Investigations are underway after an incident in the Lindis Pass last Thursday, where a Queenstown contractor crashed and spilled 800 litres of chlorine onto the road verge.Alexandra Police Acting Sergeant James McDonald said the road was closed for several hours while Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) and contractors cleaned up the chemical spill.The driver of a Toyota Hilux, a 39-year-old man with an unbraked trailer hit a bank travelling north on the Cromwell side of the Lindis Summit.His trailer carrying 1000L of chlorine and a separate container of hydrochloric acid on the deck of his ute both came free after the ute landed on its roof - the container of chlorine landing some 30m away.Acting Sgt McDonald said because the driver was carrying dangerous goods, and without the required licenses to do so, it was a huge risk to emergency services at the scene.“It could be flammable or have gas that could kill you if leaked. Some chemicals also don't mix well, so there are huge risks involved.”Because of the seriousness of the incident, the commercial vehicle safety team was now involved while the investigation was underway to determine what charges would be laid.“The scene was cleared and the chemicals transported back to Cromwell to a safe location,” he said.There were also limits to how much a driver could tow with an unbraked trailer, Acting Sgt McDonald said.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Crown and Cromwell Borough Council of 1989 was brought to the attention of local government representatives yesterday.Cromwell resident Werner Murray was among those who spoke in the public forum of the Cromwell Community Board yesterday, about the proposed loss of delegated authority Cromwell, along with Vincent, Roxburgh and Maniototo wards were facing. The perception was that Cromwell would lose control of its assets under the Central Otago District Council proposal, more than 30 years after an MOU was put in place as part of an amalgamation deal.Werner told the board the current proposal went against all the hard work by the community all those years ago, to ensure the Cromwell board would maintain full control over its assets - following the Clyde dam project.There was also a protest underway against any change by council called STAG - or Stop The Asset Grab by Cromwell businessman James Dicey - with signatures in a letter soon to be presented to council.Council’s chief executive Peter Kelly has since started making new recommendations to the delegated authority proposals, which he shared at the Roxburgh Community Board meeting last week.He said there would be three options presented to the council meeting at the end of February; the first was to retain the status quo, the second was to include the discussion into the Long Term Plan, and the third was to push on with the proposed changes.On Thursday following the Roxburgh meeting, the Cromwell Community Board (CCB) sent out a letter publicly - signed by all members, to council stating its ‘position’ towards the proposals, which it was clearly against.CCB chair Anna Harrison told the meeting yesterday the length of time to make a written submission was limited, and that was one of the reasons why they didn’t submit.Acknowledging the historical information brought to the board from the two members of the public, she questioned, along with Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie, whether that MOU information was relevant to the current issue.She said it was a big piece of work, and they didn't have the skills, funds or time to look into it, and appreciated the work that the community had done.

Being a young person, it can be hard to save money without knowledge of where to start. Whether you are at high school, or are a first time or a returning tertiary student, being money savvy is always important.To help, I have curated my 5 tips and ways to continue to be better with managing money. Tip 1: Firstly, being orgainised with your money is key. Dividing your pay into multiple accounts, which have different goals is a great place to start.I find that this helps me know how much spending money I have, to keep aiming for my savings goals, and my bills are always paid on time. I understand that as a young person, your pay might differ each week, which can be hard, but no matter how much money you are splitting up, I find it beneficial.Tip 2: Check what ‘account type’ you have. Depending on what the account is used for, it might be beneficial to change some to a rapid save or term deposit.Setting your bank accounts to rapid save, an account that earns you interest while still having access to the account or term deposit, an account where your money is locked for a certain amount of time and earns a set amount of interest, means your money is essentially working for you.Tip 3: Kiwisaver is also another way to save money.It is a long term savings scheme to save for your future, such as retirement or first home. It might be odd thinking about that when you're so young, but putting a little away each week can make a huge difference in the future. Read more here from a local wealth advisor Financial: Getting the most out of your KiwiSaverYou get to choose what your Kiwisaver contribution is set to, a percentage of your salary, the minimum is 3%, but you can also put away 4, 6,8, or 10%, and your employer also has to contribute. I have also recently started making my own weekly contribution, on top of the percentage of my salary, which is a good way to build it up over time.The government also has an initiative that for every dollar you put in, they add 50 cents (up to $521.43 a year). To get the full amount you need to add at least $1,042.86 during the year (1 July–30 June), which works out to around $20 a week. Tip 4: For those of you like me who love to shop, Facebook Marketplace is a great way to save money, as well as make money. You can buy, sell, and even swap items. There are general groups for areas, such as Central Otago, buy, sell and swap, or more specific groups such as designer marketplace, which is a women's clothing and accessories group.Tip 5: Lastly, more specific to tertiary students leaving home but helpful for anyone, are two apps I use to save money. The first is Gaspy. The app searches your area to find the cheapest fuel. You can also search for any location in New Zealand to see the cheapest fuel in that town or city.Another app I use is Grab a Seat. This app is run through Air New Zealand and highlights cheaper flights around New Zealand and overseas. You can compare dates to find cheaper flights, get alerts if your travel plans are on sale, and notifies you of last minute deals.Both of these apps are great when planning to return to Central Otago for a tertiary break.These tips have worked well for my savings goals, but everyone is different, so make sure to do your own research and create a good savings plan for yourself.

