Health Action Wānaka (HAW), Wānaka’s new health advocacy group, is pushing for a ‘stop gap’ measure to provide full after-hours care in the Upper Clutha. Wānaka’s GP practices currently offer after-hours care until 11pm, after which patients who need to be seen by a clinician may be directed by Healthline to the Lakes District Hospital emergency department in Queenstown or Dunstan Hospital in Clyde.HAW said when doctors in Alexandra and Cromwell stopped offering after-hours care, WellSouth (which funds local GP healthcare) stepped in and funded Central Otago Health Services Limited (Dunstan Hospital) to provide the service. “GP-led extended after-hours medical care ceased in Wānaka in 2022, yet we are still waiting for a solution to be implemented to provide this essential service to our community,” HAW said.HAW said Te Whatu Ora has the opportunity to fund a ‘stop-gap’ solution to the Upper Clutha community’s lack of access to extended after-hours medical care. “The proposal would provide a clinical nurse specialist (an experienced and skilled senior clinician) on-site overnight with remote support from a senior doctor based at Dunstan Hospital. “People could be assessed by the clinical nurse specialist and receive either overnight observation and monitoring locally, or be referred via ambulance to Dunstan Hospital if needed,” HAW said.Representatives of Central Otago Health Services Limited (COHSL), the community-owned, not-for-profit organisation that provides health services out of Dunstan Hospital, have spent two years working on this proposal, HAW said, “so it’s important we let decision-makers know that we need this service as soon as possible”. HAW is encouraging locals to email Te Whatu Ora ([email protected]) with their support for the proposal.Read more: Wānaka after hours health care cut

A local Hato Hone St John cadet has been selected to travel to Hong Kong in July to compete in the Asia Pacific Regional Youth First Aid Competition.Lily Wilson (17) is one of just ten members of St John Youth from around the country to be selected for the competition, where she will test her skills in high-stakes scenarios.St John competitions test competitors' ability to respond to emergency situations and Lily said the Asia-Pacific competition is slightly different to the ones in New Zealand.“They have a nursing and ambulance team and focus on trauma and patient care and things like that,” she said. Lily has been involved with St John since she was six; she says it has had a big influence on her plans to study nursing when she finishes school this year.As part of the two-week trip to Hong Kong Lily will also get the chance to participate in St John Hong Kong’s 140th birthday celebrations, which will include visiting cultural sites and other activities. Lily has been involved with St John Youth since the age of six and it has become a huge part of her life. She is the South Island Cadet of the Year 2024, a major achievement and responsibility within the organisation, and the first time a Wānaka cadet has received the honour.“I get to attend a lot of the events across the South Island,” Lily said. “That can be investitures, where we ‘invest’ people into the Order of St John. There’s also competitions and regional camps.“When I’m not travelling I get to keep in contact with a lot of the young people in the organisation and help the other cadets.”In April she competed at the national St John annual competition as a team leader for one of the South Island teams; her team was tested by responding to scenarios including a car crash and a bus that was on fire, among many others.Lily’s team was crowned champion team at the competition and she was named champion team leader.The camaraderie and the learning opportunities within St John are what keep Lily interested and she says she expects to have a lifelong involvement with the organisation.“I’ve met some of my closest friends within the organisation which is really cool,” she said. “I’ve also found so many leadership opportunities and places to grow my skills.”Lily is in her last year of school this year and she plans to study nursing next year.“St John has shown me that I really like caring for other people.”“I can see myself working on the ambulance in the future possibly as a volunteer and see myself continuing with the Youth Programme in a leadership role. ”The local St John has run its youth programme for 15 years. Find more information about it here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Organisers of the motor vehicle extravaganza Wheels at Wānaka say next Easter’s event will share a special birthday with an iconic tractor company.Caterpillar, better known as Cat, will celebrate its 100th birthday almost to the day with the Wheels at Wānaka event (which runs from April 18-20) and it will be a key part of the event.“Every Cat machine is invited to escape the shed for the weekend and join the biggest, noisiest birthday party the country’s ever seen,” Wheels at Wanaka’s general manager Allan Dippie said.“It’s going to be quite the spectacle and earthmoving enthusiasts would be mad to miss it.” Wheels at Wānaka is an all vehicle, all machinery, ‘history-in-motion’ vintage fair - including steam engines, tractors and farming heritage, cars, motorbikes, trucks, earthmovers and heavy machinery.The Cat, which evolved when salesman Benjamin Holt replaced a steam tractor’s rear wheels with tracks - helping farmers to work on soft soils, is a fitting part of this history.Cat earthmovers and their operators have built New Zealand’s key civil projects including roads, hydroelectric schemes, ski fields, as well as breaking-in much of the nation’s farmland over the last century. Taking place across 50 acres at Three Parks, Wheels at Wānaka features everything from tractor pulling and enduro-X competitions, ATV and rally car demos, an earthmoving extravaganza and a non-stop parade ground programme.The Cat will be a central part of the earthmoving extravaganza and Wheels at Wānaka 2025 will also host the New Zealand round of the Cat Global Operators Challenge. The winners then have a chance to compete against the world’s best operators at ConExpo in Las Vegas in March 2026. Following the announcement that 2025’s Wheels at Wānaka will be its final spin, the event has sold thousands of tickets, Allan said.Hundreds of exhibitors, from trucks, tractors, cars and motorbikes have registered for what’s expected to be a “huge grand finale”.Wheels at Wānaka will take place from April 18-20 at Three Parks. PHOTO: Supplied

