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.

The government has confirmed its replacement for the beleagured Dunedin Hospital inpatient building will be downsized from the original proposal.While the number of inpatient beds will be reduced, health minister Simeon Brown, said there was capacity to expand."The site will also be futureproofed so new beds and services will be able to be brought online when needed."The new Dunedin Hospital will be able to adapt and expand in years to come to ensure it responds to changing needs."Last year, a government-commissioned report found plans for the long-awaited hospital could not be delivered within the $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion budget set in 2017.It projected the costs would balloon to $3b, a figure the coalition described as unaffordable.Upper Clutha community members gathered at the Wānaka Fire Station in September armed with placards to protest the proposed changes to Dunedin Hospital. PHOTO: Wānaka AppIt meant the government went back to the drawing board on the hospital, with construction of the inpatient building paused.Options were to scale back the size of the inpatient building, or a staged development which included refurbishing the current ward building while also constructing a smaller clinical services building.The inpatient building on the old Cadbury factory site was originally proposed to have 410 beds, with a 53-bed emergency department.The potential cutbacks prompted protests. An estimated 35,000 people marched through Dunedin's streets to plead with the government to deliver the hospital as originally planned.Brown said the government listened to the Dunedin community and was committed to building the hospital they needed.."The site will also be futureproofed so new beds and services will be able to be brought online when needed. The new Dunedin Hospital will be able to adapt and expand in years to come to ensure it responds to changing needs," he said.The new hospital will provide:351 beds, with capacity to expand to 404 beds over time20 short-stay surgical beds, a new model of care22 theatres, with capacity to expand to 24 theatres over time41 same day beds to provide greater capacity for timely access to specialist procedures58 ED spaces, including a short-stay unit and specialised emergency psychiatric care20 imaging units for CT, MRI and Xray procedures, with 4 additional spaces availableThe current hospital has 367 overnight beds, 17 theatres and procedure rooms, and 31 ED bays, according to a Te Whatu Ora document from 2023.The final design, approved in 2022, had 410 overnight beds, 26 theatres, and 53 ED bays.A PET scanner, as originally proposed by National during the election, was nowhere to be seen in the announcement.There will be no changes to the number of floors to be built. Some services, like pathology, oncology, education, and administration will remain at the existing hospital.Brown said there were few suitable sites for the new hospital to be located, and while the Cadbury site had numerous issues such as contamination, flood risk, and access issues, he was confident they could be overcome."It's clear that using this site to build a new hospital would be far less disruptive than constructing a new complex at the existing hospital," he said.

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) 2024 senior students have achieved excellent NCEA results, principal Nicola Jacobsen says.Provisional results indicate MAC students had an 84.1 percent pass rate at NCEA level one, above the national pass rate of 70 percent (as provided by the NZ Qualifications Authority (NZQA)*).For NCEA level one literacy and numeracy - part of the curriculum for the first time this year - MAC students had a 90.4 percent pass rate, compared with 74.5 percent for numeracy and 76.5 percent for literacy nationally.At NCEA level two, MAC had a 91.3 percent pass rate, again above the national pass rate of 72.7 percent.At the third and final NCEA level, MAC’s pass rate was 82.3 percent, again higher than the national pass rate (68.2 percent).Seventy percent of MAC students received university entrance, compared to 48 percent nationally.Until last year MAC’s results were compared to schools in a similar decile range (8-10) but NZQA has moved away from the decile system and ‘schools with fewer socio-economic barriers’ is now provided as a comparison.MAC’s pass rates in 2024 were higher than ‘schools with fewer socio-economic barriers’ in all year levels.Nicola said students’ 2024 results reflected the college’s strong commitment to academic excellence and followed a trend of strong results in recent years.The MAC 2024 pass rates were similar to 2023, when 88 percent of MAC students passed level one, 90 percent passed level two, and 89 percent passed level three.In 2022 MAC’s pass rate was in the late 80s at all three levels.One of MAC’s goals last year was to focus even more on supporting students to achieve their endorsement goals, Nicola said.“Our efforts have paid off with an increase from 6.5 percent excellence endorsements in 2023 to 18 percent in 2024,” she said.She noted that gender-based data showed that male students achieved higher at NCEA Level 2, but lower than female students for NCEA Levels 1 and 3, and university entrance.Nicola thanked staff and students for all their hard work.“I am so proud of our students for their effort and resilience in pursuing their studies, and grateful to our staff whose skill and passion provides our students with such exceptional support.”The NZQA will publish the final (non-provisional) results at the end of February.*Only 64 percent of year 11 students participate in a full level 1 NCEA programme nationally, and of that group, 70 percent attained the qualification, NZQA says.PHOTO: MAC

