Council boss Mike Theelen has received a pay rise bringing his salary to more than $415K. The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) CEO’s salary increased by a little over $30K to $415,321.09 after the Chief Executive Performance Review Committee recommendation was approved by councillors last week.The pay rise marks an increase of eight per cent (including a KiwiSaver contribution of three percent), significantly more than the two percent raise he received a year ago. Mayor Glyn Lewers said the remuneration package reflected Mike’s strong leadership during “unprecedented times of change for local government”.His remuneration is now $415,321.09. PHOTO: Wānaka AppNational level changes affecting the council include the affordable water services programme, the Resource Management Act review, and the Future for Local Government review.“Council is also facing an extremely challenging environment with increasing costs, insurances and borrowing rates, while trying to balance the effect of rates on the local community during a cost of living crisis,” Glyn said.Those factors, in addition to significant building defect claims and planning and delivering for current future communities add up to a “massive” job,” Glyn said.He said Mike and his team are guiding elected council “with skill and valuable experience”.“He is a true asset to this council and the district.”Mike was previously the Christchurch City Council's general manager of strategy and planning, and led the council's recovery team after the Canterbury earthquakes.He joined QLDC as CEO in February 2016.

Ngurrawaana the film, directed by Kieran Satour, is this year’s winner of the Monster Children Short Film Awards (MCSFA), presented by Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT). Kieran (of Garuwa), along with producer Ramona Telecican, editor Rah Dakota, cinematographer Ryan Andrew Lee and photographer James Evans created a short film which explores a Yindjibarndi man’s journey back to his homelands and shows how being back on country helps First Nations people find their spirit and power amongst their ancestors. For the awards a shortlist of five directors were asked to provide a treatment concept incorporating the theme of ‘Regeneration’ to be filmed in Wānaka.“All five responses were incredible,” LWT said in a statement, “but it was Kieran’s deeply considered response to the subject that made the difference.” During the process of making Ngurrawaana it was important to be able to share Yindjibarndi culture in an authentic and nuanced way, Kieran said.  “I am humbled to be the winner of MCSFA 2023 and am even more excited to see the Yindjibarndi story reach a bigger audience via Ngurrawaana’s win. “I want to thank the Yindjibarndi for trusting me to make the film with them, especially Juluwarlu CEO Lorraine Coppin, her son Wimiya Woodley, his partner Iya Ware and his father Michael Woodley.  “In the same vein as our process with the Yindjibarndi, the kaupapa for our film in Wānaka was always going to be a First Nations first approach that centres around Kāi Tahu experience, worldview and perspective”.  The calibre of talent made it both exciting and difficult for to choose a winner, LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan said.“After an extraordinary response to the theme of regeneration special mentions need to go out to the runners up Kauis Potter, Tom Morales, Jason Tran, and Tim Brown who have each won $1,000 in cash as well as a $500 Sony hardware voucher.” Kieran and his team have won a $10,000 cash prize, $10,000 worth of film hardware from Sony, and production budget to direct a short film, on-location with local crew and Monster Children Films, supported by LWT and partner Film Queenstown Lakes.  Watch the winning entry here and keep an eye out for the Wānaka based film due for release before Christmas.  

Central Otago Heritage Trust's (COHT) oral history programme has been boosted by a $11,430 grant from Central Lakes Trust (CLT) in the August funding round. The oral histories recorded by the trust have included local personalities like Snow Farm co-founder Mary Lee and former Tarras School principal of 25 years Noelene Pullar.  COHT oral history manager Carolyn Squires said the stories are considered to be a shared taonga (treasure) and essential to have recorded, preserved, shared and celebrated on an ongoing basis. The programme preserves “our unique history shared through the spoken word, and make these available for the public to enjoy and listen to on our website,” Carolyn said.The CLT grant will support the project for another two years, through to July 2025.Currently there are 84 oral histories in the collection, and 12 are available online for anyone to listen to, (including residents of Hāwea, Tarras, Cardrona and more).Interviews are carried out by volunteers, and the project aims to collect 30 oral histories a year. Each oral history can involve 16 or more hours to complete, covering preparation, pre-interview meetings, recording and editing. So far volunteers have spent 2,160 hours working on the oral histories. Carolyn said COHT OHP currently has a full quota of volunteer interviewers but they do need assistance from someone who has expertise in using software to edit audio content. The collection of interviews cover a wide range of topics including farming, viticulture, health, dance and community engagement. “We are interested in collecting more oral history recordings on the stories of different ethnic groups across Central Otago [too].”For more information contact [email protected] or visit the OHP website.PHOTO: Central Otago Heritage Trust 