Central Otago residents are being called on to support women affected by domestic violence.The initiative, called the Love Grace Handbag Appeal New Zealand, was launched in memory of Grace Millane, who was killed in an Auckland hotel room in 2018 by a man she met on a dating app.Central Otago coordinator Philippa Bain said anyone who wants to support the appeal can do so by donating a handbag filled with some basics, plus extras, or luxuries if people wish.“It doesn’t have to be a new handbag,” she said.“If it’s preloved . . . but it’s still in good condition, that also works.”The Love Grace Handbag Appeal New Zealand was launched in memory of Grace Millane. PHOTO: SuppliedBasics include a toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, along with tissues, plasters and hair brush, if anyone wants to add extra items.The bags are being collected at Cromwell, Roxburgh, Alexandra and Maniototo public libraries.Luxury items such as perfume, makeup, a notebook and pen, among other items, are also welcome.Philippa offered to volunteer as the Central Otago coordinator after hearing about the initiative on social media. She felt it was a worthy cause after being involved in a similar initiative in Australia, where she previously lived.A list of the items people are welcome to include in their bag as part of the appeal. IMAGE: Supplied“I loved it. It felt like a real meaningful charity to be involved in,” she said.“When I saw a similar cause I jumped at the chance.”Philippa’s aim was to provide a collection point in each of Central Otago’s main towns to make it easily accessible for anyone wanting to get involved.Items donated in Central Otago will be given to the Dunedin Women’s Refuge.Kylie-Ann Kearney, this year's overall organiser, first ran an appeal in 2020 when she saw a Facebook post from the UK Love Grace Handbag Appeal and wanted to do something similar in New Zealand. After getting the go ahead from Grace Millane's cousin, Hannah, who runs the Love Grace charitable appeal in the UK, Kylie-Ann reached out to her network of friends to ask for help. Seven locations around New Zealand were organised, and during the appeal they collected more than 1000 bags, which were donated to the women's refuges around NZ.This year Kylie-Ann wanted to go bigger and decided to reach out to the community of loyal followers on the Love Grace NZ Facebook page that was created back in 2020. The response was incredible, and the amount of support received has been enough to help launch the appeal nationwide.“Without the support of all the women who have contacted me to join my team for this years Love Grace Handbag appeal, I would not have been able to pull this off," she said."We hope to continue to grow this appeal and raise awareness of male violence against women in NZ.”The appeal starts on February 14, Valentine's Day, and ends on March 8, International Women’s Day, with 29 collection points throughout the country.To find out more visit the Love Grace Handbag Appeal New Zealand Facebook page.

