Wānaka’s Luca Harrington (20) has continued his phenomenal season by securing second place at the FIS Freeski Big Air World Cup in Aspen this morning (Friday February 7).Luca secured his first Big Air World Cup podium a little over a month ago and has gone from strength to strength with his flawless execution and technical tricks. Today’s result marks his fifth major podium place of 2025 (slopestyle and big air). “I am unbelievably excited, this season has been incredible for me and to walk away with another medal today is just a dream,” Luca said.“I am really just proud of my skiing, I do it because I love it but the results are a nice bonus.” Luca was the top qualifier going into the final and made quick work of getting a score in the 90s, putting down a right triple corked 1800 safety grab for his first of three finals runs. The competition was heated, with athletes throwing down their best tricks. Luca responded with a precision perfect switch right triple corked 1620 esco grab and was rewarded with a huge 94.25 for his second run, to place him in second position with one run to go. His score held and he was guaranteed a silver medal as the second to last athlete to drop in the final run, throwing down a massive right triple corked 1980 safety grab which improved his score but wasn’t enough to bump Austria’s Matej Svancer off the top spot.Konnor Ralph of the USA rounded out the podium in third.  The FIS Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air World Cup circuit will take a short break, resuming in Canada on February 19. Luca is currently in second place in the 2025 men’s freeski big air World Cup standings.PHOTO: FIS Park & Pipe

Police and Wānaka Search and Rescue (SAR) are searching this morning for a man missing in a river in Mt Aspiring National Park.Emergency services were alerted shortly before 5pm yesterday (Thursday February 6) that a man had fallen from a rock into the river and had failed to resurface.A search team immediately deployed to the area however he was unable to be located.Wānaka SAR chair Raewyn Calhaem told the Wānaka App that teams were out this morning continuing to search.Police have closed the Rob Roy Glacier Walk while the search is underway, she said.Any further information will be released as it becomes available.PHOTO: Supplied

A collective predator control effort around Makarora over the past 15 months has helped to reduce stoat and rat numbers - a positive sign for native birds in the area.The efforts by conservation groups Southern Lakes Sanctuary, Department of Conservation (DOC), and Forest and Bird Central Otago have curbed the ‘rat plague’ of the 2023/24 summer.They installed over 700 bait stations, serviced more than 1,400 traps, and DOC undertook a 1080 drop across the wider Makarora area. Much to the delight of all involved, a family of endangered whio (blue duck) with five youngsters has been observed on the southern end of the Young River over recent months. Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the whio sighting is excellent news following the localised conservation work.  “[It] is an optimistic sign that indicates good stoat control in the area, which comes down to the great collaborative effort last summer,” he said. “These endemic manu (birds) nest on the banks of rivers, in caves or in dense vegetation, and nesting whio are very vulnerable to stoats.”Central Otago Lakes Forest and Bird chairman Andrew Penniket said extensive trapping is one of the factors for the increased presence of the birds. “The sightings are a wonderful reward, coinciding with the work undertaken to put an extra 20 traps into the southern end of the Young River, specifically for the protection of rock wren and whio,” he said. “It has been heartening that we have had very low catch rates of rats and stoats on all our trapping lines. It is probably the lowest ever, that I can recall.” A mutli-organisation predator control effort has reduced pest numbers and protected native birds around Makarora.In the summer of 2023/24 rat numbers exploded due to a ‘mast season’ of native beech trees, where a larger number of tree seeds are produced. A mast season generally occurs every two to six years and results in a dramatic increase in rat numbers, and then stoats. The collaborative predator control effort has achieved positive results for other species in the area. “We were concerned about the survival of the endangered mohua (yellowhead) with the siege of rats swarming to the area last spring and summer,” Paul said. “However, in the core trapping and bait station areas, most of the mohua chicks that we have monitored have survived in both this year's and last year’s breeding seasons." He said the survival of mohua and whio show “the power of working together [including] the amazing efforts of volunteers and staff, who strapped on their tramping boots and frequently checked and cleared thousands of traps and bait stations”. “Collectively, they contributed thousands of hours towards this important mahi to protect wildlife in Makarora.”PHOTOS: Supplied