A public meeting intended to assuage concerns over the future of the ‘Kiwi camping experience’ at Glendhu Bay’s beloved holiday park appeared to win over most attendees.Dozens of people, a mixture of locals and campground users, filled the camping ground’s guest lounge yesterday (Friday May 17) for the meeting led by Hampshire Holiday Parks, the holiday park’s new leaseholders.Hampshire Holiday Parks CEO Frank Sharley told the crowd he was aware of “a lot of rumours” about changes to the park, ranging from drastic price increases to turning the site into a hotel.“The point of this meeting is a little bit of clarification,” he said. “We’re not coming in here making wholesale changes to the park.”Any “tweaks” would be focused on driving demand in the shoulder seasons, Frank said, while the peak season was already “perfect”.He told long-term campers they were the “backbone of the business” and said the company would have to “be mad” to try to upset the established customer base.The company was aware the holiday park had been gifted to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) by the Scaife family as an affordable park for everyday Kiwis, he said.“It’s business as usual,” he said. “We will not change the character of the place and won’t upset the Kiwi camping model.”Dozens of people turned out for a meeting on the future of Glendhu Bay’s iconic lakefront holiday park.Hampshire Holiday Parks acquired the lease to the park, as well as a handful of others around the district, last year after receiving Overseas Investment Office (OIO) approval.People who are concerned the company would substantially alter the park should be reassured by the terms of the OIO office approval and the “tough terms” of the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) lease, Frank said. “While we are a business and we need a [return on investment] we understood the parameters when we did our due diligence,” he said. Changes the new leaseholders had made so far include sewer and bore treatment, laundry machine replacements, a new garbage truck and the like.None of the planned future improvements (refurbishment of the Lake House and cabins as required, minor upgrades to ablution blocks, five tiny houses for the shoulder season, improved wifi etc) were significant, Frank said.He apologised for an error with the online pricing system which had mistakenly shown increased pricing for the peak season and had since been rectified, and for not holding the public meeting sooner. Frank and the Hampshire Holiday Parks team fielded a range of questions and queries, most of which were well-received and covered day-to-day issues (like suggestions for more food vendors on-site, increasing security for night-time noise and disruptions, caravan storage and boat ramp fees).A handful of attendees thanked the company for holding the meeting and said it had alleviated their concerns.There was some tense questioning over whether the company would guarantee half-price camping for children in the long-term, or guarantee multiple sites for campers’ family and friends, and Frank was clear he could not make promises on the finer details years in the future.“I’m really conscious of not wedding myself into a position and making a promise or representation that might not fit next week, next year, or in five years’ time,” he said. “What I can guarantee is an affordable Kiwi camp because that’s what I’ve undertaken.”Campers, locals and anyone else with an interest can complete a survey designed to gauge community sentiment on the holiday parks facilities, amenities and services here.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Nighttime road closures of State Highway 84 between the roundabout at Caltex corner (the intersections of Ardmore/Brownston/SH84) and Hedditch Street will cause some disruption over the next few weeks as the council completes stage four of Wānaka’s Schools to Pool project (S2P).In an effort to reduce the disruption, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) will only close the highway at night from 9pm until 6am while crews construct a median island and pedestrian crossing to connect parts of the pathway. SH84 closures will occur in two segments from the evening of Sunday May 26 through to the morning of Thursday May 30; and again from the evening of Tuesday June 4 through to the morning of Saturday June 8.Work will stop over the King’s Birthday holiday weekend and SH84 will reopen for the long weekend.The works began last Thursday (May 16) with Stratford Terrace closed to southbound traffic at its intersection with SH84 to construct drainage, kerbing, and parts of the new active travel pathway nearby. Detours will be in place to cater for the closure of three roads where they connect to SH84: Ballantyne Rd, Hedditch St and Stratford Tce. IMAGE: SuppliedNorthbound traffic can still utilise the terrace, and part of the car-parking opposite Bottle-O should still be available, council said, but the southbound lane will remain closed until May 24.“At times, construction is likely to create some noise and some additional vehicle movements on detour routes, but these night works mean we can greatly reduce disruption in the area,” the council said.Detours will be in place using Macpherson Street, Ballantyne Road, Stratford Terrace and Russell Street.This means anyone travelling up Ardmore Street heading towards Albert Town, Luggate, Hawea, etc, will have to turn around the roundabout, go back down Brownston St, turn left onto Russell St, left onto Stratford, right onto Ballantyne, left onto Macpherson and right back onto the highway - in the dark.And because some of these are narrow, residential roads, heavy vehicles will have to travel even further, all the way along Golf Course Road and McDougall Street to make their deliveries in the town centre. The S2P 3m-wide active travel pathway is designed to link schools on the north side of Wānaka to the Wānaka Recreation Centre and swimming pool. Initial stages from Aubrey Road, through the schools and across Lismore Park are now complete. Stage four connects Lismore Park to Hedditch Street, across SH84 to Ballantyne Road and up to the signalised crossing point near the Golf Course.

