Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) celebrated the achievements of its junior students at its 2025 junior awards ceremonies on Thursday (December 11, Years 7 and 8) and Friday (December 12, Years 9 and 10). Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards recognised the academic, artistic, cultural, sporting and service achievement of junior students. “It’s wonderful to come together as a school community and celebrate our junior students and the many ways they excel and contribute to the life of our college and our community.“We are committed to academic excellence and continue to focus on the core skills of literacy and numeracy, as well as offering a range of subjects to prepare our junior students for their senior learning pathways, and life beyond school. Highest academic achievers Year 8 (L-R): Edie Yandall, Mia Reardon, Tenki Watanabe, Bill Dobson, George Cruden, Emily Boswell, and Tyla Sherger (absent: Rhys Brugman).“We also place a strong emphasis on our values which represent what we stand for as a school community and inform how we treat ourselves, each other and our environment. “I am very proud of our junior students and thankful for the support they receive from their families and whānau, and our local community.” The best all round student awards went to Bruno Blampied and Charlotte Crosbie (Year 7), Bill Dobson and Edie Yandall (Year 8), Arlo Waddington and Alice Chaly (Year 9), and Ivy Craig and Amber Gemmell (Year 10). Academic awards for the highest achievers in each class went to: Caley Clifford, Charlie Baumgren, Elsie Baker, Zuzia Wick, Lola O'Regan, Isaac Wood, Caleb Wilson (Year 7); George Cruden, Rhys Brugman, Mia Reardon, Tenki Watanabe, Emily Boswell, Tyla Scherger, Bill Dobson, Edie Yandall (Year 8); Malcie Cervelli, Finn Butland, Sam Davis, Nadia Thomas, Charlotte Taylor, Ford Mills, Chloe Chisholm (Year 9); and Laila Telfer, Amber Gemmell, Bess Wilson, Bella Wright, Blanka Lewis, Mackenzie Smith, Elsie Parsons, Merryn Foster (Year 10). Highest academic achievers Year 9 (L-R): Charlotte Taylor, Nadia Thomas, Malcie Cervelli, Ford Mills, Sam Davis, Finn Butland, Chloe Chisholm.The ceremonies featured waiata performed by Te Mākahi o Tititea (MAC’s kapa haka group), and performances by MAC student bands ‘Arrhythmia’, ‘Instant Referral’, and ‘Stranger Danger’, and the MAC Orchestra and Junior Band. MAC thanked prize sponsors Wastebusters, Racers Edge, Integrity Homes, and Mitre Ten MEGA.Highest academic achievers Year 10 (L-R): Laila Telfer, Blanka Lewis, Bess Wilson, Amber Gemmell, Bella Wright, Mackenzie Smith, Merryn Foster, (absent: Elsie Parsons).PHOTOS: Supplied

Three people have received Special Honours List New Zealand Bravery Awards for their roles in a dramatic rescue at the mouth of the Rees River in Glenorchy - which took place less than a week after a Wānaka man died in the same location while trying to save his son. In January 2023, 48-year-old Linkin Kisling, also known as Leroy Kaaho, entered the fast-flowing river after his 10-year-old son. The boy was rescued but his father did not re-emerge. His body was recovered the following day by the Police National Dive Squad. Six days later, on January 19, another young boy was pulled by the current on the Rees River into the lake, triggering a second rescue in almost identical conditions. This week, three people involved in that second rescue were recognised with New Zealand Bravery Medals (NZBM).Off-duty police officer Sergeant Harshad (Harry) Ghodke, holidaymaker Susan Burke, and Australian physiotherapist Jonny Young (who died during the rescue attempt) were all honoured for their actions.Sergeant Harshad swam out to the boy as he was dragged into deeper water by a strong undertow. Exhausted and struggling to keep both himself and the boy afloat, he instructed the child to lie on his back and attempted to return to shore for more help.Jonny saw Sergeant Harshad returning without the boy and decided to swim out to assist. He reached the child and began pulling him towards land, but the pair were separated in the current and Jonny became fatigued.Susan then swam out to the pair, reaching the boy - who by then was floating calmly on his back - and bringing him safely to shore. As she returned, onlookers shouted that Jonny had gone under. She and two others attempted to locate him, diving repeatedly despite exhaustion, but were unable to find him, and his body was recovered the following day.The citations state that Susan “ensured the rescue of the young boy” and continued searching “to the limit of her ability”, while Sergeant Harshad’s actions “addressed the immediate panic of the boy”, helping to keep him alive long enough for help to arrive. Jonny’s posthumous award recognises his “selfless bravery”.The New Zealand Bravery Medal recognises acts of bravery and is awarded primarily to civilians.PHOTO: Unsplash