It’s that time of year again - the Lake Hāwea Fishing Classic taking place this Saturday (February 8).The annual ‘classic’ has been running annually since the early 1990s (apart from the 2022 cancellation due to Covid-19 restrictions) and often attracts hundreds of people for the community day out.Billed as a family fishing event, lots of locals take part, but people also travel from around the South Island to participate. You don’t need a boat - around 30 per cent of people usually fish from Lake Hāwea’s shores.And you don’t have to be a top fisher to score something at the end of the day either: As well as the traditional prize for the ‘heaviest fish overall’, there are also prizes for the ‘biggest tangle presented at weigh in’ and the ‘best genuine hard luck story’.Three types of fish are caught in Lake Hāwea - salmon, rainbow trout and brown trout - but it’s not all about the catch at the classic. Organisers are particularly keen for the event to introduce young people to the pleasures of fishing, and there are some awards just for the kids. As in previous years, the fishing classic is a fundraiser - all net proceeds will go back into the local community.On competition day, weigh-in will be held at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre between 2pm and 4.30pm, and prizegiving (at the same location) will be held at 6.30pm.People can register in advance at the classic website or, on competition day, at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre between 7am and 9am.PHOTO: Teresa Cotter

Wānaka was lucky to enjoy high sunshine hours during January 2025, unlike many parts of New Zealand, but our January ranked as only the 17th equal hottest January here since records began in 1972.NIWA climate scientist Gregor Macara told the Wānaka App that sunshine hours (which are measured in Queenstown and Cromwell but not Wānaka) were 15 to 20 percent higher than expected in January.He was “reasonably confident” this showed sunshine hours were higher across the whole region.Wānaka was drier than usual in January, receiving just 22 millimetres of rain - 40 percent of what is normal for January. “The mean or average temperature across the month was 17.9 degrees Celsius, which was 0.6 degrees higher than usual in January,” Gregor said.The average daily maximum temperature during January was 24.9 degrees Celsius, which was 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than the January average.“It doesn’t necessarily sound like much but when you’re averaging temperatures across the month,” he said. “But to be a full one degree higher across a month is quite notable.”  January 2018 was the hottest on record for Wānaka, Gregor said, and this January didn’t even make the top four.“It’s still the 17th equal hottest since 1972 - out of 51 summers,” he said.Warmer lake temperatures have also been a bonus from fewer and lighter winds than usual.“It’s also been sunnier - warming up the layers of water,” Gregor said.January 2025 was the 17th equal hottest January in Wānaka since 1972.In December NIWA predicted that the La Niña weather pattern would mean dry conditions for the lower South Island, and Gregor said while that did happen, the La Niña system was a “weak version”.“It’s not forecasted to last long; It’s not giving us a clear steer on how it will affect our weather,” he said.Gregor said the Southern Annular Mode (a ring of climate variability that encircles the South Pole and extends out to the latitudes of New Zealand) may also be a factor in the generally more settled weather.The weather is expected to cool today (Thursday February 6) and into next week, with some rain expected.The outlook for the rest of summer is looking to be “near normal temperatures expected overall” for this time of the year, Gregor said. PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Wānaka's own Simone Maier and Hamish Elliott are leading contenders in the upcoming Kathmandu Coast to Coast Longest Day event this Saturday (February 8).Both athletes are ranked number one in their respective categories and are the favourites to clinch the men’s and women’s titles.Simone is on the brink of making history as she chases her sixth victory in the women's category, which would make her the first woman to secure six titles, surpassing the legendary Kathy Lynch."I just love the whole circus,” Simone said. “It's such a cool community." "I really have a passion for the sport. I love being fit and I love pushing boundaries." Simone has announced this year will be her final Kathmandu Coast to Coast regardless of the outcome.