Zealand’s own backyard.Adventure Consultants general manager Suze Kelly said the business had shrunk by 90 per cent with the temporary loss of its international expeditions following COVID-19 restrictions.In response, the business has focused on its local and domestic tourism market, and created a range of new courses and expeditions.Adventure Consultants has been based in Wanaka for 24 years. The business was established by Rob Hall and Gary Ball in 1992, following their ascent of the Seven Summits in seven months in 1990.Guy Cotter guided on its first commercial expedition to Mt Everest in 1992, and he took over the business in 1996, after Rob died in a blizzard on Mt Everest. Gary had died earlier on Mt Dhaulagiri in 1993.“Before COVID probably 90 per cent of our trips and expeditions took place overseas,” Suze told the Wanaka App, adding the New Zealand operation of mountaineering courses, guided ascents, ski touring and ice climbing was about 10 per cent of the business.About 40 percent of that ten per cent were New Zealand clients, she estimated.Rope skills are on offer with a special local’s deal.“We were very unsure of how many New Zealanders would want to come on trips here,” she said.“We were really happy with how our winter went - it was about double what we were expecting. And we’ve been really nicely surprised with the number of New Zealanders who booked in for trips on the holidays.”The new trips created for local markets are generally shorter, and sometimes without a helicopter component in order to reduce prices. They included a backcountry avalanche course (“We ran heaps of those in winter,” Suze said), a busy ice climbing camp at Wye Creek (behind the Remarkables), ski touring trips at Mt Cook, and Geodome ski touring camps at Camp Creek, Lake Hāwea.The Geodomes make for comfortable camping.Looking toward summer, a lot of the courses are longer (seven, 10, and 12 days) which allows time for bad weather, Suze said.A new rope skills course is being offered as a locals’ deal. The three day technical rope skills is based at Wanaka’s crags, with a snow day nearby. “You learn heaps of rope skills,” Suze said, including industry standard skills for belaying, glacier travel skills, cliff and crevasse rescue. For the locals’ deal people can get a group of four together and pay $800 each. Find more information on the LoveWanaka page.And while the pre-COVID staff number of 16 (at the Wanaka HQ) has reduced, the business has been able to keep between six and eight locally based New Zealand guides busy.Adventure Consultants can help locals who have a goal to climb Mt Aspiring (the west face is pictured).“We’ve been able to provide quite a lot of work for them,” Suze said.She said the wage subsidies were helpful to keep people on as long as possible. “We’ve always been a big family. We’ve been doing as much as we can to keep them on and help them find what they’re going to do next. Most of our staff who have moved on have found other jobs.” The business has been fundraising for their sherpas in Nepal via a ‘Sherpa Future Fund’, “because they don’t have the same social services backup as we do”, Suze said. “We’ve had an amazing response from our international and local clients to that.” As for the future, Suze expects the business to remain focused domestically for another year.  “If things open up internationally for us that will be really helpful,” she said, adding the spring expedition climbing season in Nepal is April/May so they are hoping for more movement by then.“We don’t need to be able to go to those places ourselves - the guides might live elsewhere.”The business also has a film department which offers mountain safety and locations work worldwide.Meanwhile, Adventure Consultants is well equipped to help locals with a goal to climb Mt Aspiring or one of the many other peaks in our backyard.Find more information here.PHOTOS: Adventure Consultants

Ten local dancers were selected last week to perform in Royal New Zealand Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty in Dunedin next month (November 14-15).The Wanaka dancers, aged 9 to 12-years-old, who attend ballet lessons at Dance Wanaka and Pointe Central, will perform in children’s extra roles as pages, Lilac fairies and Garland dancers, alongside the country's most prestigious ballet company dancers.Dance Wanaka teacher Anna Thomas said she was enormously proud of the local dancers, particularly after learning that nearly half of the children selected for the Dunedin show are Wanaka dancers. Pointe Central is run by former professional ballerina Briony Martin. Previously operating from a gymnasium, Pointe Central opened its studio doors in June this year when it took over the former