A forecast cold front is set to bring snow to much of the Southern Lakes area this weekend with falls expected to extend into Southland, the Mackenzie Basin and other parts of South Canterbury.Snow fall is expected on the Haast Pass from 2am on Saturday, while the Crown Range and Lindis Pass will be affected on Saturday (May 18) morning. The MetService says the front may “stall” which could result in heavy snow in some places.NZTA Southland and Otago journey manager Nicole Felts advised people driving in these areas to be prepared for snow, to drive to the conditions and to check the weather before setting off.The 965-meter-high Lindis Pass is expected to be the hardest hit with up to 10 centimetres of snow forecast, possibly as low as 300 metres.The NZTA says anyone driving that route (as well as Burkes Pass, the entrance to the Mackenzie District, around Lake Tekapo and Twizel and SH80 the highway into Mt Cook/ Aoraki) should be prepared.People should expect disruptions during this time and avoid travelling on Saturday night. “Get to where you are going early, rather than later,” Nicole said. NZTA’s tips for driving in icy or light snow conditions:Drive slower than normalSlow ahead of bridge decks and shaded parts of the highway where it can be slippery with black ice a possibility.Avoid sudden braking or turning movements that can cause you to skidGritted roads will help give traction but also require a slower speedUse your highest gear when travelling uphill and your lowest downhillDouble the two second following rule at least – it takes longer to stop on iceIf it is foggy, drive with your lights dippedPlan your trip to avoid the coldest times of the day or night if you can.Stay up to date with Roads in your Wānaka App.

Research into understanding Lake Wānaka’s underwater structure and potential for earthquakes and tsunamis has resulted in NIWA scientists mapping Lake Wānaka in more detail.  An active fault was discovered under the lake three years ago.“Lake Wānaka is one of the most photographed locations in the country but until now its depths have remained a mystery,” NIWA marine geology technician Sam Davidson said. “We discovered some really interesting features, including complex channel systems from the rivers that feed into it.”Sam said features from the lake's geological history came to life in front of the researcher's eyes.“Wānaka sits in a U-shaped valley which was carved by an ancient glacier during the last ice age over 10,000 years ago,” Sam said.“We … saw dramatic steep slopes that plummet to the deepest parts of the lake.” Sam and his team retrofitted a multibeam echosounder onto a small dive vessel, which they steered up and down the lake over several weeks.The Lake Wānaka mapping project team onboard RV Rukuwai II with multibeam echosounder attached to the bow of the research vessel. PHOTO: Lana Young, NIWAIt calculated the water depth by bouncing soundwaves off the lakebed at a rate of 10 per second and timing how long they took to return. From this data, NIWA have built a full 3D model of the entire area.NIWA hydrodynamics scientist Dr David Plew is using the map to study the lake’s water quality. “New Zealand has experienced dramatic changes in land use over the past century, which has had big impacts on our freshwater systems,” David said. “Nutrient loads, the volume of water, and the amount of sediment going into Lake Wānaka have all been impacted. And climate change is also affecting our lakes and will do so even more in the future.”Map showing extent of mapped area. IMAGE: Sam Davidson, NIWATo predict how Lake Wānaka will change, NIWA is developing computer models of the catchment and lake. These need accurate bathymetry data, and up until now NIWA has been working from charts created in the 1970s. “This new depth data that we've captured is more accurate and detailed. This is especially important in shallow parts of the lake like Roys Bay and Stevensons Inlet, but also where rivers flow into the lake because these areas have seen some of the biggest impacts and changes since the 1970s,” David said.NIWA’s work will also be used to study hazards from future seismic activity.Lake Wānaka is at risk of experiencing a tsunami-like event due to its location on an active fault and its specific geological features, such as steep slopes that could create a landslide and pose a risk to lakefront communities.“Now we have a clear picture of the lake’s structure, we can better inform hazard modellers and councils to better prepare for these events,” Sam said.Go deeper: Risk of major earthquake more than doubledTsunami risk identified for WānakaActive fault under Wānaka identified

A crisis respite facility providing short term care and support is now available to people from the Upper Clutha who are struggling with their mental health.The opening of the crisis respite facility in Queenstown marks the final stage of the launch of Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora’s Central Lakes mental health crisis support service, provided by Central Lakes Family Services (CLFS).The first stage of the new service, providing outreach support to sit alongside the current 24/7 regional crisis response service, was launched last year.The new facility offers a quiet, peaceful, and homely environment where tāngata whaiora (people seeking health) can relax, stabilise and reset, and it is staffed by a dedicated team of clinically trained staff who provide 24-hour residential support, Health NZ said.The service offers short stays of up to three days respite, followed by support at home.The service follows a localised Central Lakes model of care that was developed by clinicians, iwi, primary health providers, community agencies, NGOs, tāngata whaiora, whānau and government agencies who worked together to design the services.