As we shift into the New Year, perhaps with refreshed enthusiasm or maybe with reluctant acceptance that the holidays are done, many of us are looking to the future and setting ourselves goals.It is important that New Year’s resolutions don’t just apply to your personal life but also to your business goals. Business strategy can feel overwhelming – let's simplify it. It’s basically planning. A good plan or strategy will consider what you are trying to achieve, an honest assessment of where you are at and an intentional plan of how you will succeed.Often a lack of time can see planning pushed aside. However, having a clear plan will support you to recruit well, retain and develop your staff - saving you more time (and money!). Look at the past and present for the futureAssessing where your business is now, allows you to establish what you are doing well so that this can be built upon, as well as understanding what still needs attention.Reflecting on your plan is also an excellent way to measure success – there’s no better feeling than looking back and seeing the steps forward you have already taken. Ensure you reflect your core business valuesBefore you start planning it’s essential to be clear on the values or culture of your organisation– these should be genuine and reflected in how you conduct business and in how you manage staff.A mismatch of values in theory versus reality is a risk factor for burnout and staff attrition – so it’s important to get this right. Sharing your business plan has a huge impact on employee well-beingOnce you have a plan, share it with your current staff. Knowing the plan will help them grasp the context of decision-making, find purpose in their daily tasks, contribute valuable input, and cultivate a sense of ownership. This, in turn, enhances employee retention, engagement, productivity, fosters loyalty, and positively impacts staff well-being. Strategic actionNow you have your plan, what are you going to do with it? There’s no sense in “ticking the box” and then filing it away until next year. Your strategy should inform your staffing structure and planning for any changes required. Therefore it will need to be revisited on a regular basis. It should be used to consciously achieve your strategic objectives. This flows into staff development – knowing what you will need in future means you can develop current employees' strengths by intentionally upskilling them to meet these needs.Additionally, your plan should also guide the recruitment process, ensuring you design and hire for roles that align with your needs and seek individuals who not only resonate with your values but also possess the necessary skill set for your future demands. Need some help planning?Overall, the message is the old adage of “failing to plan is planning to fail” – it seems harsh but a well-thought-out plan will maximise the chances of business success, whatever that looks like to you.If this all seems overwhelming, we’re here to help – we offer all new clients a 1-hour free chat to discuss what you need and to find out whether we can help you achieve that. 

Vincent and Maniototo Community Boards are on board, the Teviot is not so sure and Cromwell Community Board members have all signed a letter to council disagreeing entirely with the new local government review.Central Otago District Council chief executive Peter Kelly was expecting Cromwell to make a submission like the Teviot Valley is planning, but in its governance letter supplied to media yesterday, the contents painted a different picture.“The contents of this position statement dated 7 February 2024 do not constitute a submission from the Cromwell Community Board,” the letter started.“The Cromwell Community Board (CCB) disagrees entirely with the proposal to change its delegations as detailed in Agenda Item 24.1.3 presented to the Board at its meeting on 23 January 2024." The board has been inundated by members of the public concerned that the council would be taking away its assets to fund district infrastructure projects.Some people believe the proposed changes don't acknowledge the history of Cromwell and the promises and assurance that were given to the community prior to the Clyde Dam being built.As a result the CCB asked that the council investigate the districtisation of all functions currently undertaken within delegations held by community boards.The CCB stated that it was concerned about the lack of consultation and time given to make a submission as that was a requirement of the current delegations.Before the CCB made a submission, it has also asked to see a register of land (including but not limited to area, current usage, any current statutory restrictions, hazards, zoning, development potential, current and potential developed value), resources and assets within each ward across the district.“This will enable CCB to better understand the likely implications of a change to the delegations for the CCB, but also for the other community boards within the Central Otago District.”The letter concluded that the CCB maintains that removing or amending delegations as currently proposed will ultimately require a conversation about districtisation and that this proposal is approaching the conversation the wrong way round. “Understanding the impact of districtisation on rates and levels of service for each ward should come first. Changing delegations without this understanding will lead to unintended consequences across the district that have impacts for all wards - not just Cromwell.”Read more: Central Otago community boards under local government review

Two former Teviot Community Board members have warned the Central Otago District Council that removing their delegated authority to make decisions will be devastating.John Lane - also a former councillor, and Helen Pinder both spoke in the public forum at the community board meeting in Roxburgh yesterday, warning this could be the end of community boards in Central Otago.“There will be one term and then community boards will disappear . . . no-one will want to stand on the board and they will wither and die,” John said.Council chief executive Peter Kelly assured the board that despite what happens, the role of the community board wouldn't change, under the Local Government Act.Pointing out that when council made decisions, it went through a significant engagement policy, which often meant consulting with the community anyway.“There are still protections that have to go through council.”So far, both the Vincent and Maniototo community boards are on board with the proposed changes by council, but Cromwell is totally against the proposal, and the Teviot will make a written submission - also opting to speak personally at the next council meeting on February 28.Peter said there would be three options at that meeting, the first is to retain the status quo, the second was to include the discussion into the Long Term Plan, and the third was to push on with the proposed changes.“We won't say where our preference lies, it will be what it is on the day,” Peter said.Teviot Community Board chair Norman Dalley said because the Teviot had no significant income or reserves to spend on new projects, he agreed with Peter that a lot of the big decisions that affected them came through council anyway. “So our responsibility has diminished over time and I don’t see that changing in the future.”However, there was a limited time to respond to the proposal - just three days for a written submission, which he said was an impossible task.   Peter outlined that a board representative would also be able to talk personally to their submission at the public forum of the next council meeting. While the proposal meant less decision making at community board level, the chair of each would present a report to council four times a year, giving another voice around the table.“I think there are some seeds of good in there,” Norman said.Read more: Central Otago community boards under local government reviewRead more: Maniototo Community Board supports delegation review