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) year seven students Lachlan Manson and Charlie Burgess have won premier awards at the 2023 Aurora Energy Otago Science and Technology Fair.Lachlan (Lachie) Manson won the Premier University of Otago Centre for Sustainability award for his project entitled ‘Snot vs Glass’ that looked at how didymo compared with pink batts as an insulation material.Charlie won an Otago Institute for Arts and Science mātuaranga Māori award for his study of the Māori wind instrument pūrerehua.Lachie said the inspiration for his project was to find an alternative to pink batts insulation.“Didymo is a type of algae and it’s a pest in our rivers so I wanted to see if it could be used for something more environmentally friendly,” Lachie said.Lachie’s prize-winning project.“I discovered that using dried didymo as insulation achieved temperatures that were only one degree cooler than using pink batts.“This was warmer than I expected and means didymo could work as insulation while also helping to clean our rivers.”Lachie said the most exciting part of the project was harvesting the didymo at the Hāwea River.“We went to the river and ripped the didymo off the fence and put it into buckets which was really fun.”Charlie said he wanted to understand the relationship between the length of a pūrerehua cord and the sound it produced.“When you swing a pūrerehua, it makes a whirring sound.Charlie with his prize-winning science board.“I researched what length of string was likely to make the loudest noise and I found out it was 60cm.“When I tested three different lengths of string and measured the decibels on an app, I discovered that a 60cm cord did produce the loudest noise.”Both students said they enjoyed doing their science projects for the Science Fair and would like to do it again in the future.“The main thing is to try your best and not give up halfway through the project,” Lachie said.MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said it was wonderful to see students being recognised for applying the scientific method to conduct their own research and document the results.“Each year, every year seven and eight student creates a science board based on their own research and it’s amazing to see the variety of topics they choose to explore.“We place a strong focus on scientific literacy at the college so it is wonderful to see our year seven students embracing science with such passion and creativity.”The 2023 Aurora Energy Otago Science and Technology Fair seeks to foster science and technology in the Otago region, with this year’s event attracting 298 entries representing 23 schools in Dunedin and across Central Otago.PHOTOS: Supplied

Local woman Rachael (Roo) Stanford has received a life-affirming boost from the Upper Clutha Hospice Trust as she faces ongoing treatment for cancer. Roo, a former ski patroller at Treble Cone, was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at the age of 37; she was the mother of a two year old and a six week old baby.Roo and her husband Neil’s children are now three years old and six years old, and the family continue to face “horrendously expensive” treatments.“To say it has been a difficult journey is quite the understatement,” Roo told the Wānaka App.“I was literally days off death when I finally got diagnosed. “But I battled hard, and miraculously went from being absolutely riddled, to being almost cancer-free two years later.”Unfortunately what happens with chemotherapy is that the cancer builds drug resistance, she said.“I’ve become resistant to all the funded drugs, and the next drugs are unfunded,” Roo said.“Now it’s started growing again. It’s quite scary.”She has had 62 rounds of chemotherapy - the most rounds staff have seen at Dunstan Hospital, Roo said.The fortnightly chemotherapy wipes her out for a full week, she said.The Upper Clutha Hospice Trust helped support the family recently when Roo was in Christchurch undergoing heavy radiation treatment.However, the family is “scrambling to access the unfunded but promising new drugs available”.“We’re really struggling financially, I haven’t worked for three years and the costs of treatments are astronomical.”Roo said the family had received so much support from their friends that they couldn’t expect more support from them.Her friends have made a new Givealittle page and have encouraged her to reach out to the Wānaka community for support.“There are still several treatments available ,and we are holding hope that one of these new drugs will smash this once and for all. I’ve completely amazed all the doctors so far, and outlived my prognosis by years. I plan on continuing to do so.”PHOTO: Camilla Rutherford

Andy Kilsby has been appointed as the new chair of the Otago Community Trust, a philanthropic trust which supports many local organisations and initiatives.His appointment coincides with the departure of the trust’s long-serving chief executive and the appointment of new financial advisors.Andy said he looked forward to helping OCT achieve even greater impact in the community.“The OCT has already set the stage for long-term success,” he said. “Under new leadership we aim to continue to grant with impact and foster growth and prosperity for the communities of Otago.”The trust has granted more than $210M into the Otago region since its inception in the mid ‘90s. Last month alone it approved over $340,582 in grants, with $35,000 going directly to Wānaka-based organisations.Andy said he aims to enhance community partnerships and drive long-term change across various areas in Otago.He has extensive managerial and governance experience in tertiary education, not-for-profit and finance sectors.He has implemented successful programmes and initiatives supporting youth development at the Dunedin-based Malcam Trust (now Southern Youth Development) and the Otago Polytechnic, where he previously held long-term leadership positions.Andy currently serves as the regional lead for the Otago Regional Skills Leadership Group.He thanked outgoing chair Diccon Sim for his services.Under Diccon’s guidance, the OCT reshaped its strategic priorities and launched the Tamariki and Rangatahi Fund, an initiative that has the potential to be a game-changer for youth in the region, he said.The Otago Community Trust is a philanthropic organisation which applies its trust funds for charitable and other purposes which are of benefit to the community. PHOTO: OCT 