“We’re seeing a lot of benefit from the model of care that has been able to be implemented to suit our individual community and its needs,” CLFS clinical manager Fiona Young said. “We work together with tāngata whaiora, to develop a care plan that recognises their needs and goals and set them on the pathway to recovery with the right people and support around them.She said the package includes wellbeing plans and advocacy for people to connect them with other services such as budgeting, housing, and immigration.“This support continues when they leave respite, with support also available to whānau to help them navigate the challenges their loved ones are experiencing.”CLFS general manager Tina Mongston said it’s great to have both parts of their service up and running. “We’re able to offer a welcoming environment for both the outreach service and the respite service. I’m delighted and encouraged by the positive feedback received so far, and I’m also incredibly proud of the team and all their hard work in making this happen.”“We’re seeing mental health presentations in every aspect of all the services we offer and having the expertise available to tap into within our team really benefits the community.”Te Whatu Ora Southern operations group director Hamish Brown said the new model of care was designed “for the community by the community” and meant more mental health services were available in Central Lakes.PHOTO: Supplied

Seven women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer attended a weekend fly-fishing retreat in Makarora earlier this month, supported by Fish & Game, local guides, and others.With a 40-year age difference between the youngest and oldest, the participants came from Christchurch, Maniototo, Wānaka, Dunedin, and Twizel, converging at Wild Earth Lodge for Casting for Recovery’s annual retreat.The trip was made possible with the generosity of the Wild Earth Lodge owners giving free accommodation, guides Kristina Placko, Erica Gilchrist, Shelen Scout-Boyes, Alan McIntyre, Jake Berry, and Santillan de Pinto offering their time, five ‘Pinkies’ volunteers, Fish & Game, and more.Casting for Recovery coordinator Lisa Brits said it was a “team effort”.Rosie Futschek (centre) with other participants and Pinkies volunteers during their Makarora retreat. Participants came from as close as Wānaka and as far as Christchurch. PHOTO: Santillan de Pinto“It’s not about breast cancer. It’s not about fly fishing. It's about everybody making it work. That’s what’s special.”This year’s participants were joined by six fly-fishing guides and on the Saturday morning the women were taught fly-fishing theory and practised casting on grass before they headed to Makarora River to learn stream-craft.The afternoon also included massages, yoga classes, fly-tying and learning how to prepare and smoke a trout.The main fishing adventure took place the following day, with some trout caught and “loads” more seen, Lisa said.“On Sunday, the guides were there, the ladies had just come off the river, we’d had the whole weekend together [and] I was going, ‘Wow, what a sense of community,’” she said.She said the participants had become very close and already become a support network for each other.The retreat will be held at Makarora again next autumn, Lisa said.

Stage five of Wānaka’s Lakefront Development Plan (LDP), from the marina to just beyond the Wānaka Yacht Club, will proceed over winter.Queenstown Lakes District councillors voted not to roll over the funding for this long awaited development to the next financial year, signalling instead their desire for the planned pathway to begin promptly.The $2.3M project went out to tender last week and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) media liaison Sam White said the construction contract was expected to be awarded in June.Stage five is a continuation of Te Ara Wānaka – a shared pathway from stage three (adjacent to Lakeside Road) to the yacht club and the start of the Eely Point track.A new shared path, complete with retaining wall and balustrade, will be created to extend the current path from beyond the marina toilet block, behind the stored yachts and on past the yacht club. The concept plan indicates the length and location of the new shared paths through the marina and car park as planned in Stage 5 of the lakefront development. IMAGE: Supplied (tap the image to enlarge)An existing informal gravel path up the terrace, joining the marina carpark to the Lakeside Road footpath, will also be improved and the marina carpark will be regraded to tie in with the shared pathway.New signage, drainage, safety and urban landscaping works will also be undertaken.The aim is to have all works completed by the end of October, Sam said.“We anticipate the pathway being finished before the main summer season,” he said.Access from Lakeside Road into the marina and to the boat ramp will be maintained throughout the construction period, with priority given to emergency services like Coastguard and the harbourmaster, council staff said. Access to other areas, such as the gravel parking area, may need to be temporarily restricted at times, “however, we’ll work to accommodate users where possible,” Sam said.More details around any temporary changes to access will be made public once the contract has been awarded and a construction programme is in place. The $2.3M budget includes $780k of central government tourism development funding. Stage five is the penultimate stage of the development of Wānaka’s lakefront which began with construction of stage one at the Mount Aspiring Road car park in 2018.The final stage of this lakefront development project is stage four - the development of Wānaka's town centre foreshore area. It has been deferred and currently there is neither an approved plan nor is there funding for stage four within the next five years in the council’s draft 10-Year Plan.