Public toilets around Alexandra are getting targeted by offenders who find it entertaining to break hand basins and stuff toilet paper into hand driers.Constable Scott Vollweiler confirmed another incident in Alexandra on Tuesday night, which targeted the toilets in Pioneer Park.The first incident in this spate of offending was in December, followed by January 5 and 6 in Pioneer Park and the lower Tarbert St walkway toilets.Further incidents were reported on January 11.Enquiries were ongoing, but police would be grateful for any information regarding those incidents.In December at a council meeting, Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan first brought to attention the extreme vandalism of public toilets in the region - both in Alexandra and Cromwell.Mayor Cadogan warned at the time if the damage continued, the council might need to consider closing the toilets at night, which could cause discomfort for travellers, or late night workers.In other police matters, a man was arrested and charged with dangerous driving after chasing another vehicle through the Cromwell Gorge going 150 km/hr earlier this week, which was part of a domestic incident. Police also attended a separate domestic incident at Queensberry.Constable Scott Vollweiler, of Alexandra Police. PHOTO: SuppliedOut in the community, Constable Angela Graham has been working with all four high schools in the district, through the BLAST Blue Light programme.Both Dunstan High and Cromwell College have been involved for several years, with Maniototo Area School coming onboard last year and Roxburgh Area School now part of the programme too.Catering for up to 25 students, the programme is student-led and promoted by NZ Police into schools as well. The eight-week programme is held three mornings a week, and is run by youth workers, ex-students and both police and non-police volunteers.Looking ahead, there will be an extra police presence in Ranfurly at the end of the month for the Maniototo Rodeo.  Constable Vollweiler said he hopes everyone has a good time, but also encourages them to be on their best behaviour following a brawl after the Lawrence Rodeo that made national news recently.Information can be given to police in relation to the public toilet vandalism by contacting 105 or Constable Scott Vollweiler by emailing [email protected] and quote the relevant file number below.Tarbert St, Friday, January 5: 240116/7991Centennial Ave, Sunday, January 11: 240116/7455Brandon St, Sunday, January 11: 240116/7432Read more: Alexandra Police appeal for informationRead more: A cowboy walks into a bar . . .

Gold fever is in the air with another mining consent proposed for the Clutha River/Mata-au near Millers Flat.Hawkeswood Mining has applied to the Central Otago District Council for a 10-year land use consent just 1km from the township on farmland, which expects to create 20 jobs.A separate water and discharge consent would also need to be applied for through the Otago Regional Council.Almost a month ago, Cold Gold Clutha Ltd was declined its application to dredge an area of the river south of Luggate, but its consent for the lower part of the river near Tuapeka Mouth was still in place.About 120m north in the hills of Bendigo, Santana Minerals has confirmed it might have hit the jackpot with its exploratory drilling showing the biggest gold discovery in 40 years - worth billions of dollars.Meanwhile, Hawkeswood Mining has been using its minerals exploration permit to start looking for gold in Millers Flat, without the necessary consents to do so, a report from council said.An abatement notice was issued and the work stopped, after complaints to the council from members of the community.Hawkeswood also has obtained a Crown Minerals mining permit that was valid until April 2033, and is aiming for a six-day operation - its application stipulating that it would be either land based, or a floating dredge in the river.It is expected to move 12 million cubic metres of earthworks on the 68ha site in four stages, and talks have already been underway with the Clutha Gold Charitable Trust on diverting the track temporarily. Millers Flat has been the site of gold dredging activity on many occasions, dating right back to the 1900s.Part of the existing site is a former gravel pit owned by the council, which was closed off to the public in 2023.Independent commissioners will hear Hawkeswood’s consent applications in a joint hearing with the Otago Regional Council, and submissions close on February 19.