“When you are racing at that level you’re always pushing yourself to be in the best possible shape and the body is starting to make a bit of noise that it wants a bit of time off now,” she said.“It’s such a commitment if you want to win or do well. I just want to do some other missions and not have that pressure.” Hamish Elliott, the defending men's champion, claimed his first title in 2024 with a remarkable time of 10 hours, 48 minutes, and 53 seconds. Hamish Elliot celebrates his first win in 2024 beating Tasmanian Alex Hunt by just three minutes. Approaching this year's race with confidence, Hamish said his “approach and mentality stays the same”. “Just putting my best performance forward is all I’m worried about,” he said.Hamish acknowledged the competition, especially with the return of four-time champion Sam Clark."I’ve been thinking a bit on how I can beat Sam and where I’ll get time on him. I’ll aim to push the run pretty hard,” he said.The race starts on the West Coast and traverses the width of the South Island, crossing the main divide and finishing on the East Coast with the finish at the Pier on New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.The 2025 multisport event is scheduled for Friday (February 7) and Saturday (February 8). The Longest Day and One Day teams race on Saturday (February 8).PHOTOS: Supplied

A 64-year-old local man (with charges already in place) was arrested on Thursday (January 30) for trespassing and driving while unlicensed.He was granted bail but he failed to appear in Queenstown District Court following the incident. Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said the man, who was arrested on a warrant, is now facing an additional charge of threatening behaviour on an unrelated matter.“Police have opposed bail,” she said. The man was due to appear in the Queenstown District Court yesterday (Tuesday February 4).A 44-year-old male was arrested for three counts of wilful damage relating to an incident last Tuesday (January 28).Police have been busy with road policing this summer.There was a motor vehicle accident at the corner of Orchard Road and Riverbank Road on Sunday (February 2), where the driver appeared to have lost control and skidded into a bank, Fi said.A 45-year-old male visitor was stopped driving in the Wānaka CBD and underwent excess breath/blood alcohol (EBA) procedures with a result of 674. He will appear in court.“We are consistently seeing high speeds and driving complaints across our roading network,” Fi said, citing examples of 125/100 kph (January 31); 128/100 kph (February 2); and 131/100 (February 1). “The reported driving complaints include dangerous overtaking, inconsistent speeds, lane swerving.”Fi warned people to be mindful of stock on roads. “We have had several calls to assist with traffic management to avoid an incident with stock wandering on roads.”Also, school is now back, so people should take extra care around schools, she said. “Please slow down around our schools and expect the unexpected especially with sunstrike at this time of year.”Otago Lakes Police are expecting an increase in international drivers through to February 9 as a result of Chinese New Year celebrations, the Burt Munro event, and Waitangi Day. “Police will have a strong focus on visiting drivers in the Southern area and will be supported by our road policing teams from Canterbury, Otago Lakes and Southland, with an aim of reducing road incidents and trauma between Mt Cook to Milford Sound,” Fi said.Police are reminding people heading into the outdoors to ensure they’re prepared well, especially for water related activities. Basic precautions include wearing a lifejacket, checking the forecast, telling someone where you are going and when you will come back, and taking a form of waterproof communication and a registered personal locator beacon.Find more information on outdoor safety here.Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Local charitable trust Food for Love has received a multi-year grant to support its mission to provide meals to people in the community who need a helping hand.Central Lakes Trust (CLT) has granted $121,266 to Food for Love each year from 2025-2028, a total grant value of close to half a million dollars.The grants will help Food for Love meet increasing demand for its service.Food for Love general manager Jodie Stuart said the trust delivered 9,000 meals last year and expects that number to increase to around 12,000 this year.