A dramatic early morning accident has resulted in Wānaka man Clayton Hope being airlifted to Dunedin Hospital with crush injuries.NZ Police said emergency services were called to a home on Weatherall Crescent in Wānaka early this morning (Wednesday May 24).Fire and Emergency New Zealand spent about two hours freeing Clayton.Wānaka lawyer Janice Hughes told the Wānaka App that Clayton, who is her husband, had left the house early this morning for his usual 5am start at Wānaka New World. After driving his truck through the gate at the top of their steep driveway, he stopped the ute and exited it to close the gate behind him.Unfortunately the handbrake appeared not to have engaged properly and the truck began to slide backwards towards the gate.Janice and Clayton have learned their ute is the same width as the entrance to their home. PHOTO: SuppliedHe ran to the truck and tried to get into it, but as he was halfway into the truck it dragged him towards the entryway of their home and crashed through.Clayton was left trapped between the truck and a brick garage fire-wall.Janice awoke to a crash and thought it was an earthquake until she heard the truck horn, which Clayton had managed to access.She entered the living room to find water rushing through the room, a strong smell of gas, and debris everywhere.Clayton was trapped and calling for her to get him out but she couldn’t help him. While on the phone to emergency services she started to panic about the smell of gas, concerned the underfloor gas heating could ignite.“I managed to find out where to turn off the gas and turned it off, and turned off the water,” she said.“By the time I’d done that the St John people had turned up. They were amazing.”The wait felt like aeons, she said.“I was quite stressed out as you could imagine.”To free Clayton, emergency services eventually had to get a generator to power a tool to cut through the firewall.Clayton stayed conscious the whole time. “He’s actually really fortunate. Yes, he’s got crush injuries, but he’s not dead,” Janice said.“The house is damaged, the truck is munted. But we’ve got a great community".Emergency workers trying to free Clayton Hope this morning. PHOTO: SuppliedJanice flew to Dunedin Hospital in the rescue helicopter with Clayton, and meanwhile Phil Smith (who built their house) arrived at their address, secured gas lines and began to organise insurance and so on. Another friend arrived to organise the couple’s pets.“We are super grateful for all of the community people who literally turned up and helped do all sorts of things,” Janice said.“Also super apologetic to the neighbours who we woke up with the rescue helicopter.”Janice said Clayton is in good hands and getting checked out at ICU.“For all the negativity we hear about the health system we couldn’t fault anyone. They were there in a heartbeat, they were all amazing and caring.“We live in a quite rural and remote community and without those services we would really struggle.“I take my hat off to them.”Janice said she has learned their entrance way is exactly as wide as their ute. She also had advice for anyone whose vehicle rolls away on them.“If a car starts to slide, just let it go,” she said.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka resident Lynette (Lyn) Milne has been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for service to the arts in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.Lyn’s work helping to advance the careers of young classical musicians has spanned many decades and has included everything from organising performances and national concert tours to helping establish long-standing music scholarship programmes.Her appreciation for classical music - and a desire to provide opportunities for the deserving musicians - fuels Lyn’s work.“For me it’s about giving these young kids opportunities,” she told the Wānaka App. “We've got the talent, but we just haven't got enough opportunities for them.”“Any doors that we open for these New Zealand musicians, they're just so grateful - and they give more than they get.” Lyn and her husband Keith were living in London in the late 1970s when her passion was first sparked.Lyn and her husband, Keith.She was working at the Royal Over-Seas League, a non-governmental organisation with an arts division that supports the career development of artists in a range of disciplines, including music. “The musicians do a lot of training, and then they step out into the world, and it's daunting for them,” she said. “They needed CDs; they needed performance opportunities; they needed guidance; and that was very much what the [League] offered.”“So it was quite a revelation for me to see.”During that time Lyn developed a passion for classical music - and she wants more New Zealanders to give the genre a chance.“I don't want Kiwis to be intimidated by it. I think it's a mistake, because it's a lot of fun,” she said. After being immersed in the Royal Over-Seas League for five years, she went on to have other adventures in Europe, but upon her return to New Zealand, Lyn got a call from the Royal Over-Seas League asking her to become their New Zealand director.The first thing she did was organise for some young musicians to perform at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.“And it was so easy. I just found these amazing young musicians and they all just said ‘yes, yes, yes’. And all the delegates from overseas absolutely loved having them, and the musicians loved it.“That kicked me off - I realised then that these young musicians, like the ones in the UK, they want to be seen, they want to be performing and they want to be giving. This is what they've trained for. “So my 25 years in that role was kicked off with that thought in mind.”While she was working for Royal Over-Seas League in New Zealand, Lyn received a phone call from Barrie Petman, a successful Yorkshire entrepreneur.“He indicated to me that he wanted to help young New Zealand musicians,” Lyn said. “Now that's a pretty amazing phone call to get.”Lyn and Keith came up with three proposals, all of which Barrie accepted, and which they went on to help establish and run. These include the Pettman National Junior Academy of Music (a music scholarship that provides extensive training, performance opportunities and competition preparation); the ROSL-Pettman Chamber Music Scholarship (which provides one chamber ensemble each year with a trip to the United Kingdom to experience professional music life and explore possibilities for postgraduate study); and the Pettman DARE scholarship (a unique nine-month programme of practical experience and academic development).“They are still running now, helping our young musicians get more experience, more exposure and even international experience for some of them,” Lyn said.“Barrie Pettman opened a huge door for many of them and they grasped the opportunity and blossomed.”Lyn’s passion has not waned with time: When she and Keith made the decision to move from Canterbury to Wānaka a couple of years ago, she quickly established an artist in residence programme at the Aspiring Lifestyle Village.And just last year she launched the Magic Carpet Music Trust with musician Rakuto Kurano, which has already delivered 28 concerts in rural communities across New Zealand with young musicians performing.“Sometimes they've never ever toured before,” Lyn said. “And that's what we're about. Really getting them out of the rehearsal room onto the stage and getting them touring. Showing them what can happen for them.”Lyn said she wants to see more support for classical musicians from both benefactors and audiences in New Zealand.They’re the most humble, talented, gifted people - there aren’t enough superlatives to describe these musicians to me,” she said.“With their music they open up our worlds, but we have to help open up our worlds for them too.”PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka resident Arthur Sutherland has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to outdoor education in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.“This award is an exciting but humbling experience,” he said. “I’m honoured to be singled out.”Arthur has dedicated 45 years to outdoor education in New Zealand since his initial involvement with the Ministry of Education in 1975.Since his teenage years he has enjoyed the challenges of the outdoors and in 1978 he helped establish the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre, in Lewis Pass. Arthur has served on its governing trust, the North Canterbury Alpine Trust, for 45 years and is its current secretary.“Outdoor education provides students and adults with the opportunity to learn about themselves; teamwork; decision making; leadership; risk management; [and] the natural and cultural environments that they live and move in…,” he said.As a teacher at Kaiapoi High school in the mid-1970s Arthur led the delivery of the school camp programme, including the first camps held at the Boyle River centre, and held the position of director of the Adventure School, during which time the school was awarded the national title for outstanding Outdoor Education programme in 2003. Arthur was awarded a Rotary International Foundation Study Award which resulted in nine months study at Eastern Washington University, in the United States. His studies led to the development of the industry Risk Management Scheme and the delivery of professional development courses for teachers, as well as the (then) Department of Education’s draft booklet for the Risk Management Scheme for education outside the classroom (EOTC). He was a member of the Ministry of Education’s steering group which produced the EOTC guidelines ‘Bringing the Curriculum Alive’ in 2009 and also served as an executive member of Education Outdoor New Zealand between 2004 and 2010, when he received the Supreme Award for contribution to Outdoor Recreation and was made Life Member in 2003. Arthur received the Outdoor New Zealand’s Special Executive Award in 2016 for his service and the Peter Allen Award from the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre in 2018.“I’m fortunate to have been actively engaged in contributing to the education of the young and the not so young and to have been supported by my wife Robyn (Sutherland).”As a young adult, Arthur spent many holidays exploring Mt Aspiring’s high country wilderness and later returned to Wānaka with his family who learned to ski at Treble Cone and the Snow Farm.“Robyn and I enjoy our day trips to ski and/or snowshoe. The road, the facilities, the open space and the quietness are all outstanding features. It is so great to see the many school groups using the Snow Farm.”Reconnecting with friends in Otago and Southland brought Arthur and Robyn back to Wānaka and they retired to live here permanently three years ago. Arthur is also the secretary for the Hāwea Bowling Club and volunteers his services to Challenge Wānaka.PHOTO: Robyn Sutherland