Omakau business owners are frustrated following the community’s seven-hour-long power cut on Friday, the third outage in two weeks.The latest unplanned outage also affected parts of Alexandra and Moa Creek, with many remaining without power during the height of the working day.The outage occurred just as an electrical storm was also passing over the district.Luana Gallo, of Muddy Creek Cafe, said power went off about 1.20pm.The team couldn’t operate much of their equipment, including the coffee machine and fryer, so they closed about 3pm, four hours early, which meant loss of revenue.Marjorie Paris, of Omakau Supermarket, said although she was able to remain open during the power cut, it was not business as usual.With no back-up generator, all the shop’s fridges and freezers stopped working, along with the eftpos machine.“I said to some of the locals, come back and pay later because I knew the people.”Friday’s power outage has continued to cause her problems after her computer "blew up" during the outage and the eftpos machine no longer functions correctly.A light in one of her fridges also no longer works, but aside from that, the fridge does function.“It’s really annoying,” she said, of the problems the outage has caused.Tony Herbert, of Omakau Auto Centre, had his own set of problems to deal with as a result of the outage.“I had four guys standing around not being able to work, we had three vehicles jammed on hoists that the customers wanted back that night. So, we couldn’t give them their vehicles back until the next day.”He also couldn’t use the air compressor and pumping petrol was not an option.“We lost everything.”A would-be-customer, who desperately needed fuel, had to get their partner to bring them some to get home.Tony said the ongoing outages were “frustrating” because Aurora Energy had spent time, money and effort upgrading the systemHowever, the community was still getting hit with power cuts, with Friday's affecting four hours of his and his staff's working day.Tony also offers an AA breakdown service, but callouts weren’t able to come through to him.A power cut hit parts of Omakau, Alexandra and Moa Creek during stormy weather on Friday. PHOTO: The Central AppAccording to Aurora Energy, there were 228 customers in Omakau who were without power from 10.40am on Friday. It returned briefly before being fully restored about 8.30pm.In Moa Creek the power went out at about 1.15pm affecting 302 customers, which was estimated to come back on at 6pm.Parts of Alexandra also lost power at 2.20pm, which affected 853 customers.Many of those people were also left without power on January 19 and 23, when a widespread outage affected almost 8000 customers extending from Clyde to Ettrick and Lauder Flat.Aurora Energy has confirmed last week's outage was "largely" due to a damaged overhead conductor, strong winds and intermittent lightning, which impacted the local network.Aurora Energy general manager for network operations Matt Settle said crews responded to an initial fault that impacted customers in the Lauder Flat area; the fault was repaired, but shortly after a lightning strike on another part of the Omakau network cut power to the same 228 customers, plus a larger area."We are aware these unplanned outages caused by bad weather come on the back of two recent outages in January and we know this will be very frustrating for customers. We have also experienced some glitches with our new outage website that we've now resolved."More information about the unplanned outages in January can be found here: Aurora Energy explains recent power outages in Central OtagoRead more: Third power cut strikes Central in two weeksRead more: Sequence of events cause of recent power outages

Cornish Point Rd will remain unsealed, saving ratepayers $400,000, and a decrease in carpark numbers over summer suggests it’s the right move.The Central Otago District Council has rescinded its resolution to seal the road, and at its meeting last week staff talked about future developments of the biking network through to Gibbston, likely to put more pressure on the Bannockburn Bridge carpark instead. Council’s road sealing policy is guided by traffic volumes, with a minimum threshold set at an average of more than 150 vehicles daily. Traffic counts conducted over the Christmas holiday season revealed an average daily count of  just 147 vehicles. The road services 12 lots, including vineyards and residential dwellings, and in June 2022 council applied for un-subsidised funding following increased traffic volumes after the opening of the Lake Dunstan Trail.Despite 84,000 users in its first year, usage of the Cornish Point parking area has significantly declined after three years, and council chief executive Peter Kelly recommended the planned work be stopped.A council staffer told the meeting last week that with the introduction of more biking trails around Central Otago, the usage of carparks across the network would spread out the numbers.The council will have conversations with cycle trail groups to establish the impact around Bannockburn, and how best to prepare for that.