Vet-Ent building on Anderson Road.The four Pointe Central dancers selected to perform the ballet in Dunedin also competed at the New Zealand Dance Awards in Christchurch this week; (L-R) Luke Gendall, Isabel Martin, Mia Waite and Mia Cohen.Briony said six of her dancers, aged 11 to 13-years-old, attended the auditions with the Royal New Zealand Ballet in Dunedin last week. “Travelling through the snow to get there was quite a mission,” she said.All six were called back for a final audition from which four were selected and immediately started rehearsals, she said. “They’re all going to be on the stage for quite a bit and it’s such a beautiful ballet to be part of,” she said.She said attending auditions was part of the process of becoming a dancer. “There’s always a lot of disappointment for those who don’t make it but it’s a big learning process as well.“You win some and lose some but every opportunity they have [to audition] is a chance to learn and grow and become that much more confident and more able to handle the process.”It’s a big commitment for their families too, she said, as these children, who are competing in Christchurch this week at the New Zealand Dance Awards, will spend the next three weekends attending ballet rehearsals in Dunedin.A large troupe of dancers from Wanaka dance studios, including Dance Out Loud and Pointe Central, are participating in the national dance awards which finish on Saturday October 10.Briony said the Wanaka dancers had been competing well amongst the 200-300 dancers from all over the country.“For some of the kids just getting up on stage is their biggest achievement,” she said. “They’re holding their own and really doing Wanaka proud.”PHOTOS: Supplied

A talented young Mount Aspiring College (MAC) band has been selected from more than 100 applicants to perform at the RenewArt exhibition next week.The alternative rock band Better Than Nothing, which comprises four MAC students, is one of three bands that has been chosen to play at the community showcase.“It’s great to be selected. To be included with some really great, creative people is inspiring for us,” the band’s drummer Archie Orbell said.The up-and-coming band has had many performing opportunities: While performing outside Kai Whakapai, they were invited to go on tour with Christchurch band Troika, and an invitation to play at the Burning Horse Festival in Southland was tossed inside their guitar case at the same venue on a different day.After returning from RockQuest in September, the band stopped for a meal at Pig & Whistle in Queenstown. Someone noticed their gear and invited them to play a couple songs. It didn’t take long before all of the 20-something female patrons were dancing along to their music.Members of the band include Henry McConnell on vocals, Clarke West on guitar, and Archie Orbell on drums - all 15-year-old Year 10 students - and 13-year-old Year 9 student Otis Murphy on bass. Better Than Nothing. PHOTO: SuppliedThis is Otis’s first year as bass player, but Better Than Nothing has been together for over three years.The band performed at Matariki and Welcome to Winter and was the only band playing on the closing day at Treble Cone. This summer they have gigs booked at Hook and closing day at Cardrona.Inspired by Sticky Fingers, Royal Blood, and Imagine Dragons, Better Than Nothing has a 30 minute line-up of original songs, and a list of cover songs.The band’s growing reputation is getting them noticed, and their “sound guy” Oscar Goodwin is good at securing gigs for them, but it’s their “very cool” music teacher Mat Doyle who offers the most help in finding opportunities for them to perform. The band members all agree the school music department is “incredible”. Mat reckons the band is “relentless in their search for gigs or recording opportunities”. He sees them as very capable musicians but credits their success to their friendship and their love of music.The band members’ dads play an important role in their success as well. With band members not legally old enough to drive, transportation to and from events, as well as rehearsals, becomes an issue.Locations like Treble Cone have no sound or electronic equipment already set up, so everything has to be hauled up the mountain and put into place. The dads play the roles of roadie, manager, driver, financer, and PR guy, which might not make them famous, but it’s better than nothing.Check out the Better Than Nothing Facebook page.RenewArt was created to celebrate the local arts scene, create a paid opportunity for artists and provide a series of free events for the community, with a shared theme of ‘renewal’. It will take place in Wanaka on October 16 and 17, and in Queensown on October 9 and 10.