“As the Upper Clutha’s population continues to grow, so does the need for our services,” Jodie said.“Funding like this ensures we can meet increasing demand and continue supporting families and individuals during their times of need - whether they are recovering from illness, injury, or facing unexpected challenges.”The Food for Love operational grant for 2025 was one of $1.024M in grants awarded at CLT’s first board meeting for the year.CLT chief executive Barbara Bridger said the funding round focused on charitable organisations “with their operations, programmes, and projects to benefit the community”.“It’s encouraging to see such a wide variety of organisations stepping up to address the needs and opportunities within our region.”A second local charitable organisation, Path Wānaka, received an operational grant of $23,600.Many other recipients - including KiwiHarvest, Volunteer South and more - have a presence in Wānaka.A project grant of $7,500 was also awarded to Disc Golf Wānaka.PHOTO: Teresa Cotter

Stored water and a transistor radio are some of the most important things to have on hand to prepare for an emergency.That’s the word from Geoff McLeay, one of the members of the Wānaka Community Response Group (WCRG), which was part of a recent emergency preparedness event in Wānaka.“There is a whole [list] of items we should all have but those are number one and number two in my opinion,” Geoff said.Other things to include in a household emergency kit include medications, a first aid kit, cash, a torch and non-perishable food.Around 500 people attended the emergency preparedness event.Members of the public learned about these essentials and more at GET READY, which took place last Saturday and Sunday (February 1-2) outside Mitre 10 MEGA.Emergency service personnel, including members from local fire brigades, police force and coastguard, plus Emergency Management Otago and the WCRG, were on-site to provide information and advice to attendees.The purpose of the event, Geoff said, was to make “the community more aware in terms of preparedness in the event we have a major event like an alpine fault”.Search and Rescue Dogs Avalanche (SARDA) dog Wizzid with Maisie and Theo.The emergency risks in the local area include a major earthquake on the alpine fault, fire, flood, tsunami, snowstorm and landslip.The better prepared the local community is - on an individual, household and community-wide level - the less reliant it will be on emergency services and food demands, the WCRG says.Queenstown Lakes councillor Lyal Cocks (who is also a member of the WCRG) was one of the 500-or-so people at GET READY on Saturday and he said events like it serve as a crucial reminder.“We get complacent when things are going good,” Lyal said. “It’s important to keep reminding people a disaster could be just around the corner.”“The more prepared we are the better we will come through.”From left: Councillor and Wānaka Community Response Group member Lyal Cocks with fellow Wānaka Community Response Group members Claire Akin-Smith, Mick Hollyer, Linzi Ebbage-Thomas and Geoff McLeay, plus St John staff member Michael Spears, Jane Fletcher (also from the Wānaka Community Response Group), and second St John staff member Chris (last name withheld).People can find emergency preparedness information here.They can also access community response plans for Wānaka, Lake Hāwea and Hāwea Flat, and Makarora.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A 278-lot subdivision has been billed for a 37.2ha site within the Northlake Special Zone (NSZ).Earlier this month WFH Properties submitted a resource consent application for stages three to seven of the ‘Pembroke Heights’ subdivision.Stages one and two of Pembroke Heights are already underway, with a resource consent issued and earthworks underway.The first two stages comprise 78 lots, while an area in the south-east of the site has been earmarked for a potential ‘stage nine’.If all nine stages are completed Pembroke Heights could feature around 400 lots.Application documents submitted on behalf of WFH Properties for stages three to seven said the subdivision would “contribute to a diversity of housing opportunities in the Upper Clutha”. The subdivision site is located in the south-west of the NSZ, which is around 220ha in total.It was designated by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in 2016 ‘to provide for a predominantly residential mixed use neighborhood’. QLDC has already approved a land use consent application for bulk earthworks for stages three-to-seven of Pembroke Heights.It is currently vetting WFH Properties’ application for resource consent.IMAGE: Supplied