A public meeting at Glendhu Bay Campground tomorrow morning (Friday May 17) will give campers and locals the chance to speak with the campground’s new leaseholders, including CEO Frank Sharkey.The lease for the motor camp was acquired by Australian company Hampshire Holiday Parks Ltd last winter after receiving Overseas Investment Office (OIO) approval.Since the change some campers have raised concerns that the new leaseholders would alter the ‘Kiwi camping experience’ families have enjoyed for decades.Those concerns have translated into almost 200 campers signing up to a new Glendhu Bay Campers Association (GBCA) - with more members “coming in by the day”.Glendhu Bay is “a gem of a place”, regular campers say. PHOTO: SuppliedGBCA secretary Andrew Kitson said the new group doesn’t want to “just focus on negatives, but also positives”, adding that Hampshire may propose “a good advance for the campground which would be great”.“[The campground] it’s gifted to the people under certain provisions and that’s the value that the campers have enjoyed over the years,” he said.“Those interests and values need to be maintained. It’s important that the history of the place is recognised and that’s why the campers working as a collective to say this is what the campground represents.”GBCA chair Doug Fraser told the Wānaka App some “red flags” have been raised by campers since the lease changed hands, with one being Hampshire’s decision to hold a public meeting on a Friday morning “in the beginning of winter” rather than during summer when most campers would be on site.Doug said Glendhu is unique and “a gem of a place”. “We’re wanting to retain the affordability of campers having a good Kiwi holiday.”A meeting notice posted on the campground’s website said: “Although there have been no substantive changes to operations since the change of leasehold owner, the meeting will introduce the CEO of Hampshire and other key staff to interested persons. “An update on operations and proposed minor improvements to the camp will be provided at such time.”The meeting will be held at Glendhu Bay campground tomorrow (Friday May 17) from 10am in the guest lounge.Hampshire Holiday Parks Ltd also acquired the lease for the Wānaka Lakeview Holiday Park, Albert Town Camp Ground, Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park, and Arrowtown Holiday Park following the OIO process. Glendhu Bay Motor Camp has since been renamed ‘Hampshire Holiday Parks - Glendhu Bay’.Read more: Campground’s new owner to hold public meeting

Anglers have waded in to help a catchment group and a high-country farm restore an important spawning stream in Wānaka.The native restoration project took another big step on Tuesday (May 14) at Fern Burn, Alpha Burn Station (near Glendhu Bay).The Wānaka Catchment Group's Wai Ora Project and Alpha Burn Station have contributed more than $25,500 for 850 metres of new fencing for a streamside section retired from grazing.Fourteen volunteers from the Upper Clutha Angling Club joined catchment group members, the landowner and Otago Fish & Game to help plant 400 locally sourced native plants on Tuesday.A $2500 habitat grant from Otago Fish & Game contributed towards the plants and guards.Wānaka Catchment Group’s Wai Ora project manager Tom Allen sets up guards for the native plants at Fern Burn. PHOTO: Mason Court, Otago Fish & GameOtago Fish & Game officer Mason Court said Fern Burn was an important tributary of Lake Wānaka.“We’re thrilled Wai Ora and Alpha Burn Station are pitching in to restore native habitat in this gem of a stream,” he said.“Fish & Game is delighted to support this project through its habitat fund.“As well as providing accessible fishing opportunities, Fern Burn is used by hundreds of rainbow trout each year for spawning.”Wai Ora project manager Tom Allen said Fish & Game had been a partner to the Wai Ora Project since its inception in 2021, due to combined interests in protecting the waterways of the Lake Wānaka catchment and providing fish with safe passage.“Fish & Game, with the support of the Upper Clutha Anglers’ hands on the ground, has aided our group in achieving our planting objectives in not just today's site - but multiple sites across our special Lake Wānaka catchment,” Tom said. “With the addition of today's plants, we have now added over 22,000 plants to farms in the catchment over the past three years, as well as installing 11 kilometres of new riparian fencing, and excluding stock from over 37 hectares of riparian zones.“Thank you to the Upper Clutha Anglers for getting these plants in the ground. We look forward to watching this site develop in the years to come.”Most of the 400 plants are native dryland species, which will help filter nutrients from the surrounding farmland, while other plants near the stream will provide cover and shade for trout.Upper Clutha Angling Club president Ian Cole, who is an Otago Fish & Game councillor and professional fishing guide, said the club was approached to supply volunteers.“I’m really pleased with the number of club anglers who’ve volunteered to help,” Ian said.“It illustrates a willingness in the community to get involved in worthwhile projects.”Ian said the angling club had a keen historical interest in Fern Burn.“This is an incredibly important rainbow trout spawning habitat,” he said.“In the past, angling club members have undertaken spawning surveys to locate spawning beds and fish counts.”