Wanaka barrister and mediator Dr Deb Inder has been appointed to the Committee of the Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (CRAANZ), a coalition of non-governmental organisations, families and individuals that promotes the rights and well-being of children and youth through advocacy and education.Deb has also recently completed her PhD thesis and, while the milestone is a huge accomplishment, Deb says it’s just the beginning of making change.“When you finish your PhD you think you’re going to change the world, then you finish and realise it’s just the beginning of the work,” she said. Drawing on her experience “at the coalface” (Deb was admitted to the bar in 1998 and has many years experience working in family law), Deb’s thesis covered a largely unexplored topic: children’s participation rights within the the New Zealand family justice system.“Being in practice I would see children coming out of the court process saying ‘my participation was a waste of time’ or saying ‘no one listened to me’,” Deb said. Delving further, she discovered that there was no clear best practice in family court when it comes to children’s participation. “It launched me on this journey,” Deb said. “How do we let children participate in our legal system? Is there a better way in which we could have children participate that is supported by research and theory?”“A big part was identifying what those barriers were to children effectively participating,” Deb said. She found they included attitudes towards children, a desire to protect children from conflict, concerns about how participation could affect parents’ authority, and concerns children could be ‘coached’ to say what one parent wanted them to. But many of these concerns weren’t realistic, she discovered. “There is a lot of misunderstanding of what’ children’s participation means.”“Children often said they actually don’t want to make the decisions but they want to have a say in things that are affecting them,” Deb said. “They would say: ‘We don’t want to be making the choices but we do want to be heard and listened to’.”She found what children wanted to have a say in were often little things that gave them a sense of agency: maybe a child wanted the handover between parents to take place at a different location, or it was important to them they had access to their bicycle regardless of which parent they were staying with.“A lot of their messages are really simple but really prophetic as well,” Deb said. “I really look at the children's needs as opposed to the parents’ wants.”During the time working on her PhD Deb created a model for best practice for children’s participation in the justice system which she said could be applied globally.Now that her PhD is completed, it’s getting that information - her research and model - out into the world that is her next big task. But Deb is already creating opportunities to apply her research and experience: she is currently working on an article to be published in an academic journal and in coming months she will meet with a working group from the New Zealand family law section responsible for making submissions on a significant Bill. Deb received her PHD in absentia after the graduation ceremony, scheduled for August 29, was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Her thesis is titled: Children’s Participation Rights within the Context of the New Zealand Family Justice System.PHOTO: University of Otago

A local business has clocked up more than 20 years providing value-for-money entertainment for both locals and visitors.Crossfire Wanaka offers a unique combination of targets to hit and ways to hit them, including clay bird and target shooting, archery, mini golf, and a driving range.“It’s a family run business on a local family-run farm - I don’t think there’s anything like this anywhere else in New Zealand,” long term employee Jamie Norman said.Jamie has worked at Crossfire for 18 years, and says the business has grown over the years.“It’s a place where people of all ages can come, from five-year-olds to grandparents.”Crossfire attracts lots of family groups.“I find once locals find out about the place they’re surprised at all the activities available,” he said, adding he sees familiar faces year after year.Jamie has heard Crossfire described as “a great ‘down day’ activity”.“It’s a great place to come for a family activity and birthday parties, but it’s also great for stag parties, hen parties, work dos, and Christmas parties,” he said. “It offers a whole afternoon of activities at a low cost.”Locals are often surprised at the range of activities, Jamie says.Jamie said Crossfire has been well supported by the local and wider local community since COVID-19 hit.“Our expectations were really low, and we’ve been really happy. The response is definitely respectable,” he said.“We’ve totally underestimated the amount of money Aucklanders spend in Australia on short stays, and they’ve moved down here and spent their money.”However, since Auckland went into alert level three, there has been a slow down in North Island visitors. Since the alert level was lifted to two last Sunday (August 30), more North Islanders have been “drifting in”, but not groups such as you would see in the school holidays, Jamie said.Crossfire offered special ‘two for one’ deals in May, and will look at offering something similar in October.“That’s our biggest concern - the shoulder season,” Jamie said.“But we’re fortunate - we fit in a range of activities and we’re a good, middle of the road NZ activity. And we offer activities that can be done whatever the weather.”“People can spend $13 and get value for money,” he said.Crossfire Wanaka, at 9 Mount Barker Road (the corner of SH6 opposite Wanaka Airport), is open seven days, from 10am to 5pm.PHOTOS: Supplied