Central Otago REAP has launched an initiative to support the emotional wellbeing of students across primary schools in Central Otago, including the Upper Clutha.There is increasing demand for mental health support for tamariki (children), REAP said, and the Awhi Atu Student Support Programme aims to provide direct support to help students thrive in both their academic and personal lives.Two fully qualified and experienced counsellors, Jenny Brown and Lisa Foggin, will visit participating schools on a weekly or fortnightly basis to offer confidential counselling services to students, helping them to build stronger coping strategies, and enhance emotional wellbeing.Central Otago REAP education lead and schools and ECE coordinator Julie Musumeci told the Wānaka App that participation in the programme had been offered to all primary schools in the Upper Clutha area (Wānaka Primary School, Holy Family School, Te Kura o Take Karara, and Hāwea Flat School), and so far Wānaka Primary School has taken up the offer. Julie said the Ministry of Education does not currently fund counsellors in primary schools, which leaves a significant gap in mental health support. “Recognising the need for action, Central Otago REAP—a not-for-profit, community-based organisation—has stepped in to ensure that local children receive the professional guidance and care they need, at no cost to their families,” she said.“The Awhi Atu programme is part of a broader effort to support the wellbeing of tamariki, and to give every student the chance to grow, thrive, and flourish.”Jenny and Lisa said they were both excited to begin their roles and are looking forward to getting to know the children of participating schools. For further information about the Awhi Atu Student Support Programme, contact Julie on 021 544 894.PHOTO: Supplied

It was a wildlife watcher’s dream as a menagerie of creatures were spotted in Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs in Wānaka on World Wetlands Day on Sunday (February 2).Seen in the pristine spring creek were a koaro, a longfin eel and brown trout, and among the birds there were bellbirds, a covey of California quail and a brood of mallard ducklings.There were also 300 humans who picnicked, played and discovered more about nature at the family fun event hosted by Otago Fish & Game and Friends of Bullock Creek with a group of partner organisations.The two-hectare wetland is the site of a former Fish & Game hatchery and an ongoing restoration project with Friends of Bullock Creek and the Department of Corrections.Fish & Game Central Otago operations manager Jamie Ward said the event was a success, showing the importance of wetlands and the work of local organisations caring for the environment.“Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs is loved and valued by Wānaka locals,” Jamie said.Visitors wandered through the QEII-covenanted site learning about the work of Fish & Game, Friends of Bullock Creek, Wai Wānaka, Te Kakano, Wānaka Backyard Trapping, Tiaki Bees, Otago Regional Council, Otago Catchment Community and Queen Elizabeth II National Trust.“Thanks to all our partners and volunteers who made this event happen, and to the Fish & Game councillors who made an appearance,” Jamie said.He acknowledged Friends of Bullock Creek trustee Andy Oxley were for her “vision, drive and enthusiasm” to make the day a success.“We have been thrilled at the support of the event by the Wānaka community and most particularly by many of our neighbours for whom Bullock Creek is literally in their backyard,” Andy said.“Since 2016, when Friends of Bullock Creek Trust began to restore the Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs to its native state, we have been lucky to be collaborating with other inspirational local environmental groups: in particular Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust, Wai Wānaka, and Wānaka Backyard Trapping (now Predator Free Wānaka).”“Friends of Bullock Creek are also incredibly grateful for all the hard work of our volunteers and financial support from Corrections NZ, Central Lakes Trust, ORC EcoFund, Otago Catchment Communities and Patagonia.”Jamie said only nine per cent of New Zealand’s original wetlands still existed.“As a not-for-profit organisation, Otago Fish & Game advocates to restore and protect freshwater ecosystems with evidence-based, sustainable management, guided democratically by our community of anglers and hunters.”