Wānaka’s Robyn van Reenen has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the arts in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.Robyn has been well known in the Otago art community since 1982, and since 1992 has coordinated and managed the Wānaka Autumn Art School.Robyn told the Wānaka App it was “quite a buzz” being recognised for her work.“It’s a real honour but I also appreciate not just the person that nominated me but quite a number of people who do quite a lot of work behind the scenes.”The Wānaka Autumn Art School was started by artist Peter Mitchell in 1990, and Robyn began organising it in 1992 with Dennis Schwarz, who Robyn was quick to acknowledge as having a role “less conspicuous but not less important”.“The idea was we were a small community and it would be really good to bring in more expertise,” she said.The school is held annually at Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College campus and offers some 16 courses in visual, performing, craft and writing arts. It has attracted upwards of 200 students each year, with notable artists from throughout New Zealand and Australia attending to teach.Robyn retired from coordinating the art school at the end of last year, having only missed one - in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions.“We never thought when we started in 1992 we’d still be doing it 30 years later. “I went this year and just loved this year and loved being in a class and not thinking about the rest of it.”Robyn believes creativity is “hugely important” in communities.“It’s so important, whatever your interest, to do your utmost to pursue it. Doing research behind projects is good for your brain, and it is always hard to turn down working with exciting colours.”She also credits the Upper Clutha environment not only for attracting tutors and students, but also for helping spark creativity.“It was a huge help that autumn is a spectacular time of the year to come to a spectacular place.”The art school has been a major part of Robyn’s life, in particular the constant search for tutors.“I always looked for someone who is a good teacher.“Sometimes I’ve found them in strange circumstances. I might be at a social occasion and talking to someone; they’ve been to a class with this person - it appears completely out of the blue.“We’ve hardly ever had local tutors because it’s been such a great opportunity to bring people from all over the country and overseas to Wānaka.”The art school has attracted some excellent tutors, such as Marilyn Webb, Roger Hall, and Fiona Farrell, and despite getting “quite nervous” about asking well known artists to contribute, Robyn was seldom turned down.“For some of them what they were paid was a pittance compared to what they earned as an artist, and for some of them it was a fortune.“One thing that always stood out for me when I was asking people in the early days was [photographer] Andris Apse. He said people had helped him on his journey, and he saw this as an opportunity to help other people.”Robyn felt “quite a big obligation” to do her utmost to meet students’ expectations. “People save up for it, it’s their annual thing they are going to do each year.“It was successful from early on, but I was always conscious that if some things weren’t working out you need to change them.”Robyn has built a range of skills over the years, but the one she singles out as most important is being able to listen.Demand for the annual classes remained constant as the Upper Clutha community grew, Robyn said. “It was never boring; always new people coming, seeing people finding their feet, seeing them at the end of the week with big smiley faces.”Book binding has been her favourite class to attend. A tutor offered the class in 1993 and “thirty years later I still like making books,” she said.Robyn’s other arts involvement include serving as the Wānaka Arts Society secretary (1982 - 1985) and being a founding member of the Wānaka Patchwork Club from 1982. She remains a member of the Upper Clutha Community Arts Council and was chair from 1997 - 2022, instrumental in awarding financial assistance for arts projects. Robyn is also a member of Central Otago Outside the Square (COOTS), a group of textile artists exhibiting biennially and promoting textiles in the art world. She has taught courses on quilting and book binding, and she served on the National Association of New Zealand Quilters’ Committee between 1996 and 1998 and the National Quilt Symposium Committee between 1997 and 1999. Robyn was also a committee member of the Queenstown Lakes Creative Communities Grants between 2018 and 2021.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Lake Hāwea resident Colleen Carr has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.Colleen has been active in the Lake Hāwea community for 24 years with community organisations, fundraising and events.She is a familiar face at community events, and when the Wānaka App visited her last week she and husband Errol were working hard on community newsletters and activity planning at the dining room table.The couple moved here in 1998 after 22 years in Sydney, where Colleen taught at private girls’ schools. She started out doing some volunteer work, then Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) found out about her MA in special education and asked her if she would teach.“I loved MAC,” Colleen said.She took over the extension programme, Rutherford, taught English, and became “very involved” in coaching and administration for netball.“I like to be involved and active,” Colleen told the Wānaka App, and anyone who knows Colleen knows that is an understatement.She has organised quiz nights, village dinners at the community centre to celebrate volunteers and at mid-winter, as well as Christmas picnics. In her ‘spare time’ you may find her weeding the community centre garden.The Hāwea community 24 years ago was “mostly old people”, Colleen said, but an influx of young families began to change the face of the township, and Colleen was concerned many of them did not have family support here.She set up three outreach groups: Hāwea Hangouts, for families; the Wise Ones, for the over 60s; and Haere Mai for people from various cultures who have settled in Hāwea.The Friday evening group for families offers a monthly barbeque and activities for children; Haere Mai offers social events and ESOL lessons, and can attract as many as 60 people to an international dinner.Colleen established a monthly village meet and greet, particularly encouraging new residents to get involved in the community. She entered Hāwea in the Community of the Year event a few times, once placing third nationally. “Great things were happening here,” she said.Colleen retired from MAC about seven years ago, but she’s not one for sitting back and watching the world go by.She has started a local bike group - the Peripatetic Pedallers; and is well known locally for organising the popular annual Town Vs Country Waitangi Day sports contest between Hāwea Flat and Lake Hāwea. The town vs country event has taken a break the past year or so because of Covid-19 but Colleen hopes to find someone who can take over its coordination. An extrovert, Colleen had a happy childhood as the youngest of her family in small-town Ngapara (near Oamaru).“My mother valued community,” Colleen said. “The village brought me up.”She believes that a healthy community flows from “lots of activities which people engage in - which gives a sense of belonging”.“Our theory is, it doesn’t matter how many people come, we make sure they have a good time.“Once they start to get involved, they get to know people. We’ve really been seeing that with our older people now, they’re really supporting each other.”As the Hāwea community grows, Colleen is continuing to welcome newcomers - most of whom continue to be young families.She has concerns about the township’s infrastructure keeping up with growth, but adds: “That has nothing to do with the people”.“We’ll be more than happy to welcome them.”Colleen has been involved with the Lake Hāwea Community Centre committee since 2010 and during that time has held the positions of chairperson, deputy chairperson, and secretary.She has been a member of the Foreshore Management Group since 2010, working to enhance the lakefront reserve, has organised clean-ups around the town, and has undertaken gardening on a voluntary basis around the Community Centre, Hāwea Bowling Club, and other areas. Colleen has also been a member of the Upper Clutha Lions for 22 years.