Courtney McGergor, a retired artistic gymnast who represented New Zealand at the 2016 Olympics, visited Wanaka’s Aspiring Gymsports on Saturday (August 29).Aspiring Gymsports coach Rae Paterson said she had contacted Courtney seeking her support and encouragement for Bella Soper, the club’s top senior gymnast.Bella won the beam and earned second place in the floor competition at the NZ championship last year. She was disappointed when COVID-19 prevented her from attending her first NZ team trial in Wellington in May. “It was a difficult time for the young gymnast with a bright future,” Rae said.Courtney McGregor presented Bella Soper with a pictorial record of her achievements at the 2019 NZ Champs.Courtney sent an encouraging email to Bella and accepted an invitation to visit the club, and her visit coincided with preparations for the young gymnasts’ first competition in Dunedin in the National Super Series (September 12-13), Rae said.On Saturday, 10 gymnasts (including four gymnasts new to the competitive squad) performed for friends and family in a practice competition. The squad gymnasts were joined by other club members after the competition for an informal chat with Courtney.Courtney accompanied each group during the practise competition then spent time with Bella working on beam skills. Courtney talked with the gymnasts about her experiences representing NZ at the World Games, the Olympics, her team training in the USA, training hours, and her favourite and least favourite moves.Courtney demonstrates one of the most important moves for gymnasts to master: the handstand.She emphasised working hard, putting in your best effort, and trusting your coach, and also shared a few secrets on how she deals with nerves before a competition.“Her visit was very inspiring for all the gymnasts and attending members and families,” Rae said.The Aspiring Gymsports squad members are: Step 1 - Lara Beams, Keira Lam, Stella Kearns, Charlise Wyatt; Step 2 - Mea Allison, Honor Jones; Step 3 - Ivy Campbell; Step 4 - Fleur Jansen, Lucy Wellington, Vienna Harley; Step 8 - Bella Soper. Boys level 2 - Marshall Watson, Charlie Nisbet; Level 3 - James Watson. They will all compete in Dunedin on September 12-13. PHOTOS: Supplied

Despite the challenging COVID-19 environment, local family owned business Paddle Wanaka is working hard to keep its operations running and see the positive in the new environment. Bex and Chris Thornton are the sporty duo behind the business, which offers kayak and paddleboard rentals, SUP yoga, guided water tours, ‘water taxi’ style island shuttle experiences and more under their brand Paddle Wanaka.They’re all about offering ways to get out on the water and take advantage of the stunning environment, providing unique experiences at many of the area's most picturesque spots. Sharing local knowledge within their own backyard with people who are excited to experience it is what makes Bex and Chris tick.Traditionally one of their most popular tours has been the Mighty Clutha, a guided tour of the Clutha River.“Bex and myself, we’ve now got two little kids and we started the whole thing up eight years ago,” Chris said. “We bought it from a local couple that had run it as a rental company for several years.” The couple has added a wide variety of options and experiences to the company over time, conscious of all the beautiful places they want to share and finding a price point that caters to a wide audience.“It’s really to try to cover our bases and provide something for everyone,” Chris said. “As a young family we know about that barrier to spending and that not everyone has a big budget for activities.”The business is working on adding instructional experiences, rather than tours, to cater better to the new Kiwi-only market.At the lower price end Paddle Wanaka provides kayak and paddle rentals, and the more affordable island shuttle (visitors can travel by boat out to Mou Waho or Ruby Island to take a walk). At the top end there are a variety of water tours from half to full day, including regular routes and customised experiences. Tailoring their product to the domestic market has been front of mind for Paddle Wanaka since COVID-19 hit. “Guiding has traditionally been a big thing for us,” Chris said. “We are now looking at minimising that and doing more supported rentals because Kiwis like to do things themselves.”“On the Clutha River we are looking at more of an instructional process than a guided tour - more of an instructional whitewater river safety type of thing. It’s more applicable to Kiwis and people on a short trip.”Paddle Wanaka’s most popular tours have traditionally been the Tiki Tour, a half-day guided tour on Lake Wanaka, with the Mighty Clutha half day guided tour a close second. Due to the changes in demand, the Tiki Tour is now running on standby/by demand rather than daily, while the Mighty Clutha continues to run daily. Because Paddle Wanaka’s product is mainly a summer attraction the extra drop in visitors due to COVID-19 while staying operating through winter has been a challenge. “We’re getting people through, some, but not many. But we have enough to keep us ticking over.”With warm weather and the next school holidays on the horizon, Chris is optimistic about the times ahead. He’s also grateful for the positives that have come from tourism: “The collaboration in the tourism community has just been amazing.”Paddle Wanaka is open for tours, rentals, island shuttles and more, and they’re running some winter specials right now too. Check them out here.PHOTOS: Paddle Wanaka