Today marks 184 years since the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, an occasion that will be commemorated at the Dunstan Rowing Club.A Whānau Day will be hosted by Uruuruwhenua Hauora at the club, featuring Matua Henry on the waka, from 2pm to 5pm.Everyone is welcome to attend, along with a towel, insect spray, drink bottle and sunhat.Whaea Francie Diver said Waitangi Day is a special time, giving whanau an opportunity to gather.For many people, they are away from their whānau and iwi so gathering with others is vital.“It doesn’t matter who they are, but they meet as a family, together,” she said.“When we call each other ‘whānau’ we are not necessarily from the same marae.”She said if Alexandra had a runanga, a Māori assembly or council, people would gather there on Waitangi Day, but as there isn’t one, people compromise and gather in other ways.The day is one that can leave Francie feeling homesick, but she looks to others to overcome that.Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan considers the day as one of great importance.“I have to admit that, prior to being mayor, Waitangi Day was pretty much just a day off work, in fact I never set foot on a marae until my first term as mayor,” he said.“Now the opportunities and experiences that being mayor has given me lead me to look at Waitangi Day as something very important both to me personally and to the nation as a whole.”

Exciting things are happening at Alexandra’s IceInline, as the structure of the new roof facility starts to take shape.Calder Developments has been onsite for the past two weeks erecting the fabricated steel trusses and beams, which were all made and transported from its factory in Tapanui.Roof project committee member Trevor Lawrence said for those who have been driving by the Molyneux Park facility over the past fortnight, it has been impressive seeing the structure grown out of the ground.“Everything is on track, at this stage Metalcraft panel roof being installed will signal the next milestone of the project; keep your eye out for more cranes mid-February,” he said.The major works for the roof project is expected to be finished in March 2024, and alongside that the committee plans on turning the existing lounge facility into more of a function centre.Families, businesses and sports lovers have been given the opportunity to buy their own piece of the ice surface, of which there is 1800 sqm in the Olympic size ice rink.The IceInline Committee has been working hard behind the scenes on fundraising the additional $200,000 for the upgrade of the building.The new IceInline roof is taking shape, which is due for completion in March. PHOTO: The Central AppAlmost $4500 has been donated so far towards the ice brick fundraiser, mostly from individuals, treasurer Melissa Booth said.The committee would now start canvassing the wider business committee to see who was interested in becoming a more major part of the development.The next steps are to replace end-of-life items such as matting, lighting, ice hockey nets and dasher boards around the rink, along with landscaping the site.Trevor said they had also received a huge amount of community support in recent weeks towards other improvements that can be made to the IceInline facility as a whole.“It is always a lot of volunteer work to get the ice rink ready for winter in May. But, there is some time to complete a few more jobs that would enhance the facility and grounds, these are being worked through with the committee.”Check out the website www.iceinline.co.nz for more information about purchasing some ice.

A group of just four women are keeping the spirit of art alive in West Otago, joining together for an exhibition at Central Stories in Alexandra.The group once had 10 or 11 members when it first started in 2015, but now because there are just four, they meet at each other’s house once a fortnight, for camaraderie and to share tips and advice on each other’s work.Tuatapere artist Wayne Edgerton once tutored the group - now made up of Jann Robertson, Norma Parks, Robin Edin and Lois Bishop. Art enthusiasts enjoying the new work from West Otago artists currently exhibiting at Central Stories in Alexandra.Central Stories welcomed the women at a special opening ‘Art With Attitude,’ on Friday night, showcasing four different styles and mediums of work.Robin has a collection of large oil landscapes of Central Otago, while Lois’ features bright portraits of Freddie Mercury and Dame Edna.Norma loves the colour red and her small stylistic works of bright Italian landscapes and ladies with large hats show off her talents.Jann has a passion for hand cut stencilling. Her latest quirky art works include Māori Tiki’s. 

Otago has been named one of the “most welcoming regions on earth” and Central residents are proud to be among those to accept the honour.The region recently received the accolade as part of Booking.com’s Traveller Review Awards for 2024, which has placed Otago seventh in the world, ahead of Lapland in Finland, Asturias in Spain and Friesland in the Netherlands.Perthshire in the UK took top spot, followed by Penghu in Taiwan, Boyaca in Colombia, Trentino - Alto Adige in Italy, Los Lagos in Chile and Erongo in Namibia.Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan was among those who was proud to see Otago placed on the list.“It is excellent to see that our great southern hospitality is being recognised at a really high international level,” he said.“Whenever I travel, it’s the people I remember the most and it’s good that our people are making such an impression on our visitors.”Hannah White, of Queenstown, who was visiting Cromwell earlier this week, agreed that the people of Otago were very welcoming, as well as friendly.Adrian Hood, of Naseby, said the accolade was “probably quite right”.“In that, being Central Otago, everybody’s very friendly, welcoming and considerate.”He said on top of those attributes, people in the region were “very Kiwi”.“That’s how we are seen around the world and Central Otago is one of the last areas that does hold that dear to its heart. We are very Kiwi.”Sally Feinerman, of Roxburgh, said small towns were able to provide a level of service to people that showcased a sense of friendliness.“We’ve got the capacity to deal with people in a unique way. Other areas are so under the pump with tourists that they can’t give that same level of service.”She said the accolade does not surprise her.“It’s the Central Otago way.“It’s what we do here. It’s quite natural that we go out of our way to help people.”