Long-time Hāwea resident Dick Cotter, 98, was celebrated by Movember NZ for being the country’s oldest Movember participant this year.Dick was one of 11 men from Lake Hāwea who helped raise more than $1,500 for Movember NZ.Movember is an annual, global event which encourages people to grow moustaches (or fundraise in other ways) during November to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues, specifically focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.Movember New Zealand is the local chapter - and money raised each year funds research, treatment and awareness programmes for its key focus areas.Last month, the Hāwea Community Movember team committed to four weeks of moustache-growing and fundraising. “Their efforts, combined with the generosity of families, friends, and the wider community, raised an impressive $1,572.20,” the Hāwea Community Association (HCA) said in its latest newsletter. Ten of the 11 members of the Hāwea Community Movember team, including Dick Cotter (centre, back).“We are absolutely thrilled with this result.“Dick’s dedication, humour, and magnificent moustache captured hearts both locally and across the country.”The campaign wrapped up in true Hāwea style, the HCA said, at the community meet and greet last Friday (December 5) at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre.“The final evening was a fantastic celebration, with each team member presenting their carefully cultivated 'mo' for community judging,” they said.“Laughter, applause, and plenty of moustache admiration filled the room as votes were cast for three fun categories.”PHOTOS: Supplied

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College’s (MAC) school board has reaffirmed its commitment to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.“The board, college leadership and staff stand united in their affirmation of Te Tiriti,” a joint statement from principal Nicola Jacobsen and presiding board member Niamh Shaw said.“We believe that giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi is fundamental to the fulfilment of our school vision of being an inclusive and sustainable learning environment that inspires our students to be.”MAC is now among more than 1,300 New Zealand schools which have publicly reaffirmed they will continue giving effect to Te Tiriti.It follows the government’s decision earlier last week to remove schools’ obligations to give effect to Te Tiriti.Nicola and Niamh said the school’s board, leadership and staff are united in their affirmation of Te Tiriti. PHOTOS: SuppliedEducation minister Erica Stanford said the treaty was the Crown's responsibility, not schools’.In their statement Nicola and Niamh said that “the college’s commitment to Te Tiriti is already woven into everyday life at the school”.“It represents that when our community and our school do well, we all do well.“Te Tiriti also underpins our values, and supports the sense of identity, wellbeing, and access to equitable educational opportunities for all our students.“We honour Te Tiriti through our recognition of te ao Māori, including the teaching of te reo Māori, the celebration of Māori performing arts through Te Mākahi o Tititea (the MAC kapa haka group), our annual house haka competition, and our observation of tikanga (protocols and customs).“We are proud that our students can share in the richness of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Māori culture and heritage, and we believe that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

Upper Clutha locals will feature in an upcoming portrait exhibition at Te Atamira which celebrates the creative talent of the Queenstown Lakes District and beyond.  The Artist features 20 portraits by multidisciplinary artist Julia Holden.  Eleven artists from varied fields - mostly local to Queenstown and Wānaka - stood as a living canvas for the creation of their portrait.Members of Wānaka band Powder Chutes, which formed when the members were all students at Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College, feature in the exhibition.Other portraits include ‘The Vintner’ featuring Duncan Forsyth of Mount Edward Wines, ‘The Jeweller’ featuring local jewellery designer Jessica Winchcombe alongside others including architects, a breadsmith, a sculptor, a composer and more. Well-known comedian Tom Sainsbury from Auckland also took part.  Te Atamira director Ruth Heath (formerly executive director of the Southern Lakes Festival of Colour) said the body of work “shines a light on the people in our everyday lives who make meaningful contributions to our world, often in ways that go unrecognised or taken for granted”.“We’re delighted to present such an engaging portrait exhibition at Te Atamira, one that breaks with tradition and challenges perceptions of what a portrait can be, and who we consider to be an artist,” she said.Building on a body of eight works begun in Dunedin in 2024 and a self-portrait recently housed in the NZ Portrait Gallery as part of their exhibition Me: Artists Paint Themselves, the new works completing the collection to be exhibited are the result of Julia’s two-month residence at Te Atamira between August-October 2025.   The exhibition opened on Friday (December 5) at the Manaaki Nui gallery space at Te Atamira (Remarkables Park, Frankton).IMAGE: Supplied