The Upper Clutha doesn’t just offer scenic beauty: there is a thriving arts sector which offers beauty at a different scale, but no less impressive.The Hoglund Art Glass Gallery, just 15 minutes from Wanaka, is an almost hidden gem offering an ever-changing gallery of handmade glass and art for the walls.Ola and Marie Höglund, both originally from Sweden, spent 38 years in Nelson making an impact on the international art world with their handmade glass and art. Three years ago they wanted a change and, as they had always loved Central Otago, they found a spot on a terrace halfway between Wanaka and Cromwell, overlooking the Clutha River with a view towards the Mount St Bathans Range.A family of glass penguinsThe gallery they established there includes art glass, paintings, glass lights, jewellery and Marie’s handmade soap. A glassblowing studio is planned.Both Ola and Marie come from rich artistic traditions. Ola’s father Erik revolutionised the art of glass in Sweden and for many Swedes, the name Höglund became synonymous with modern Swedish glass.Three ‘Eclipse’ vasesMarie takes her inspiration from “the pure beauty and simplicity of nature”, and Ola - who says he realised early that working with glass was his destiny - is most interested in mastering forms and pure lines. Marie said the impact of COVID-19 has meant fewer overseas tourists visiting their Central Otago gallery, but “a huge increase in New Zealand visitors”.Find out what is drawing them when you visit Ola and Marie’s home studio gallery, which is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Look for the sign at the gate.Fin out more about Hoglund Art Glass in Attractions in your Wanaka App.PHOTOS: Supplied

Thanks to the friendly and safety-conscious team at Fresh Adventures, a rafting trip down the Hāwea River is now available to locals and New Zealand tourists.Fresh Adventures is a relatively new operation with steady hands at the helm. Paul Nicholson, of high-end adventure tourism company NewZeal, has joined forces with Hawea neighbour Bob McLachlan, a world-class multisport athlete and coach who runs Best Foot Forward NZ. Rafting the Hāwea River is about as cruisy as river rafting gets, being a grade two on the white water rafting grade scale of one (flat) to five (extreme rapids). The Fresh Adventures team call it a river float, an accurate description from my mid-winter journey with them. I was fortunate to be asked to join one of the first trips down the Hāwea, tagging along with a group of local essential workers being hosted by Fresh Adventures to say thank you for all their hard work and support for locals during level four and three lockdown.The adventures check out a key feature of our backyard with very little environmental impact. PHOTO: Cat PattisonYou might think rafting in mid-winter is crazy – I questioned my desire to participate several times on the zero degree, inversion layer morning when I drove to Fresh Adventures’ HQ on the banks of the Hāwea. But, I counter-argued, how often do you get to (a) go rafting at all, (b) see the Hāwea River from water level and (c), be accompanied by guides of the calibre of Paul and Bob?PREVIOUSFresh adventures for acclaimed guidesFrom the thorough briefing of what to expect on the river and help to get us kitted out with helmets, booties, lifejackets and waterproof gear to layer over our many (many) layers of thermals, Paul and Bob were engaging and welcoming hosts, inviting us into their world of outdoor adventuring. With two big rafts carrying the 18 participants and two guides, we drifted with the river at times, paddled at times to keep warm, and laughed and shouted as we navigated ‘the wave’ and stretches of rippled water. Swallows and fantails flitted over the gently flowing water – it was a low flow day from the dam – and even in the relative leaflessness of winter, the trees and bush along the river were serene and lovely to view. Bob and Paul entertained us with stories of their many adventures in New Zealand and overseas. Fresh Adventures is the only commercial operator offering trips on the Hāwea River. PHOTO: Cat PattisonAfter about 90 minutes on the water, joy of joys, the inversion layer lifted in time for us to pull into the riverbank to find the Fresh Adventures crew had set up cute tipis beside fires and laid out hot food and drinks. Barely damp, except for the between-raft water fights, we all rugged up before making the most of the team’s hospitality.If you’ve never been rafting, the Hāwea trip couldn’t be a better way to give it a go. You’ll be in the safest hands with Bob and Paul. It’s a glorious opportunity to check out a key feature of our backyard in a way that has no or very little environmental impact. This trip is suitable for a wide range of ages, young and not-so-young, and it’s worth noting that Fresh Adventures is the only commercial operator offering trips on this local river.This spring, Fresh Adventures will also offer the option of an overnight rafting and camping trip on the Hāwea and Clutha.The full itinerary will include an afternoon rafting the Hāwea, a relaxing evening camping overnight on the river banks, and a morning rafting down the rest of the Hāwea and onto the Clutha as far as the Red Bridge.Note: For July, Fresh Adventures offers the 90-minute Hāwea River trip for $75 per person. Find out more on their website.