Wānaka’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (23) has secured her third World Cup snowboard win by claiming the FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup in Aspen, Colorado this morning (February 3). Zoi’s win comes just a week after she won gold at the 2025 Aspen X Games, landing a ‘never been done before’ backside triple corked 1440 in the women’s snowboard slopestyle competition.  As the top qualifier in today’s final, Zoi earned the advantage of dropping last into each of the two finals runs. She put down a solid first run that had her sitting in the top spot, but with a couple of bobbles on the rails. Kokomo Murase of Japan put down a strong second run, which bumped Zoi off the top spot. She managed the pressure and put down her winning run, tidying up the rail section and then lacing back-to-back double corked 1080’s on the last two jumps.“I watched her [Kokomo’s] last run and knew it was going to knock my first run score so I knew that I needed to clean up that rail section and I am stoked how it came out, stepping it up from X Games last week,” Zoi said. Zoi won by a significant margin as the only woman to score in the 80’s with an 87.80. Kokomo finished in second place with Great Britain’s Mia Brookes rounding out the star-studded podium in third.The men’s snowboard slopestyle World Cup finals also went down in Aspen this morning, with Kiwi’s Dane Menzies (Wānaka based) and Rocco Jamieson (Wānaka) dropping in. Dane had a career best result, finishing in fourth place and putting down a frontside 1800 for his first time in a slopestyle run. Rocco finished in twelfth.Watch Zoi's winning run here.The action continues this morning with Fin Melville Ives (Wānaka) and Luke Harrold (Lake Hāwea) dropping into the freeski halfpipe World Cup finals.PHOTOS: FIS Park & Pipe.

An upgrade to the Wānaka Recreation Centre’s (WRC) floor will not begin until mid-2026 at the earliest, despite concerns from members of the sporting community.A number of Upper Clutha community submissions made to the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Long-term Plan (LTP), including several from the netball fraternity, asked the council to improve the floor, which has been in place since the WRC opened in 2016.The council acknowledged some submissions “from a small range of user groups” wanted the existing solid floor replaced with a wooden sprung floor.The submitters “suggested there had been injuries on the indoor courts attributable to the surface”, QLDC said, and a formal complaint had also been lodged.Council staff said 116 injuries have been reported since 2018. Although the rate of injury has increased in recent years, almost doubling from 26 to 50 injuries recorded between 2023 to 2024, the recorded injuries represent less than 0.1 per cent of the total number of WRC users.QLDC said 85 per cent of reported incidents were sports-related injuries, including sprains, strains, knee injuries, and player contact.“Statistics on recorded injuries at WRC suggest that pivoting sports, such as netball, handball, and basketball, pose a higher risk of injury compared to other court-based activities,” the council said.Aspiring Gymsports laid floor mats for their public performance at the WRC in 2021.The WRC’s existing indoor courts have a multi-purpose floor called ‘Rebound Ace’, which was “selected for its versatility” and cost-effectiveness.Council staff said although a sprung floor created a number of benefits for active users it also had disadvantages for community facilities that were designed to cater for a wide range of purposes, events and activities.A sprung floor improves shock absorption, enhances player comfort and performance and provides excellent ball response, but is also costly to install, susceptible to damage and requires regular maintenance, staff said.QLDC has allocated $524K for the floor upgrade project, including $500k for a new wooden floor and, although the project’s business case is complete, the funding is not available until year three (2026-2027) of the council’s current 10-year plan.As well as the floor replacement the business case also considered the potential implications for other features in the indoor courts such as ramps/floor levels, floor sockets for sports equipment, basketball hoop heights and so on, council said.Council staff said the courts have seen a lot of action since the centre opened in 2016 and remedial work, such as renewing the lines on the courts, was carried out last month.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

The addition of an occupational therapist to the Community Link team will provide another service at the one-stop community support and connection centre.Community Link manager Kate Murray said she was delighted to welcome Ana Amador to the role, where she will support families, whānau and individuals to overcome barriers to their wellbeing and achieve their full potential. “Her passion for helping people and her unique blend of professional experience and cultural insight will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our community services,” Kate said.“Ana’s dedication to supporting individuals through life’s challenges perfectly aligns with our mission to help the Upper Clutha region thrive.”Ana, who is originally from Mexico City, completed her three-year occupational therapist training at Otago Polytechnic starting in 2018.After graduating, she spent three years working at not-for-profit youth services provider ADL, focusing on community mental health, particularly supporting youth with mental health challenges.Ana said she was particularly passionate about helping people navigate complex systems and services.