Hāwea Flat resident Alan Keen grabbed $2,140.31 worth of groceries in the New World Three Parks Grocery Grab competition this morning (Thursday, December 4).​Randomly selected from 1,088 entrants in the annual event, Alan entered at the last minute after prompting from his wife, Tracy. “I got a call from [New World Three Parks co-owner] Dean [Bartley] and he said I’d won. I felt very excited and a little bit nervous,” Alan said. He said the two minutes he had to race around the store went “very quick”. “Everything is a blur. I had a plan; it didn’t go to plan,” Alan said.​Alan, who works as a project manager for NZ Post, said he and Tracy have called Hāwea Flat home for nearly 10 years. The couple donated part of their winnings to the Upper Clutha foodbank run by Community Link, with the rest earmarked for family Christmas celebrations. New World Three Parks matched the haul's value with its own donation to the foodbank.​“The objective is to support Community Link; it’s great for the winner to get the value of shopping, but really it is about helping out Community Link,” Dean said. “Community Link is special and we want to give back where we can.”Community Link representative Lindsey Schofield said the support from New World Three Parks is “amazing”. “The donation that New World Three Parks is making will help us support families doing it tough,” Lindsey said. “Its really going to help us make Christmas a lot happier for a lot of families.”The New World Three Parks Grocery Grab marks the store's anniversary while boosting the local food bank at Christmas time.PHOTO: Wānaka App

The 2025 Hato Hone St John Wānaka Service Awards Ceremony was held earlier this month at the Wānaka Districts Club.The event honoured volunteers and paid staff for their length of service and contributions. In attendance were ambulance officers, first responders, Therapy Pets volunteers, area committee members and youth leaders, cadets and their parents. “We are fortunate to have so many incredible and long standing volunteers and ambulance operations staff in our community,” St John Wānaka area committee chair Dell Taylor said. Grand Prior Award recipients Blake Cotton-Everitt and Amelia LatchfordThis year's ceremony recognised service milestones including five, 10 and 45 years, as well as the prestigious Grand Prior's award for St John Youth. The awards were presented at the ceremony by Knight of the Order of St John, Ian Rae, assisted by Ann Shepherd, Commander of The Order of St John.One incredible long-standing member of the Order of St John, Marion Furneaux, was recognised for 45 years of service and received a standing ovation from everyone attending the ceremony.The two recipients of the Grand Prior's award - the highest accolade for cadets in the St John Youth Programme - were Amelia Latchford and Blake Cotton-Everitt.Presentation to Marion Furneaux. From left: Marion Furneaux, Ian Rae, and Ann Shepherd. It requires the cadets to participate in multiple compulsory badges, gain their level two first aid certificate, undertake 100 hours of community service, and other opportunities such as cadet leadership training.This is a significant achievement for the two cadets and shows the commitment and hard work they put into the programme as well as the community, Dell said.Amelia and Blake are both in leadership roles within the division, assisting in running the division and the curriculum. They are great role models to the younger cadets and penguins, she said.  The ceremony took place on November 14.PHOTO: St John

Wānaka’s alpine community is in mourning following the death of local mountain guide Thomas Vialletet and his client on Aoraki Mt Cook on Monday evening (November 24).Thomas, an IFMGA-qualified mountain guide, and his client died following a fall near the summit of Aoraki/Mount Cook at approximately 11.50pm on Monday, the NZ Mountain Guides Association (NZMGA) reported. The pair were part of a team of four, including two guides and their two clients, who were completing a grand traverse of Aoraki/Mount Cook.The other two members of the party were successfully brought down unharmed from the summit ridge.NZMGA president Anna Keeling said Thomas was a respected and valued member of the NZMGA. “[He was] an integral part of our guiding community,” she said. “NZMGA’s focus is now on those most affected, and our priority is supporting the family, including [his] partner and children, as well as our wider guiding community during this extremely difficult time.”Thomas was the co-owner of Wānaka-based guiding company Summit Explorers with his wife Danielle. The pair have two young children.Aoraki Mt Cook PHOTO: Wānaka AppWhile some national media reported that Wānaka Search and Rescue’s (SAR) Alpine Cliff Rescue team was involved in the rescue, Wānaka SAR chair Raewyn Calhaem confirmed that was not the case.“There was a misunderstanding and I believe that the helicopter came into Wānaka to collect a member of the Aoraki ACR team,” she said.“Although not part of SAR, Thomas was well known and respected with the guiding and mountaineering community in Wānaka. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”Mountain Safety Council (MSC) chief executive Mike Daisley said this time of year is the busy mountaineering season, with many climbers heading into the mountains.“Recent fine weather has drawn many mountaineers to the high alpine, with multiple guided and recreational teams summiting Aoraki/Mount Cook over the past week,” he said.“Current conditions on the mountain are considered ideal for mountaineering, with firm overnight snow conditions and well-filled glaciers following early spring snowstorms.”In December 2024, three climbers, including two guides from the United States and Canada, died while climbing Aoraki/Mt Cook. Their bodies were never recovered.“These mountaineering fatalities are a reminder of the high-consequence environment of our alpine mountains, especially our highest peak,” Mike said. “Mountaineering has very little margin for error. Even the most qualified professionals cannot eliminate all risk.”NZMGA says a formal investigation into the incident will take place in due course.“There will be an opportunity for the NZMGA to understand and share more about what happened in this tragic accident,” Anna said.Both MSC and NZMGA offered their sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, and the wider alpine and guiding community.A givealittle page has been created to support Thomas' partner, Danielle, and their two young children.