Central is proving to be a great destination for people wanting to work and play.Among those making the most of everything the region has to offer are the many foreigners at Leaning Rock Orchard in Alexandra, who have had a great season picking cherries. Karen Mcskimming, of Leaning Rock Orchard, said crews of pickers are made up of “around 90 per cent foreigners”, highlighting the continued need for them in our workforce.One worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said coming to New Zealand on a working holiday visa was his first time leaving his home country of Uruguay.“I came for the money, but I am loving the journey.” He said he has enjoyed working in Central, in particular the “great work environment”, adding it was very different to home.“There we do not get much of a break, or offered water and sunscreen as we have here [in New Zealand].”A couple from the Czech Republic, who have been in New Zealand for 16 months, said working in New Zealand has been “better work, and more of it”.Mafin Noukoud and Joel Kali ready for a day of picking. PHOTO: The Central AppVanuatuans have played a crucial role in cherry picking at Leaning Rock, and most of central Otago orchards, with some who have been coming since 2007.Mafin Noukoud said he has worked on the orchard for three years, spending seven months here before returning home for four to five months.He noted how Alexandra reminds him of home. His favourite part about being in Central was how nice everyone is both at work and around town.All foreigners The Central App caught up with echoed how much they loved the district’s scenery, particularly the mountains and great trails in the area.With the cherry-picking season coming to an end, some foreigners are staying in Central to continue working in different fields, traveling around the country, or heading back to their home country.

Parts of Central were without power again today - the third time in two weeks.The outages occurred in parts of Alexandra, Omakau and Moa Creek just as an electrical storm was passing over the district, with some customers remaining without power for up to seven hours.  According to the Aurora Energy website, there were 228 customers in Omakau who were without power from 10.40am. It was estimated to come back on at 5pm. While it did return, it was short lived before going off again and not returning until about 8.30pm.In Moa Creek the power went out at about 1.15pm affecting 302 customers. It was estimated to come back on at 6pm.Parts of Alexandra also lost power at 2.20pm, affecting 853 customers. It was estimated to return at 6pm. Many of those customers were also left without power on January 19 and 23, when a widespread outage affected almost 8000 customers extending from Clyde to Ettrick and Lauder Flat.While Aurora Energy could not provide a likely cause for today’s outage, it has been investigating the earlier incidents, which it suspects could have been caused by a tree or animal.At the time of the outage on January 19, one of the two lines that feed the Central Otago network from the Clyde grid exit point was out of service to enable Trustpower to undertake essential maintenance on their grid assets.The third power outage in two weeks affected customers in Alexandra, Moa Creek and Omakau today. IMAGE: The Central AppAurora Energy general manager for network operations Matt Settle said it meant electricity was being supplied to the region via a single line.“Unfortunately, we experienced a fault on this line, at a location on the line where it had the most impact - cutting supply to all customers.”He said, under normal operating conditions, if the two lines were operating, the fault would not have been noticed as the second line would have taken over supply.The cause of the fault has not been identified. “Having patrolled the line, we do know that there were no visible faults with the line itself and at this stage we suspect an outside interference such as a tree, or animal contact.”He said both of the lines were in service when the second outage occurred on January 23.However, this time a fault occurred on the Aurora Energy line that had been out of service on January 19, Matt said.“When we have two lines in service, a fault on one line should not cause an outage to customers because ‘protection systems’ switch the load onto the in-service line.”He said the January 23 outage happened when the primary protection system didn’t operate as planned, which caused a trip to both lines and loss of supply to all customers.“It is important to note that there was no heightened ‘safety risk’ at the time, but the protection didn’t manage the fault and load transfer as intended. We have since corrected and tested the protection settings.”He said although Aurora Energy didn’t find the direct causes of the two outages, it planned to do a specialist acoustic inspection to ensure it didn’t miss anything.That work is planned for mid-February.It also plans to review the animal protection mitigations that are in place, such as possum guards.Stay as up to date as possible via Aurora Energy under reports, power outages in The Central App.If you're having any difficulties and would like to let us know the situation you are in, please email [email protected] more: Sequence of events cause of recent power outagesRead more: Central Otago power outages prompts investigationRead more: Power restored across Central