A newly appointed mental health wellbeing navigator will support mental health initiatives for Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes communities over the next year. Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group has appointed Ella Hitchcock to the role.She will work closely with agencies and networks to help co-ordinate an overall picture of needs and mental health service capacity, facilitate connections, and work collaboratively on wellbeing initiatives, Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group chair Adell Cox said.In addition she will connect people with the support available here.“Ella brings a fresh perspective and real insights into the difficulties our young people are facing,” Adell said. “This will be particularly helpful as we focus on rolling out initiatives like the Youth Mental Health First Aid Programme.”Adell said the impacts of Covid-19 have amplified some of the pre-existing challenges the region faced, as well as bringing new ones, which is why Te Hau Toka has extended its support of the navigator role. “There’s been a lot of great mahi so far but there’s still a lot to do to help our communities recover,” she said.“Our primary goal is to keep people well before they get to the stage of needing acute clinical care so promotion, prevention and early intervention are key.“We need to keep the spotlight on why it’s so important for people to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing and encourage them to seek help early so that they receive the right supports to get them back on track.”Having someone who can navigate the system and act as a connector has proven to be really helpful, she said. Ella, who has a double degree in law and health science, said she was passionate about working alongside communities to improve their health and wellbeing.“I also want to find opportunities to create meaningful, equitable and sustainable change in this space, from grassroots prevention to national policy.” The Mental Wellbeing Navigator role will be funded by the Te Hau Toka group and work out of the Central Lakes Family Services offices across the region.PHOTO: Supplied