There are three new faces on the Central Lakes Trust (CLT) board following its recent election.Lake Hāwea resident Dave Currie, CNZM, Dr Chris Phoon, and Neil Gillespie have been newly elected to the board.They join re-elected trustees Kathy Dedo - who is also the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) deputy chair - and Trudi Webb.The CLT also has three appointed trustees: Linda Robertson, Kathy Grant, and Simon Flood.“We’re excited to welcome our new trustees to the board,” CLT chair Linda Robertson said.“Their fresh perspectives, combined with the experience of our re-elected and appointed trustees, will strengthen our ability to deliver on CLT’s mission.”CLT operates as a charitable trust that offers financial support for charitable initiatives with the goal of improving the lives of local residents and creating lasting positive impacts in the region.Each month it distributes grants to a range of community organisations and not-for-profits.Kathy, who said she felt incredibly privileged to be re-elected, said the mission was to “enhance assets and enrich lives”. “This means making wise investment decisions to maintain and grow our portfolio - this takes more of our time than granting does,” she told the Wānaka App. “This in turn enables us to support community groups and projects that enrich lives throughout the region.”Linda said the new board was a “fantastic team committed to supporting vibrant, resilient communities across our funding region".All three of the new trustees bring extensive leadership and governance expertise to the table, she said. Dave Currie has held prominent roles including Chef de Mission for New Zealand Olympic and Paralympic Teams, executive director of the Halberg Trust, and manager of the Black Caps. Dr Chris Phoon contributes significant governance experience through his involvement on national and international surgical committees and he is a founding member of the Mahu Whenua Traverse.Neil Gillespie, an Otago Regional Council councillor, has a wealth of local government knowledge with over 27 years’ experience on community boards and council, Linda said.The voter return percentage for the election was 20.45 percent.PHOTOS: Supplied