Wanaka scenic flight company Southern Alps Air operates out of Wanaka Airport and for the month of June offered a great “locals deal” for scenic flights to Milford.Bannockburn winemaker Rosie Menzies joined a bunch of friends from Wanaka and took to the skies on one glorious winter morning recently on an epic flight above the rugged and dramatic scenery of the Southern Alps and spectacular national parks.This is Rosie’s birds-eye view:Living in Central Otago, the mountains dominate the landscape, giving a sense of permanence and majesty that gives perspective and grounding to a life lived amongst them. Like most people living here, any chance to get amongst them I jump at, which naturally happened when I was offered a chance to join a flight over Milford Sound. Certainly the special offer that Southern Alps Air is running till the end of June helped in that decision too. Nearing Milford via the West Coast a large slip caused by 550mm of rain in 24hours in February this year is clearly visible. So on Saturday we all met at the Wanaka airfield, there were seven of us, which filled the plane, alongside the pilot. It was a small fixed wing, single-engine aircraft and everyone had a seat next to a window. Lake Wānaka with the islands of Mou Tapu and Mou WahuWe began our journey heading out towards Wanaka and over the peninsula, then continued along the Matukituki basin. The day was stunning with great visibility, and somewhere near the Rob Roy Glacier we were able to see Aoraki-Mt Cook. Related:Backyard bliss: Ted and Derek’s excellent Edgewater adventureBackyard Bliss: Toy storyBackyard Bliss: LandEscape set up for midwinter adventuresThe names of the mountains, rivers, peaks and glaciers were pointed out to us as we made our way south along a chain of snow-capped peaks. Over Motatapu looking towards Lake Wakatipu.Nearing Milford we flew along the coast and could see the Tasman Sea shimmering away into the horizon. Then Milford itself, in all its beauty and magnificence. Flying a loop around the head of the sound we returned to Wanaka this time over the Hollyford, Routeburn and Motatapu, with Queenstown just seen in the distance. The flight took around an hour and a half, but had a lasting effect for the whole day.Southern Alps Air is Wanaka’s only locally owned and operated fixed wing scenic flight company which operates out of Wanaka and Makarora. It has been operating for more than 40 years flying scenic, charter and commercial flights and arranges packages such as the Milford’s glacier flight and cruise or the Makarora Fly, Walk and Jetboat option.  PHOTOS: Rosie Menzies

With the short days of midwinter upon us, there’s never been a better time for a day out by e-bike, followed by a soak in a secluded wood-fired hot tub, marveling at the Milky Way from a place with zero light pollution. If you’ve ever wondered if an e-bike could be for you, you can try one out at new local business LandEscape, without ever needing to worry about traffic or setting foot on a public road.Hawea landowners Rik and Juliet Deaton have created a sustainable, multi-faceted business on their spectacular expanse of land off Camphill Road, near Hawea Flat. The Deatons’ land stretches to over 115 hectares. From certain spots, you can see all the way to Lake Hawea and the mountains beyond, or as far as Luggate in the other direction. The only sound is birdsong, the only views are breathtaking. LandEscape has a fleet of 80 e-bikes, available to rent on very flexible terms. For first-timers, Rik is creating over 15 kilometres of gentle cycle trails around his property, with eight kilometres of trail already complete.Eight kilometres of trail are already completed.Anyone who wants to venture further afield can easily connect with trails to Lake Hawea, Albert Town, Wanaka or Luggate. A LandEscape van can also pick you up from the i-Site, your home or accommodation and take you out to the Camphill Road farm to begin your ride, and then pick up the e-bikes from town at the end of the day. Business owner Rik is both a genuinely nice guy and a passionate advocate of renewable energy technologies and energy-efficient building principles. He hopes to demonstrate these things on site as a background to the business. Rik sees e-bikes as the solution to the challenge of short and medium-distance transport and an integral part of the electric vehicle revolution.As all the LandEscape e-bikes are built to carry a second battery, you can comfortably cycle 100 kilometres without needing to return to base.   