Wānaka Community Workshop (WCW) is seeking a community grant from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for a paid staff member to help extend its hours.The WCW undertakes community projects for groups such as Te Kākano, kindergartens, schools, Wānaka Backyard Trapping, and the like.“All those little trusts struggling away on minimal funds - we do what we can to help,” WCW member Murray Gifford told the Wānaka App this week.“The members get a kick out of doing it.”Murray told the council’s grants hearing panel on Monday (May 13) that while the workshop operates for just six hours a week, members and volunteers spend many more hours a week helping with projects.Currently, the demand for projects to be done at the workshop far exceeds its ability to achieve them quickly, he said. “It’s frustrating.”Recent projects from the workshop include worm food boxes and rebuilding a shed for Wai Wānaka, building storage boxes for Te Kura O Take Kārara, and building Lilliput libraries for various sites including the Wānaka Community Hub.The WCW has 100 paid members, a range of tools for members and others to use, and specialises in storing and recovering material from building sites. The workshop also works with MiNT Trust with hands-on experience, and provides a place for industrial/commercial sewing - the Fabricate workshop.Murray said there was “a lot of synergy between us and Wastebusters”, such as collaborating over repair workshops, and “a lot more potential in that zone”.He estimated there are about 72 hours of volunteering time in the workshop each week and the workshop has become too busy to just operate with volunteers and a part time supervisor.The WCW Trust has applied to QLDC for a community grant of $100K for each of the next three years.Murray said the funding was needed for wages for a permanent staff member operating approximately 20-30 hours a week, and would have to include administration, as well as the ability to draw up and plan projects. The WCW also needs funds to pay commercial rental fees for its current space on Gordon Road.QLDC councillors will meet to further discuss the community grants’ submissions. Councillors will be asked to approve the recommended list of successful recipients at the full council meeting on June 27. PHOTO: Supplied

Imagine a tourist town where local workers can no longer afford to buy houses, there is tension between the community and the local government about carrying capacity for the local airport, and ongoing discussion about what is a sustainable number of tourists.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) mayor Glyn Lewers told the Wānaka App there were striking similarities between issues facing this district and those facing the tourist town of Aspen, Colorado, when a delegation from Queenstown’s sister city visited last month.“You’d bring up any issue and the similarity was very common,” Glyn said of the delegation’s three day visit.“They’ve got the same issues but they've tackled them in a different way.”Read more: Aspen delegation to Queenstown LakesAspen has a very strict 10km2 town boundary and a population of 7,000 (around 6,000 permanent residents) - but the town brings in 9,000 workers a day by bus or private vehicle, on the one road into town.The average worker earns $130,000 per annum, and the average Aspen house price is just over $13M.It’s “a bit of a warning” to hear that the locals have been removed from their own towns, Glyn said.“But they were quite clear: They’ve said ‘we’re a tourist town and we’re not going to try and do anything else’,” he said.“I don’t want to go down a path where we just focus on tourism. This reinforced our actions to focus on reinvigorating the [Queenstown] city centre, pursuing tech opportunities, and promoting other industries.”Housing: tax, tax, and taxGlyn said it was very interesting talking about visitor accommodation and worker accommodation with Aspen’s mayor Torre and the delegation.“They have a lot more control of a range of planning, legislative taxes and levies and legislative powers than what we do here. I looked on it quite enviously in some respects.”Queenstown Lakes mayor Glyn LewersTheir strict planning rules have screwed down supply and increased their house prices, Glyn said.Aspen has created a secondary market under the free market, funded by a council levy, property taxes, stamp duty (a levy on any hiring of any service), taxes on short term rentals, and a one percent tax on any housing sale.“The [Aspen] council does a lot of building and funding and takes on that risk. Our model, the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust [QLCHT, based on a model developed in Aspen in the early 1980s] does that.”Aspen workers live in planned dormitory suburbs, and just 24 percent of the workforce is housed within the 10km2 town boundary.“The equivalent of the [QLDC] CEO and the mayor lives in one of these secondary houses,” Glyn said. “More than half the delegates are living in houses provided by the equivalent of the housing trust.” The secondary market (with prices from $400k to $1.8M) is for people who can’t afford to pay $13M on the free market. The second tier includes high density mixed use housing, with blocks of one bedroom studios and up to three-bedroom apartments.How to pay for it allGlyn said he liked Aspen’s visitor levy on short term rentals and visitor accommodation.“Their accommodation levy reinforced that this council is on the track in pursuing it,” Glyn said.Aspen had also adopted “an indirect payroll tax”, Glyn said: If a developer wants to build a new hotel or activity that requires employment they have to purchase an employment credit.For example a hotel needing 100 employees would have to provide housing for 40 percent of those staff. If they don’t supply that housing, they can purchase credits from a credit market.Developers can trade employment credits.“My initial thought is ‘that’s the antithesis of taxing and employment’. That sort of stuff was really interesting to listen to.Tourism carrying capacityGlyn said Aspen is a few more years ahead of this district when it comes measuring the carrying capacity of a visitor economy.QLDC currently has a project out to tender to identify a sustainable number of tourists.