Tributes have been flowing for long-time Wānaka GP Dr Dennis Pezaro, who died on Sunday (November 16), aged 83.Described by his family as a “devoted country GP for 60 years”, Dennis has been remembered by locals as a welcoming doctor who offered wisdom along with health care.In a speech he gave in 2014, Dennis said he believed “that everyone I met had something in their life, of great worth, to be respected, treasured, enjoyed, and that the healthcare interaction was to facilitate this core of their being, whether with laughter or tears, medicines or hugs, tea or whisky”. Dennis moved to Wānaka, with his wife Olwyn, in 1973 as the town’s only GP, working initially in cooperation with the practice and hospital in Cromwell.His practice grew quickly.“He worked six days a week and on the seventh day he worked as well,” a long term friend of the Pezaros told the Wānaka App.Dennis was “on every committee”, they said.He became very involved in Wānaka life and community projects, including the development of Treble Cone and Cardrona skifields.Wānaka Medical Centre supplied all the early medical services on the skifields and the GPs were granted early recognition as partial radiologists to take x-rays.Dennis has said they “developed significant experience and some expertise in acute trauma”. “On the worst weekend before wrist guards were invented we set 20 broken wrists and my own experience is of reducing about 80 dislocated shoulders and about eight dislocated hips.”Dennis joined the executive team of the NZ Medical Association in 1992 and was chair from 1995-6.He is survived by Olwyn, and his family Sarah and Andrew, Avi, and Kit; Carmel; Daniel and Carolyn, Zac and Aria.A memorial service will take place in the New Year.Note: Some information has been provided by Upper Clutha resident historian Ken Allan from notes of a speech Dennis gave in 2014.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka’s Sam Harper (17) achieved a rare feat on Saturday (November 15) at the Luggate Cricket Ground, scoring a double century (233 runs) and taking five wickets for the Wānaka Cricket Club in its win against Queenstown Coronet.Sam’s 233 (not out) came off just 126 balls and his bowling conceded just one run finishing with figures of five for one.“It [batting] felt good and I was definitely seeing the ball well,” Sam said. “I was pretty happy with it.”Sam said it was the first time this season he’d been asked to bowl, being called on when Queenstown were cruising in its run chase. Despite his “tired legs”, Sam’s bowling stint, in partnership with team mate Will Anderson (4/11), changed the match resulting in a 180 run win.Sam scored 121 for Otago against Auckland at the national under 17 tournament earlier this year.Team mate Jono Homer, who batted with Sam for much of his innings on Saturday, said it was a pleasure to watch.“He was playing all the shots and when someone's in that form you don’t want to stop them facing,” Jono said.“It was pretty noticeable in preseason just the way he [Sam] was hitting the ball - it was just a different sound to everyone else batting.”In just three matches this season Sam has scored a 70 ball hundred and a 19 ball fifty to go with his double century.In a post on social media the Wānaka Cricket Club said that “to have a game like that at any age is almost unthinkable, let alone for a 17 year old”.Earlier this year Sam captained the Otago U17 cricket team at the national tournament where he was one of the top five batters at the tournament scoring a century against tournament winners Auckland.PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka author Shirley Deuchrass has learned “a lot” about the subject of her latest book: the native long-finned eel.Shirley, who has written biographies, history and fiction, said as a grandmother of 12 her latest books have focused on children.Mark and the Monster Eel is a picture book for three to seven year olds about a boy who is scared of eels because his sister tells him they will eat him.“I believe that the story is worth publishing, for two reasons,” Shirley told the Wānaka App.The book’s colourful illustrations are by MAC student Amber Leslie. IMAGE: Supplied“Because kids are scared of something and it creates an opportunity for teachers and parents to say ‘what are you scared of?’; and the other thing is we’re losing our native long finned eel in leaps and bounds.”Shirley said not enough is known about why the number of native eels is declining, but in her view there is one obvious culprit.“It certainly doesn’t help that we have two dams [Clyde and Roxburgh] in this area,” she said.She explained that the eels breed just once, at the end of their lives. The mature eels swim to the Tongan Islands to lay their eggs. When hatched, the larvae float back to New Zealand and the tiny eels (elvers) swim upriver.While eels can slither past obstacles in their quest, dams are too challenging.Mark and his Grannie. IMAGE: SuppliedContact Energy runs a native fish management programme to assist fish migration pathways - including eels. The elvers are collected and transported past the Roxburgh and Clyde Dams, before being distributed into lakes and rivers.Some mature eels are moved in the opposite direction, but most are lost to the dam turbines, Shirley said.This is the “adult story” underpinning Mark and the Monster Eel, she said, and it’s one she hopes more people will become aware of.The book is illustrated by Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Amber Leslie, who worked with Shirley to bring her vision into colour.“The really cool thing is I managed to get a student in her last year at college to do the art work,” Shirley said. “She’s a clever girl.”Mark and the Monster Eel book will be launched at Wānaka Library at 4pm on Wednesday November 26.