“I want to help the community when people need a helping hand,” Ana said. “For many, these services can be complicated, especially for those who aren’t used to them.”At Community Link, Ana will work across a range of areas including youth, children, schools, hospitals, mental health, older people, disabilities and addictions. Ana said her personal experiences as a woman from Mexico have equipped her with the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. “Coming from a different culture has helped me understand how to remove barriers and be open-minded,” she said. “I come to this role with an open heart and no judgment, and I hope that’s something that will help as I grow into the role.”Kate said Community Link was “excited to see the positive impact Ana will have in her new role”.Learn more about Community Link here.PHOTO: Supplied

The organisers of an adventure sport festival held for the first time last year are planning an even bigger and better second edition.The inaugural MagicLand Adventure Sport Festival took place last March at Glendhu Bay, featuring everything from paragliding, speed flyers and paramotors to aerial performance acrobats.Organisers Dan Pugsley and Vicki Zadrozny, who live in Hāwea, said MagicLand was inspired by their travels in Europe, where they attended events like Veko-Extreme Sports Week in Norway and the Buttermere Bash - Paragliding and Air Sports Festival in the UK.Following the success of MagicLand 2024, they are getting ready to hold the second festival at Glendhu Bay in March.“After last year being a total smash out the gate, we're hoping this year will be even better,” Dan said.The festival will play host to Acrofest, New Zealand’s official aerobatic competition; there will also be skydiving, speed flying and base jumping; as well as F1 Super Boat displays and aerial artist performers.MagicLand celebrates ‘the thrill of pushing boundaries’.It will also host the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Fly 50 exhibition (the first time it has been held in the South Island).Camping at Glendhu Bay Holiday Park will be open all week (starting Monday March 24) and on Friday and Saturday (March 28-29) the festival will be in full swing, with eight musical acts set to perform, plus food, entertainment and more.Dan said the festival was a celebration “of the thrill of pushing boundaries”.Find all the details about MagicLand 2025 here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Local elected representatives have welcomed certainty around Dunedin’s hospital rebuild but confirmed that advocacy for local health services will not stop.Health minister Simeon Brown confirmed on Friday (January 31) the government will downsize the Dunedin Hospital inpatient building from the original proposal, but provide a capacity to expand.The new hospital will provide 16 fewer overnight beds than the current hospital and 59 fewer than the design approved in 2022. The new plan will, however, provide more theatres and emergency department capacity.Read more: Dunedin to get scaled-back hospital, Health Minister Simeon Brown confirmsSignificant public backlash followed last year’s government announcement that it was considering scaling back plans for the new hospital, including in Wānaka, where a protest march attracted around 300 people.Queenstown Lakes District mayor Glyn Lewers told the Wānaka App yesterday it was positive to see the minister “providing certainty on what is to be built”.“Without seeing the detail, my initial reflection [is] it is a pragmatic response,” he said. “My focus is on securing the appropriate health services we need as a district, closer to home.”Glyn said there will be a combined Otago and Southland mayors forum next Wednesday (February 5) in Queenstown which would provide an opportunity for the Southern mayors to discuss the announcement. Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) chair Simon Telfer also welcomed Friday’s announcement after months of uncertainty on the future of the regional hospital.Wānaka residents marched in opposition to the possibility of a scaled-back hospital build in September 2024. PHOTO: Wānaka AppSpeaking as chair rather than on behalf of the board (which has not yet discussed the issue), Simon said he hoped construction would meet the timeframe outlined (construction to resume by the middle of the year, completion by 2031 at the latest).“Having a tertiary level hospital in the region is important for those living in the Upper Clutha,” Simon said. “But the advocacy continues for our community to be able to access equitable hospital level care closer to home too - either in Wānaka or Cromwell.”Health care advocacy group Health Action Wānaka (HAW) told the Wānaka App the group was “cautiously optimistic” about the announcement. “While we recognise the scope of the build announced today is not what was promised, it is certainly a better outcome than the significant downgrade that had been mooted by the government in September last year,” HAW steering committee chair Monique Mayze said, adding the group would take a firmer position once it had learnt more.“A fit-for-purpose tertiary hospital in Dunedin is essential for people living in the Upper Clutha, alongside equitable access to publicly funded local services, which we will continue to advocate for,” she said.