“That number might [be in] flux depending on infrastructure provision within the district,” Glyn said.“My view is it’s more of a range of numbers based on different scenarios.”Aspen is also in a conversation about limits. There is currently no limit there beyond the market: the number of hotel beds and the price.“Businesses don’t want limits, the community wants them,” Glyn said, adding that Aspen’s local body election later this year will decide which way they approach it.“With Aspen Airport the relationship between the airport and the community was surprisingly similar to ours. Airport numbers, noise - those sorts of discussions are very similar to the ones we are having here.”On the flip side, the Aspen delegation (which visited Queenstown, Arrowtown and Glenorchy) said they thought Queenstown Lakes “does tourism really well”.The delegation was very interested in QLDC’s climate change policy, he said.“We’re now looking at sharing more information, we’ve re-established a student exchange and another delegation is coming to Queenstown in October,” Glyn said.PHOTOS: Supplied

As winter approaches and temperatures begin dropping below zero Wānaka Police are highlighting the need for more care on the region's roads.Senior sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said weather conditions are very changeable and there are more hazards on the road so it’s important to watch your speed and drive to the conditions.“Don't always rely on your car electronics to say that it's icy outside,” Fi said. “Especially some of those areas that don't get sunlight throughout the winter months.”Fi said fog, rain and snow can dramatically reduce visibility and black ice is a hidden hazard. “In snowy or icy areas try not to accelerate or decelerate quickly. Accelerate smoothly and brakegently,” Fi said.Keep up to date with Roads in your Wānaka App.CoastguardCoastguard Wānaka Lakes welcomed sergeant Darren Cranfield, senior constable Stephen Burke and Wānaka LandSAR chair Bill Day to spend a few hours with the Coastguard crew on Saturday (May 11) morning.The initiative involved a familiarisation of the Coastguard vessel to understand its capabilities and a refresher on the Boating Safety Code.Fi said police received a report of a stolen boat on Monday (May 13) only to find that it had slipped its mooring and was sitting at Ruby Island.“A message for boaties coming into winter ... if you don't want to lose your boat, just make sure those moorings are nice and secure,” Fi said.Road PolicingTwo evidential breath tests recorded “seriously disappointing readings” over the weekend, Fi said. Both were just below 1,000 micrograms (the legal limit for over 20 years of age is 250 micrograms).The impairment protection team will be back in Wānaka this week and Fi said the community should expect patrols “anytime, anywhere”.District CommanderSouthern District's acting district commander Jason Guthrie was in Wānaka last week.Jason has had a 30-year career in the police, including 16 years in the Armed Offenders Squad as an operator, team leader and commander. He was also deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 for an eight-month assignment as part of Operation Highland.When he is not the acting district commander, he is the director of integrity and conduct for Southern Police based at the Southern District Headquarters in Dunedin.Domestic violenceFi said that domestic violence is a continual focus of police. It's just an ongoing thing for us, and mental health,” Fi said. “My key messages around that are it's not just a policing issue, it's [about] seeking the right support in our communities, and we all know how challenging that is in that mental health space as well.” PHOTO: Wānaka App

Plans to create a retail precinct and hub centred around Luggate’s historic Flour Mill are progressing.Lake McKay housing developer Murray Frost purchased the former Upper Clutha Transport site with the aim of creating an attractive commercial space featuring the old mill, which was originally built in 1881.“It will certainly be exciting to see it utilised, perhaps as part of a cafe complex in conjunction with the neighbouring building with outdoor dining, supported by a patisserie, groceries and other specialty stores,” he said. Restoring a heritage building however is challenging and heritage building specialists are involved in drawing up plans, Murray said, “but we think it may end up being more ornamental than available for public use”. The former Upper Clutha Transport yard has been vacant since the trucking firm relocated to Church Road.He added it was still “early days”, as the plan would take an estimated two to three years to evolve, but it represented “a huge opportunity for Luggate to enhance its position as a great place to live and socialise”.“We are currently looking for expressions of interest from parties keen to share our vision and help bring it to reality,” he said.Murray said the current steady development of residential housing in Luggate’s new Lake McKay subdivision neighbouring the proposed “retail hub” was a positive sign.More than 30 sections have already been sold; two homes are close to completion and another three houses have begun construction, he said. “It’s great to see a good number of houses underway in the neighbouring Lake McKay subdivision,” he said.  One of the longest running local businesses, Upper Clutha Transport (formerly known as Reid’s Transport) had operated its trucking firm for more than 100 years at the old mill site but, with its business expanding, it relocated to a larger site on Church Road, Luggate, last year.The mill site has sat vacant since then while Murray’s plans for commercial development evolve.