Three ‘hot lap’ experiences at Cromwell’s Highlands Motorsport Park aboard the V12-powered Aston Martin Vulcan Supercar (the only one in the Southern Hemisphere) will be up for grabs this summer, with all proceeds being donated to Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.Formula 1's Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson will be at Highlands for just one day: Tuesday December 23.  Liam was the first ambassador of the Tony Quinn Foundation and recently met with a large group of Highlands members at the Singapore Grand Prix in early October.“I caught up with [Highlands CEO Josie Spillane] and TQ in Singapore and in passing said that I’d love to drive the Vulcan,” Liam said.  “Josie didn’t even let TQ respond, it was an immediate yes – and we locked in the date and the idea that we could do something special for charity then and there.“The Tony Quinn Foundation and everyone associated with it have been great friends of mine and more than just supporters so I try to support them where I can. It’s good for New Zealand and the sport so I like to help, especially when I’m home.”Josie said the opportunity for a hot lap in either the Vulcan or with a Formula One driver would normally be “near impossible but we’re thrilled to make it work and do it for a great cause”.“Tony is super generous with allowing us to use the Vulcan for charity, and we’ve raised over $250,000 to date for various New Zealand charities,” she said.“This is very personal for me. My friend Lou was just 44 years old when she lost her battle with breast cancer, and I’m so excited that we have been able to pull this together.”As a bonus, one of the three charity hot lap experiences will be claimed by a lucky winner thanks to the new Highlands GT Partner Shaw and Partners Financial Services, who will donate the money otherwise raised in the auction.  The remaining two Vulcan ride experiences with Lawson will be auctioned to the highest bidder with all proceeds going to charity.Shaw and Partners will provide the ride experience, plus flights and accommodation for the winner.  The remainder of the day will be a chance for Kiwi motorsport fans to ride with Lawson in one of the Highlands Lamborghini Fast Dash cars, with just 20 rides to be available for just $399 via the Highlands website.  Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner said the organisation was “absolutely thrilled” Liam will lend his time to help New Zealanders affected by breast cancer. “The chance to experience an exhilarating lap with Liam in a supercar is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and every dollar raised will directly support breast cancer patients through their greatest time of need. “With nine women diagnosed with breast cancer in New Zealand every day, we are so grateful to the teams at Highlands and Shaw and Partners for initiatives like this that can drive real change.”Enter by completing the form here, or by auctioning for a ride.

A Dutch photographer who spent 2025 in New Zealand capturing its natural beauty has launched an exhibition of her favourite photos - with all sale proceeds going back to the local community.Sterre Heijnen’s exhibition, ‘Breathe Aotearoa’, is open for viewing at the Wānaka Recreation Centre as part of the Creative Spaces Project.“Working as a travel photographer, I’ve spent the past year exploring New Zealand - going on countless beautiful hikes, discovering incredible places, and taking pictures along the way,” Sterre told the Wānaka App.“I wanted to do something meaningful with all the photos I’d taken, and creating an exhibition felt like the perfect way to share that experience. New Zealand’s nature and wildlife is so unique compared to the rest of the world, so I wanted to highlight just how special it is.”Five of the 11 photographs in the exhibition were taken around Wānaka. One of Sterre’s favourite photographs is ‘Summit Kea’, which she took at Treble Cone.“It was an extremely windy day but the views were gorgeous as always and just as I made it to the top a Kea flew over and landed right next to me,” she said. “The Kea kept flying around me and playing in the snow so I got out my camera and that’s when I captured the shot of the Kea taking off with the mountains in the background. “It was such a magical moment being all alone at the TC summit looking out over Lake Wānaka with such a beautiful and special bird flying around me.”Proceeds from all sales of Breathe Aotearoa photographs will go to the Love Wānaka Community Fund, which supports climate, conservation, and biodiversity projects in the district.“Over time, I’ve really fallen in love with Wānaka - its incredible landscapes and the sense of community that helps protect them - and I wanted to contribute to preserving the nature and supporting the people who care for it.”Visit the Breathe Aotearoa exhibition at the Wānaka Recreation Centre now or contact Sterre directly for sales here.Read more: Creative spaces project to create district-wide gallery.PHOTO: Supplied

A bidding frenzy over 10 blocks of Mainland butter helped drive Food For Love’s most successful fundraising effort yet, with a total of $64,559 raised through a sold-out gala and Bayleys Wānaka’s Plate Up For Love campaign.The butter auction alone fetched an astonishing $11,500 - believed to be a national fundraising record, surpassing the $10,000 raised from 20 pounds of Anchor-brand butter at an Auckland event in September. Food For Love volunteer Di Somerville started with a $5,000 offer, which snowballed as others in the room spontaneously pledged extra amounts from $50 to $1,000 to boost her bid.“It was such a fun, crazy moment,” Di said. “What I loved most was seeing everyone come together to give even more back to Food For Love.”Held at Edgewater Resort on Friday night (October 31) and hosted in partnership with Bayleys Wānaka, the gala raised almost $55,000 from live and silent auctions, while the Plate Up For Love campaign added another $10,000.It was “pure community magic”, general manager Jodie Stuart said. “The generosity in the room, combined with Bayleys Wānaka’s support, has been amazing.”Bayleys Wānaka branch manager Loua Boshoff said the company was proud to support a charity that makes “a tangible difference in the Upper Clutha region”.“Food For Love is a lifeline for many local families,” she said. “We’re honoured to support their work and thrilled to see the community respond with such generosity.” The evening also marked the conclusion of Bayleys’ Plate Up For Love campaign, which saw 19 local eateries donating proceeds from selected dishes throughout September.Loua announced $10,000 raised and presented awards to Federal Diner (People’s Choice) and Cardrona Hotel (largest contributor).Guests heard from celebrity chef Nadia Lim, ONZM, and mountaineer Lydia Bradey, ONZM, while local woman Cherie Sloan shared how Food For Love supported her family following her husband’s brain cancer diagnosis.“Cherie’s story reminded everyone why we do what we do. Behind every meal is a family facing a tough time,” Jodie said.Since 2016, Food For Love has grown to more than 170 volunteers, delivering over 9,000 home-cooked meals each year to Upper Clutha families in need.PHOTO: Food For Love