Keen sportswoman and Wānaka resident Jane Sharman says she is excited to take on a new role as Challenge Wānaka’s trust and event director.The experienced event manager moved to Wānaka seven years ago and she has held various trust and committee roles and worked at major events like Warbirds over Wānaka and Relay for Life.”I am so excited to be joining the Challenge Wanaka Team,” Jane said.“I am passionate about this event and what it means for our community.“I love the inclusivity of Challenge – ranging from the pro athletes to the primary children and even preschoolers. The recent addition of the adaptive event and the Cross Tri mean that nearly anyone can take part.“I’m looking forward to learning from the many experienced team members involved and also exploring new ways to further develop Challenge Wanaka in our community.”Challenge Wānaka board chair Jessica Garrett said Jane was the “standout applicant” from a field of high quality applicants “and the unanimous choice of the trustees”.“With an exceptional track record in event management, governance and community engagement, we were encouraged by her forward-thinking approach to the role of the trust and our events, and her obvious skills and experience as a leader and motivator,” Jess said.“We very much look forward to welcoming her to the Challenge Wanaka Team.”Jess said the board also wanted to thank the “amazing” outgoing race director Bill Roxburgh.“Bill has been involved in the event for over 17 years and has been instrumental in growing the event into the largest triathlon festival in New Zealand with events for all ages and abilities,” she said.The next Challenge Wānaka Festival will be held from February 15-17, at Glendhu Station.The event is organised by the Challenge Wanaka Charitable Trust and incorporates events to suit all abilities and ages.Find out more here.PHOTO: Supplied

A former Environment Southland chief executive has been appointed as independent chair of a committee that will help shape the future of Wānaka Airport.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) councillors signed off on the appointment of Rob Phillips to the Wānaka Airport Liaison Committee (WALC) in a meeting in late April.“All details have now been finalised and I welcome Rob to this new position,” QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen said.“With more than 22 years’ experience in executive and leadership roles he clearly demonstrated through the recruitment process that he’ll bring the skills, experience and independence required.”The long-awaited WALC was first recommended 12 years ago but it was designated to Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) in the District Plan only five years ago.QLDC has named Simon Telfer as the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) representative on the committee but it still needs to select its other members, which will include representatives from the Wānaka Airport Users Group, commercial airlines and other groups.WALC’s responsibilities will include reviewing complaints relating to airport operations or noise, assisting QLDC (in its role as regulator) and Queenstown Airport Corporation (which manages Wānaka Airport’s day-to-day operations) to communicate and engage with the community, and reviewing progress on any airport development activity, Mike said.Rob said he was looking forward to working with airport-based businesses and the wider community. “Wānaka Airport plays a wide range of roles including that of a hugely respected flight training centre and the home of internationally famous air show, Warbirds over Wānaka,” he said. “The committee will be an important new body taking a helicopter view of relevant activities there. “Given this committee has not existed before we’ll be working initially to shape how we operate in line with our terms of reference.”The council statement did not indicate when other members would be appointed to the committee.In February QLDC said the draft terms of reference for the WALC would be shared with the community once all members are appointed.PHOTO: Supplied 