Rik said the other great thing about e-bikes is you don’t have to be young or fit to ride one. “So many Wanaka-based activities require a certain amount of strength and fitness, but we’ve had some people in their 80s and others who might weigh as much as 150 kilograms. The woodfired spring-fed hot tubs are chlorine-free.All of these people have had a wonderful time on the YouMo e-cruisers, riding the trails at their own pace and then relaxing in a hot tub.”LandEscape’s ebikes are built by Swiss manufacturer YouMo and are a cruiser style configuration, built for adults who are looking for a more relaxed scenic cruise, rather than an adrenaline-fueled mountain bike adventure. “They’ve got great lights front and rear, padded seats and extra suspension for bumpier trails,” Rik said. “And unless you’re especially short you don’t have to stand up to stop the bike - you can just put a foot down and stay seated.”While the e-bikes are built for adults, there are two that have a child passenger seat and a trailer is available for small children. YouMo is working on a smaller “MiniMo” e-bike for children. The e-bikes and the woodfired, chlorine-free spring-fed hot tubs are just the first green shoots of the business, which has plans for a restaurant, energy-efficient accommodation and parking spots for up to 10 motorhomes - subject to a change in the way the council classifies the land.Another aspiration of LandEscape is to provide a safe, private place for motorhomes to park, taking large vehicles off the roads and providing e-bikes as an alternative way to explore the region.When the Wanaka App arrived for a heart-stopping tour of LandEscape by open-sided ATV, Lieke van Erp and Niels Polak from the Netherlands were just setting out for a day on the cycle trails. As they took off from LandEscape HQ, Lieke exclaimed: “This is going to be the best place on earth.” To find out more, visit LandEscape or give Rik or Juliet a call on 03 443 1588. PHOTOS: Supplied

If you ask an eight-year-old their highlight from visiting Wānaka’s National Transport and Toy Museum, you should prepare for a list.When the Wanaka App visited the museum this week with Billy and Nevis, their highlights included the pedal cars, climbing on the big diggers, all the fire engines, the big airplane, the tanks, and the fact you can “buy cool stuff”. Regular visitors to the museum know this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Rhodes’ private collection of cars, robots, aircraft, dolls, trains and other miscellany is, shall we say, extensive.Gerald Rhodes spent more than 50 years collecting and preserving pieces from the past, and the museum, now managed by his son Jason, houses rare and unusual aircraft, trucks, motorcycles, fire appliances, military vehicles and tractors. A 1961 Fokker F-27-100 Friendship takes pride of place in Hangar Two. PHOTO: National Transport and Toy MuseumBut like any avid collector, Gerald saw the value in a wide range of items, and the museum also houses a nostalgic collection of toys, including clockwork and battery powered toys, porcelain dolls, Teddy bears, and money boxes.“Oh - I had one of those!” is surely a phrase uttered often by museum visitors. Regular visitors will also have their favourite displays, and this writer always lingers at the extensive Sylvanian Families collection.Expect the unexpected: Smurfs at play. PHOTO: National Transport and Toy MuseumThere are also indoor and outdoor playing areas, and a shop with an impressively eclectic range of models, toys and gifts.RELATED:Backyard Bliss: The beautiful backcountryJason told the Wanaka App the next few months of trading, in the aftermath of the changes wrought by COVID-19, are going to be challenging.“We’re like every other business in town, trying to find a way to trade during the unknown,” he said.Billy and Nevis take in their options from one of the popular pedal cars. PHOTO: Wānaka AppIn normal years, 52 per cent of the museum’s visitors are New Zealanders, 28 per cent are from Australia, 13 per cent are Chinese, and the remaining few per cent are from other countries.“The New Zealanders aren’t going to be able to pick that up,” Jason said.There are also 12,000 or so non-paying visitors each year, part of the museum’s programme to work with schools and special needs groups. Jason said the museum works hard to make it affordable for such groups, and he doesn’t want to lose “that aspect”.A working military tank from Australia. PHOTO: National Transport and Toy Museum“And we want to see locals come out and enjoy the place. That’s the whole point of it.”Jason said some locals visit most weekends, perhaps grandparents with their grandchildren looking at the displays, playing with the Lego, then having a coffee at the shop.Jason has also observed that Lego (the museum provides some Lego to play with and there are Lego sets for sale in the shop) “transcends generations”.Despite the uncertainty of the next few months, Jason said the museum will stay open, and work to keep costs down. The museum’s many projects and plans will remain on the back burner.The National Transport and Toy Museum is open daily from 8.30am to 5pm, at 891 Wanaka-Luggate Highway (next to Wanaka Airport)