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A need for operational funding was the most common request by community groups seeking financial support from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).At an informal hearing held at the Luggate Memorial Hall yesterday (Monday May 13), the district’s elected representatives listened to pleas for a share of QLDC’s annual communities grants.The council has set aside over $1.8M for community grants this year but with requests from 94 applicants (many for tens of thousands of dollars) it is likely a good number of the community organisations will be disappointed.The most common financial support requested was for operational expenses to cover staff wages and administration costs, to maintain or purchase equipment and software, and to support projects and outreach programmes.Unlike other community grants providers which only fund specific, budgeted projects, QLDC’s community grants can be directed to cover day-to-day operational expenses.Seventeen applicants were given five minutes each to present their cases for funding at the hearing. Many were experienced applicants who have made numerous annual submissions for funding in the past, such as the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust, Wānaka Community Link and Te Kākano Aotearoa. Others were newly established groups looking for funding to cover potential opportunities for growth, such as the Wānaka Project - a collective of local musicians building a network to support each other “on their journey to becoming performing artists”. The Wānaka Project asked for $5,000 in operational funding, for each of the next three years, to support musicians with travel expenses, to go towards new sound and lighting equipment, and “we’re looking at potential options for a new rehearsal space”,  Wānaka Project member Summer Ash said.It’s a new platform for local musicians and although they have performed an average of three paying gigs a week, that barely covers the cost of paying the musicians and current equipment, she said.“It’s always a bit tricky applying for funding for the first time so we’re hoping we got it right, fingers crossed,” she said.Ruby Island Management Committee (RIMC) member Michèle Lacroix also presented her case for funding with a question about the committee’s ongoing costs for maintaining the island’s toilets and BBQ facilities.Michèle said RIMC started discussions with QLDC staff in September 2023 for the council to assume the costs and responsibility for these assets (including airlifting the island’s Norski toilet to be emptied at the end of each summer) as it does at other community reserves.The airlift costs alone had increased from $2,000 to $3,500, she said. Councillor Cody Tucker asked Michelle if RIMC had any plans to restore the island’s famous dance floor (originally built in the late 1920’s for cabaret nights).“Why not,” she said, laughing. “It would cost a lot of money but it would be great.”A hearing for Queenstown based applicants is underway today, and next week councillors will meet to further discuss the community grants’ submissions. Councillors will be asked to approve the recommended list of successful recipients at the full council meeting on June 27. PHOTO: Supplied

A narrow pathway prone to flooding in winter is being upgraded, two years after the road it is adjacent to was dug up.The Golf Course Road pedestrian path is being levelled out, widened and drained, Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board chair Simon Telfer told the Wānaka App.He said the pathway was “notorious for its puddles and flooding in winter” and the current work will help.   “This investment will help the users of the medical centre and residents on the other side of Cardrona Valley Rd and the quickly growing new subdivisions off Orchard Road to better link into the town's active transport network,” he said.He said “prudent project management” meant budget savings from Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Schools to Pool project were able to be invested in the upgrade.Golf Course Road was the site of months of work in 2022 when it was dug up to connect underground pipes from the western side of Wānaka to pipes along Anderson Road.Read more: $6.4M pipeline project preferred for ‘cost savings’Simon said the pedestrian path upgrade would be finished with chipseal in spring.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Home-grown Wānaka band Powder Chutes has kicked off NZ Music Month by donating a Gibson Les Paul to Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC). The guitar was part of the band’s prize when it won the AJ Hackett Bungy NZ (AJHBNZ) ‘Thrash More’ contest in November 2023.The inaugural nationwide music competition celebrated young (13 to 25 year old) homegrown talent.Powder Chutes was chosen by Kiwi metal band Alien Weaponry to take the top slot, netting the band members $10,000 ($7,000 of which was for equipment or studio recording time), and $3,000 to donate to their chosen secondary school music department or community music facility. Band members Archie Orbell (drums), Clarke West (guitar), Henry McConnell (vocals) and Otis Murphy (bass) are all current or former MAC students.They said they relished the opportunity to give something back to the MAC music department. “The band owes a huge amount to [MAC co-head of arts] Mat Doyle and the positive arts culture at MAC,” Henry said. “It’s a full-circle moment for us to be able to donate this Les Paul and pay a little bit back to the school that’s done so much for us. The fact that we could do this during NZ Music Month 2024 is the icing on the cake.”Powder Chutes gave the donation a personal touch by carefully choosing an iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar to present, hoping to provide a legacy instrument that can inspire MAC students for years to come. Clarke has long been an exponent of the Gibson Les Paul, and all Powder Chutes’ songs have featured his Gibson ‘gat’.  After the presentation he strapped on the Gibson Les Paul and Powder Chutes put it through its paces in front of the MAC seniors, playing ‘Gravity’, the song performed (as ‘Spinning’) for which Alien Weaponry selected them as the competition winners.“We’re massively grateful to AJHBNZ for running such an epic competition,” Archie said. “As well as donating the guitar to MAC, the rest of the prize money instantly helped us to finish recording our debut album… and the fact that it was judged by Alien Weaponry still blows us away.” Mat Doyle received the guitar from the band on behalf of MAC.“We’re immensely proud of Powder Chutes and the profound impact they've made not only within our school but also in the wider musical community. This guitar will undoubtedly ignite inspiration in future generations of MAC musicians,” he said.  Powder Chutes’ debut album is due for release towards the end of 2024. PHOTO: Supplied