An adventurous life story of a career as a mountaineer and guide to an accident that resulted in incomplete tetraplegia has won the Nankervis/Bamford NZ Mountain Book of the Year for 2023.The book, ‘Not Set in Stone, was written by leading mountaineer David Vass who is credited with many first ascents and descents in New Zealand. "After many years in Wānaka I have just moved away, and this award makes a truly great farewell present,” David said. “I've been much humbled and gratified by the feedback I've received so far, it seems to have moved people in a similar way to how I felt writing it.”The competition is part of the NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival and judges Marjorie Cook, Hazel Phillips and Allan Uren were impressed by the standard of entries.“It was an absolute joy to read through the finalists and live vicariously inside the pages of these amazing books,” Hazel said. “Congratulations to all the finalists, and to our winners, who should be rightly proud of what they've created.”  David will be speaking at the NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival in Wānaka on Tuesday June 27 alongside Robbie Burton, whose book ‘Bushline, A Memoir’ was highly commended by the competition judges.Submissions were invited for two categories: Mountain and Adventure Narrative and Mountain and Adventure Heritage.The Heritage Award went to Wānaka mountain guide and adventure photographer Gavin Lang for ‘Seeking the Light’. Gavin climbed all 24 of New Zealand’s 3,000 metre peaks to photograph them and his book captures the tension and drama of mountaineering in Aotearoa, bringing it to life with stunning imagery.  ‘High Risk: Climbing to Extinction’ by Brian Hall takes out the Narrative Award. Brian’s book speaks to an extraordinary era in the history of Himalayan mountaineering, from the mid 1970s to the 1980s, paying homage to the generation of climbers who pushed adventure to the edge.The NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival will run in Wānaka from June 23-27, in Queenstown June 29-30, and online in New Zealand and Australia from June 23 to July 23. Festival passes are on sale now, general ticket sales and the full festival programme will be launched on May 23.The 2023 finalists were:Mountain & Adventure Narrative Award Paul Hersey - The Cold Inside Dave Vass - Not Set in Stone Brian Hall - High Risk: Climbing to Extinction  Mountain & Adventure Heritage Award Derek Morrison - Living the Dream David Towns - Ahuahu: A conservation journey in Aotearoa Gavin Lang - Seeking the Light  The following were Highly Commended by the judges: Beau Miles - The Backyard Adventurer Robbie Burton - Bushline Jeff Smoot - All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing Carrie Miller and Chris Taylor - A Diver's Guide to the World: Remarkable Dive Travel Destinations Above and Beneath the Surface   PHOTOS: Supplied

If you’ve been in Wānaka in the past month there is a good chance you’ve seen Victoria Taylor running the streets.Victoria is on a mission to raise awareness and funds for two charities by breaking the world record for the most consecutive days to run a marathon (female). Today (Friday April 14) will be her thirty-third consecutive day running the 42-kilometre distance.“I’m doing it to raise awareness and funds for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and also the Red Cross to help out the New Zealand Disaster Fund,” Victoria said.“Givealittle have combined the two causes and will split the money 50:50.”The record for consecutive day marathons (female) is 151 and Victoria has set herself a target of 153.“Because I’m breaking a record it’s good to go a couple of days over,” she said.If Victoria completes the challenge she will finish on Sunday August 13, the day of her thirtieth birthday.“I set out with a goal to finish on my thirtieth,” Victoria said. “I wanted to do something for my birthday that had meaning.”Victoria said she runs a similar course each day consisting of three 14-kilometre loops around Wānaka which are tracked on GPS for authentication. She said she also has to video the start, middle and finish and get witness statements each day as a requirement for the Guinness Book of Records.Victoria said she has no special dietary requirements but a Red Bull at the 25-kilometre mark and toasted bagels with marmite keep her going.“I get a massage every week for recovery,” she said. “I’m getting as much sleep as possible. I’m eating and hydrating well.”Victoria said the biggest challenge is staying healthy and the possibility of running in the snow during winter.“I’ll just have to run in it,” she said. “It’s obviously going to be a bigger challenge. The pram situation may make it very challenging.”In 2022 Victoria attempted to break the world record (20 days and 17 hours) for the time it takes to run the length of New Zealand while raising awareness for mental health. She had to abandon that challenge due to a family matter.When Victoria was 19-years-old she ran the length of New Zealand in 34 days to support services for child cancer.Donations of support can be made on her Givealittle page.PHOTO: Wānaka App