The sale of a much-loved family bach on Bremner Bay has sparked interest in the value of the property - it is one of Wānaka’s few remaining concrete block baches, with a multi-million dollar view, but for one family member the sale is mostly about memories.Long term Wānaka resident (and journalist) Marjorie Cook, who has spent many holidays at her grandparents’ bach, said its sale has sparked interest from many locals, including one of the original builders.The 2,814sqm property (on two titles) has been in the family for 60 years.In the late 1950s, the Lake County Council announced a subdivision by ballot and Marjorie’s grandparents - Horrie and Jessie Nelson - were lucky to be drawn for three section purchase rights.Prior to developing their property, the Nelson family camped on the land in tents and caravans, and along with their neighbours gradually cleared large swathes of kanuka from the front of their properties, providing clear views and access to the lake. Marjorie said the road in front at that time was just a gravel track. “The Nelsons and their neighbours had an informal agreement to set their houses back from the road frontage so all could enjoy a spacious aspect of lake and mountains, which is why the older 1960s baches and some (but not all) of the newer, modern houses are in what appears to be a reasonably straight line, considerably set back from the road.”The property at Bremner Bay. PHOTO: SuppliedThis “humble little house” - Marjorie’s phrase - was built in 1968, the culmination of milestones in the section’s development.The first construction was a small ablution block at the top of the section, to service family and friends camping on the idyllic block of land. Soon to follow was a large shed with a fireplace and a huge colonial style kitchen table - the scene of many family get-togethers.Various cabins were also dotted around the property, then the house was built in 1968 for the grand total of $8,700.Everything about the house was “carefully thought about”, Marjorie said, from the layout to the stone façade - which is distinctively different from the current vogue of stacked schist.Most of the stone was collected from the Haast River by her grandfather, Horrie.Trevor Norman, who built the house with Noel Faulks, remembers signing his name on the gib lining of the bach, somewhere near the kitchen.The ‘battleship cupboard’ housed everything you can imagine. PHOTO: Wānaka AppThe house remains mostly original - “not much change except for the carport which was turned into a third bedroom”, Marjorie said.A quirky artefact from the carport remains: a telephone cupboard built into the wall in the living room, which also opened into the carport. It meant any neighbours without a telephone could go into the Nelsons’ carport and access their telephone without having to bother them.The ‘battleship cupboard’ is another quirky 1960s feature. The behemoth has six cupboards across and, and is four drawers deep below. Anyone looking for something would be told “it’s in the cupboard”, Marjorie recalls. ‘Well, which one?” was the common reply, she said.Marjorie Cook (right) with her sister Judy on the boat that often did not go. PHOTO: SuppliedLife at the bach was all about the lake for Marjorie.“We swam and we rode our bikes,” she said.“We were always down at the beach any time of the year. We spent time in hammocks, reading books.”She produced a photograph of herself emerging from the lake in what looks like a storm - an early indicator of her future as a lake swimmer.Her grandfather owned a boat which seldom went, although the grandchildren spent a lot of time in it. Marjorie said there was great excitement whenever the boat actually roared into life.The Aubrey Road property in the mid-1960s. PHOTO: SuppliedThe property sale sparks so many memories it can be hard to talk about, she said.And while the marketing (23 and 25 Aubrey Road is being marketed by Craig Myles and George Wallis of Aspire Realty, via tender closing at 4pm November 7) focuses on the land, its remarkable location and its subdivision potential, this time Marjorie gets the last word:“I think it would be lovely if someone did want to live in the house.”