More than 150 remote predator traps set to protect native species in Mt Aspiring National Park have been systematically tampered with, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says. In early January, high trapping lines between Dart Valley and the west Matukituki Valley were checked by Matukituki Charitable Trust volunteers and Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff, who found the entrances to all 45 traps blocked off by strategically placed rocks.Staff have since found all the traps from Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut and down the Rees Valley have also been triggered or had rocks placed in front of their doors. “This means someone has made the effort to disarm more than 150 remote traps in total across two locations,” DOC Whakatipu operations manager David Butt said. At this time of the year this line of traps catches numerous predators, including stoats, he said. “This is a critical time to have protection for native species through trapping. The people who have done this to the traps will be responsible for an increase in the death of many individuals from our taonga species.”  An introduced species, stoats are the number one killer of many of New Zealand’s endangered native species. “We have a team of hardworking DOC rangers, Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff and volunteers who put in a lot of hard graft to ensure our trapping network is effective,” David said. “It is very concerning [that] someone – or potentially several people - covered challenging terrain and clambered through bush to find these traps and block them off so predators cannot enter. It means we will see an increase in predators.”DOC’s Takahē Recovery Group is working to establish a new population of the birds on and around Tititea Mt Aspiring.There are concerns those birds will be at risk if traps in the area are found to be compromised as well, DOC said. Trapping is considered a humane method of removing introduced predators from national parks to protect native birds, lizards, and invertebrates.  DOC has urged anyone with any information about the traps that have been targeted to call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).PHOTO: Supplied

Today (Saturday February 1) marks one month until the Motatapu race takes place.The annual event attracts sportspeople who run, walk or ride on trails that pass through the Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe stations.The Motatapu is known as the bucket-list off-road event, attracting elite athletes, weekend warriors, first-time competitors and junior runners - and this year’s competitors promise a range of exciting races.On the start line this year for the Rab 52km Ultra Run will be Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist in track cycling, Eddie Dawkins, who has recently taken up running ultra marathons. Pro-mountain bike racer Katy Winton, who has represented the UK and Scotland on the world circuit of Enduro, is also taking on the Ultra Run.Second-place finisher in the women’s 2024 Ultra, Hannah Wall, is back for a rematch and no doubt keen to see if she can bring her previous run time of 08:09:18 any closer to mountain running legend Ruth Croft’s course record of 6:38:04.Majell Backhausen, who won the 2017 Ultra in an impressive time of 06:27:07, has also thrown his hat back in the ring and will be chasing down Weston Hill’s record-setting time of 06:04:05 from 2023.The Motatapu will feature five adult events (the 52km Rab Ultra Run, the 42km Allpress Espresso Trail Marathon, the 47km Mondraker Mountain Bike, the 47km Mondraker E-Bike and the 15km UDC Finance Miners Trail) plus the kid-friendly 4km Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run. PHOTO: SuppliedMeanwhile in the Mondraker 47km Mountain Bike Kim Hurst will be one to watch in the women’s mountain bike field, with multiple wins at the Karapoti Classic and the Whaka 100 to her name, plus several national and world championship titles.Third place finisher in last year’s 47km Motatapu Mountain Bike event, 15-year-old Levi Gear is on a mission to shave an extra 10 minutes off his time and beat Anton Cooper’s 2010 result of 1:58:28. He’ll need to get past former Junior and U23 National MTB Champion Cameron Jones who is also taking on Motatapu for the first time this year. These competitors are among the professional athletes who will make up some of the 2,500 people signed up to take part in the five adult races at the Motatapu (there’s also a 4km Junior Trail Run for kids).There will also be family groups, first-timers, and returnees who have competed every year since the event’s inception.Motatapu race director Gemma Peskett said she’s pleased with how registrations have been tracking.The 52km Rab Ultra Run is sold out but it’s not too late to throw your hat in the ring for the other races. Find all the race details and entry information here.