With their new houses at Northlake set to be completed this month, nine more Wānaka families can now call Wānaka home with certainty.The homes, which range from $472,000 to $568,000, are the latest to be built with the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust’s (QLCHT) affordable housing model.“To be able to provide a safe, secure and newly-built home to nine of those families means a lot, because we know it’s not just a house – it’s also providing a level of certainty and the ability to feel settled in the local community,” QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott said.Six of the houses will be occupied under the ‘Secure Home’ programme, where people purchase the properties through a 100-year land lease arrangement, with the trust retaining ownership of the land in perpetuity.The remaining three will be rented under the trust’s rental programmes.“The ability to deliver standalone properties at these price points has been a collaborative effort with the ongoing support of both the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Progressive Home Ownership Fund,” QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott.Julie said she was excited to hand over keys for the nine properties in time for Easter.QLCHT acquired the land in 2021 and construction on the three and four-bedroom properties, started in early 2022.The not-for-profit social enterprise, which exists to manage and deliver affordable housing solutions, continues to face huge demand.“Accommodation is a pressing issue in our district, and we have evidence of that, with 150 people on the waiting list in the Upper Clutha area alone,” Julie said. Some of those on the waitlist have homes in sight - the Breen Homes team which has built the Northlake homes will move on to deliver another 28 homes in Hāwea as soon as the Northlake homes are completed.PHOTO: QLCHT

Hāwea Flat woman Anna Shaw will share some of her experience of living in a remote Aboriginal community at the Festival of Colour later this month.The former Te Kura O Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) head of drama will perform her one woman show, ‘Remote Thoughts’ at the Hāwea Flat Hall.Anna also taught music and English at MAC for many years before moving to Wellington to undertake a Masters degree in directing at Toi Whakaari followed by teaching at Wellington East Girls College.But she dreamed of an outback adventure with husband Rick once their youngest daughter Lily (who has also performed at the Festival of Colour) flew the nest.“I’d done a brief stint living in Kakadu and always had a fascination to return to the Top End,” Anna said.After a drink with a friend who had returned from working in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community 400km from Darwin, Anna and Rick went home on a foul Wellington night and googled the area.“The first photo that came up was Rick’s step-brother, a well known Australian musician who works in remote communities. The second photo that came up was a very good friend’s daughter who was a lawyer in Wadeye.“They were both signs,” Anna said.“On a whim we thought we’d go and have an adventure. Three months later we were there.”The culture shock was huge, she said. “We had done an induction, stayed in a five star hotel in Darwin and learnt about kinship networks and so on.“Next thing we’re on a plane that almost crashed flying through a storm, then we were dropped outside our new house that had just been burgled.Acclimatisation took a while.“It was an incredible experience and so enriching on many levels, but also so harrowing. It was incredibly tough,” Anna said.All the children she taught were trauma affected and the environment was volatile at times, she said.“You’re constantly treading a tightrope between hope and despair.“Success looks very different to what success looks like in any classroom anywhere else. It’s really important to mark those successes.”On a personal level, the cultural experience was “huge”, Anna said.The couple intended to live in Wadeye for a year but ended up staying four.Anna’s goal in developing ‘Remote Thoughts’ was “to shed light on what it’s really like, and the ongoing challenges of living in community”.“Living between two cultures is never easy. It forces us to challenge any assumptions we may have. “Developing ‘Remote Thoughts’ has been an enriching and confronting experience of putting our time in Wadeye under a microscope, offering an opportunity to process and reflect upon all of the high and lows we lived through.”Anna said since she has been rehearsing the play she’s started receiving lots of messages from friends in Wadeye. “It’s like the people know,” she said.‘Remote Thoughts’ includes storytelling, acting, spoken word, original songs, and visuals.“Be prepared to go on a journey,” she said.‘Remote Thoughts’ takes place at the Hāwea Flat Hall on March 27 and 28. Tickets can be purchased here.

A tourism expert who took the helm at RealNZ during the Covid-19 pandemic has handed in his resignation and made plans to return home as the tourism upswing continues.Stephen England-Hall joined RealNZ (a recreation, tourism and ski company which includes Cardrona Alpine Resort) in February 2021, helping the company prepare for the future.Under Stephen’s leadership the company has restructured, rebranded, refinanced and recapitalised, regrown revenues and is now on a path to recovery, entering the second half of this financial year materially ahead of plan, RealNZ chair Martin Dippie said.“Stephen has done an outstanding job transforming the company and placing the business on a solid foundation to benefit from tourism’s recovery,” Martin said. “The RealNZ and Cardrona brands are in great shape to continue to outperform the market.”Stephen said it was now time for him to head home to his family in Auckland.“As results turn positive and guests return it’s a good time to pass the reins to a new leader to continue the journey for this incredible company.“I’d like to thank the Queenstown, Wānaka, Te Anau and Southland communities for their support of RealNZ during my time with the business and for making me a welcome member of the community.”RealNZ is a leading tourism group which, in addition to the local skifields, owns various tourism experiences like the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves, Queenstown Jet, Walter Peak Farm and more.PHOTO: Supplied