First home buyers in Central Otago will now have preferential purchasing options for developments on council owned land, under a provision agreed on by councillors yesterday.Staff members Saskia Righarts and Louise van der Voort have been working on new housing policies, and part of this work includes different typologies for developments such as at Gair Ave in Cromwell and Dunstan Park in Alexandra.All but one councillor agreed to push forward with several new recommendations to address the district’s housing problems, in conjunction with the Central Otago Housing Group.Council will continue to explore opportunities and advocate for funding to provide more affordable housing in the region, despite its decision in 2022 not to gift land to the Central Otago Affordable Housing Trust.Saskia said first home buyers would get the opportunity to purchase the land, or land and homes package ahead of people who may be wanting a second dwelling such as a holiday home, with the aim of giving young people the opportunity to enter the housing market.In 2023, only 15 per cent of buyers of real estate in Central Otago were first home owners, the same as Queenstown Lakes, but nationally the figure was much higher at 27 per cent.The new provisions could also go some way towards lifting the 18-30 year old demographic of the area and keep young people living here.Councillor Stu Duncan said even in the Maniototo, the price of housing had doubled in the past two years, and every corner of Central Otago was affected by the strong real estate market.This led to councillor Tamah Alley questioning whether first home buyers could even afford a house in Central Otago anymore?Mayor Tim Cadogan said there was no harm or loss of income to anybody by implementing the new preferential purchasing options.Councillor Nigel McKinlay was the only councillor against the proposal, calling it meaningless and lacking data.Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie refuted his claim.“What data do we need? There are those who are new home owners and those that already have a home. We’ve got to do something. I think it's mostly right and we have a group that needs some support.”Otherwise, the sections by council would be sold on the open market and then snapped up by someone who could then make a quick buck for doing nothing, he said.Mayor Tim agreed and said he’d been sitting around the council table for too long over the years, hearing so many excuses about what might go wrong.“We just want locals to have something to call home and treasure it. There is a lot of people who have a lot of homes that are making a lot of money . . . ”Council was also awaiting a response from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Affordable Housing Fund to support the development of affordable housing in the Gair Ave development. The subject of affordable housing rentals is also being considered by staff, and is subject to council direction, which may be included in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan. Moving forward, the Central Otago Housing Focus Group was looking for funding into a refreshed needs assessment for the district, which will collate data that council can use to show both the community and central Government that we have a real need here. 

Lake Dunstan looks set to have its own new man-made beachfront and boardwalk thanks to Contact Energy.Concept plans for the Lake Dunstan waterfront in Old Cromwell have been well received by the public, with workshops attracting 130 people last week.Contact Energy Community liaison Neil Gillespie said they received positive and helpful comments, which are now being considered by the architect for any revisions.The concept plans will now go on the website for further comments, followed by further engagement with Land Information New Zealand, Central Otago District Council, Old Cromwell and iwi.Neil said the cost to enhance the Old Cromwell area and improve biodiversity vegetation along the lake edge was not finalised because the engineering designs are still unknown.Once the plan is finalised, costed and consented, Contact Energy can make a start on the work.  Following that they will have a better idea of scope and timeline of the project. The Old Cromwell lakeside beautification project is an effort by Contact to collaborate with the community and co-design improvements to the Kawarau Arm.An artist's impression of what the area could eventually look like. IMAGE: SuppliedIt has been accepted the lake is returning to becoming a braided river — a known consequence of the construction of the Clyde Dam, which has caused sediment build-up and driftwood, affecting access to the boat ramps and jetties, along with weed and algae odour.Under its resource consent conditions, Contact must mitigate adverse effects caused by its generation activities on Lake Dunstan and the wider Clutha catchment.The landscape and visual amenity management plan (LVAMP) outlines how it will achieve this, as a requirement of its resource consent.The Otago Regional Council carried out a review of Contact Energy’s consents, the first one in 15 years.Concept plans for the area between Butcher Dr and the Junction Lookout have been produced by Arrowtown landscape architect Blakely Wallace.