Precious Collaborative’s innovative approach to fashion has earned a $10,000 vote of confidence from Wools of Wānaka.The clothing brand blends high quality, locally made garments with a unique business model that is helping make sustainable fashion more accessible. At the heart of Precious Collaborative is a system that lets supporters fund the project in different ways: by buying a limited-edition coat, paying full or extra prices for garments, or even donating without taking anything themselves.Their contributions make it possible for other customers to access high quality garments at a reduced price, helping the brand balance sustainability with affordability.In the case of Wools of Wānaka, it made a donation without taking a garment - a decision described by owner Ann-Louise Stokes as “easy”.“I am in awe of [designer Claire O’Connell’s] passion and commitment to natural fibres and sustainable garments,” Ann-Louise said.The gift will help fund another production run of sold-out pinafores and shirts, cover operational costs, and support a shared exhibition space with Liz Mitchell, MNZM at the Christchurch A&P Show in November, Claire said.It is the latest in a series of generous contributions that surpassed Claire’s expectations.“I have now got three payments from generous supporters,” she said.“The first one [came] from a local Wānaka person who had no idea if this would work but wanted to support the concept and help me get started; the second payment was from someone who has no idea who I am and who asked, before they even received their coat, if they could pay an extra $10,000 so they paid $20,000; and the third payment was from someone who doesn't want a coat but still wants to support.”Claire said the support demonstrates that people are willing to support creative projects in many ways. “What I feel this gives Precious is the idea that there are many types of supporters of this kind of social construction out there, willing to support in many ways and for many reasons.”PHOTO: Supplied

Excitement is building as Wānaka snow sports athletes prepare to head overseas for the Northern Hemisphere season, with several already named in New Zealand teams and early selections for the 2026 Winter Olympics confirmed.Adding to the momentum, the Wānaka Snowsports Club has distributed $22,350 in grants to 27 athletes to support their training and competition goals over the next six months.Grant coordinator Bonny Teat said while New Zealand’s high-performance athletes are well supported through Snow Sports NZ, many aspiring competitors face significant costs. The annual grants aim to help bridge that gap and make overseas training more achievable.Among this year’s recipients are Freeride World Tour athlete Ben Richards, age-group freeride champions Aiden Fitzpatrick and Eva Small, alpine combined champions Isabel Watterson and Jesse Mutton, and promising ANC medal-winning freeskier Sylvia Trotter.Para alpine skier Bailley Unahi also received special consideration. Although outside the usual age criteria, she only began para skiing in her 20s and is pursuing Paralympic selection.The club raises funds through alpine events, social functions, and its annual Snowsports Gear Sale in May. Support from local businesses — including RealNZ Cardrona-Treble Cone, Mike Greer Homes, and Southern Land — plays a key role in the club’s activities and athlete development.The club will celebrate its athletes on Saturday, October 25, with a farewell BBQ and auction. The evening coincides with New Zealand alpine racer Alice Robinson’s first World Cup start of the season at Soelden.PHOTO: Supplied

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) has celebrated the commitment and achievement of its students in the arts, service and te ao Māori.Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards on Thursday (October 23) reflected the breadth of opportunities available to students at the college. “We encourage our students to make the most of all aspects of college life so they can develop themselves in a supportive culture of personal growth,” she said.“The arts allow our students to develop the skills they need to tell their own stories and explore different perceptions of the world and their place in it, through music, drama, dance and visual art. “Developing a deeper understanding of te ao Māori within our learning community is one of our strategic priorities so it’s important we recognise those students who help grow te ao Māori at our school. “Our school values are all linked to the idea of service so we are proud to recognise those students who exemplify those values through giving their time, knowledge and skills in the service of others.” All recipients of the arts, service and te ao Māori awards.Arts Blues awards celebrate students’ work within the arts in co-curricular and extra-curricular contexts and/or in the community, recognising contribution, leadership and achievement in visual arts, performing arts, and entertainment technologies. Te Ao Māori Blues awards celebrate students’ commitment towards growing te ao Māori at MAC, including contribution, leadership and achievement in te ao Māori. Students awarded Service Blues are recognised for their high standard of achievement and commitment to voluntary service at the school and/or in the local community. All MAC Year 13 students participate in the Students in the Community programme, giving thousands of hours of their time as volunteers in the community. Students who give 50 - 99 hours of service receive a merit award, and students who give one hundred hours or more receive a distinction award. Nicola said MAC was grateful to the school staff, community members and organisations who generously dedicate their time to support students and provide opportunities for them to pursue their passions.PHOTOS: Supplied