Wānaka’s name was officially changed three years ago with a stroke of the pen, but it’s taking a lot longer to update the name on local signage. 

The macron in Wānaka was officially notified by the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) in August 2021. The macron (or tohutō) indicates the ‘a’ should be spoken as a long vowel.

The change also meant official documents were now required to use ‘Wānaka’.

Last winter the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board passed a resolution to expedite the adding of a macron on the ‘Welcome to Wanaka’ signs on SH84 and Cardrona Valley Road.

The welcome signs were developed and are maintained by local service groups.

Rotary Club of Wānaka president Marie Fitchett told the Wānaka App the club was “eager to see the signs updated to the correct spelling and is taking steps to make this happen”. 

“The original design of the signs is proving to be timeless and they make a wonderful entrance to Wānaka,” she said.

The club will discuss the addition of macrons at its directors’ meeting later this month, she added.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the council roading team has instructed contractors to add the macron only to new signs, and only change existing signs when they need to be replaced.

“I am comfortable with this approach to continue,” Tony said.

The macron made the town’s name consistent with the name of its lake, Lake Wānaka, the macron for which was approved in mid 2019 by the NZGB in collaboration with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Wānaka town was earlier known as Oanaka, and was named Pembroke by early colonial settlers until 1940.

Wānaka is believed to be named from the South Island form of wānanga, meaning sacred knowledge or a place of learning.

PHOTO: Wānaka App