Community facilities, a new bridge, a bus shelter, and historical plaques are just a few of the potential goals the Albert Town Community Association (ATCA) has on its impressive to-do list.New ATCA chair Lucy Mitchell, who was elected at last Sunday’s (January 26) annual general meeting at the Albie Tavern, believes the committee is up to the challenge.When the former chair for the last four years, Heather Thorne, announced she would be stepping down, Lucy (vice-chair at the time) put her name forward but was “nervous” about the commitment.ATCA chair Lucy Mitchell with her dog, Ted. PHOTO: SuppliedShe said under Heather's leadership the previous committee had achieved a lot, from planting and developing irrigation at the Gunn Road Bike Park to revamping the ATCA website, erecting historic plaques and making progress on rubbish bins in the commercial area.“I didn’t want to see that progress wane. I hope I’ll do a good job”, she said.In addition to the seven committee members elected, including three new faces, Elaine Kelly has retained her role as secretary, as has Stuart McKay as treasurer.The seat of vice-chair remains vacant for now but, Lucy said, she’s hoping one of the committee members will take on the role.The committee’s first formal meeting is scheduled for the first week of March, but Lucy plans to bring everyone together informally to have a chat about goals.“Our first meeting will be brainstorming and setting priorities,” she said.“I want to be really strategic about what we put our energies into so we don’t spread ourselves too thin.”One of the goals is to arrange access to community facilities.Unlike all other Upper Clutha communities, Albert Town doesn’t have a community facility and the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has no plans to provide one. Riverside Park Community Facility is privately owned but its management is willing to share the facilities, including a meeting room. “We'd like to have our committee meetings there and community gatherings and events but, most importantly, we need a location the community can go in response to an emergency,” Lucy said.A community facility would also help enhance Albert Town’s sense of community, she said.The committee has been working on an arrangement with Riverside Park but needs QLDC to contribute funds to help cover the cost of the arrangement.QLDC councillor Lyal Cocks is involved in negotiations and said it was a logical step for council in lieu of providing a community hall.Other projects the committee might consider progressing include advocating for the plan to replace the aging James Horn (Albert Town) Bridge, adding QR codes to the six historic plaques already installed around Albert Town and add more plaques, and erecting a bus shelter in the commercial area for school students.

Wānaka Backyard Trapping, a community-led initiative dedicated to protecting Wānaka’s native wildlife, has rebranded as Predator Free Wānaka.The name change reflects the organisation’s ambition to create a “predator-free halo” across the Upper Clutha region, Predator Free Wānaka chair Guy Kennedy said.Guy said the change highlights the organisation’s commitment to fostering a thriving environment for native wildlife, helped by its membership of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.Guy KennedyThe move also aligns the group with the national Predator Free 2050 initiative. “We felt we’d outgrown the Wānaka Backyard Trapping name,” Guy said.“Most of the trapping work we do is done at scale and on public QLDC [Queenstown Lakes District] and DOC [Department of Conservation] land.“We felt a refresh of the name and logo would demonstrate our ongoing commitment and enthusiasm to predator control in the Upper Clutha.” The rebrand comes with a renewed focus on community engagement and expanding efforts to combat invasive predators in both urban and rural areas, Guy said.Members are encouraging residents and businesses across Wānaka to get involved by participating in trapping programmes, volunteering other skills, or supporting the initiative through donations. Predator Free Wānaka is a community-driven initiative committed to reducing invasive predators and restoring Wānaka’s native biodiversity through education, resources, and collaborative action. Find more information about Predator Free Wānaka here. PHOTOS: Supplied

Upper Clutha schools, from the smallest - Makarora School with 11 students, to the largest, Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) with 1,320 students - are preparing for the new school year.Makarora School principal Rachel Brown said the school, which includes new entrants to year 7 students, was expecting two more new entrants later in the year.“We are enjoying our new music playground and looking forward to a new complex climbing frame,” Rachel said. Plans for the year ahead include joining Tarras School for a triathlon and Hāwea Flat School for athletics day, as well as joining in the Festival of Colour school programme, she said.The area’s smallest school, Makarora, will begin the year with 11 students - but two more are expected as the year goes on.Tarras School will have 22 students at the beginning of the year, and principal Alice Casey said the roll is expected to reach 27.“We've recently appointed a second teacher so class sizes are starting at 11 - we're delighted to have small classes and are looking forward to another great year,” Alice said.“We've currently undergoing some building renovations and will have fresh classrooms to start the year.”Next up is Te Kura o Take Karara, which has a starting roll of 317 and is expected to reach 350 to 360 by the end of the year.Principal Jodie Howard said the school is looking forward to enhancing its established play garden and nursery projects with the students and community groups. “We are also working with Wai [Wānaka] to become joint guardians with other organisations of a nature space in Cardrona where we want to continue to restore the native planting, observe the river that flows through the space and to use it to play and explore in,” she said.Last year’s fundraising means the school can purchase vans to take groups of children to the retirement villages, early learning centres, the nature space at Cardrona, and the waterfront for community events, Jodie said.Hāwea Flat School will have a starting roll of approximately 375 students, and a year of steady growth will take that to around 435 students by year’s end, principal Tania Pringle said.“The primary focus will remain on providing high-quality student learning experiences,” she said. “The school looks forward to continued positive engagement with the community.”New Wānaka Primary School principal Rob Rush said he was excited to begin the school year on Monday (February 3).  “As of today, we have 463 students enrolled and ready to start on day one,” he said. “We will be starting with 19 classrooms and this will grow as new entrant learners turn five and start throughout the year.”The first major event for the school will be a community welcome picnic on the evening of Monday February 10 (5pm), providing an opportunity for the school to welcome new children and their families as well as a chance to meet Rob.MAC, the Upper Clutha’s only high school - and one of the largest in Otago, will be starting the school year with 1,320 students - 20 more than at the beginning of 2024.Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the increase reflects new enrolments across all year levels, not just new year 7 students.“This year, we will continue our focus on achieving academic excellence, supporting student wellbeing, and developing student leadership capabilities,” she said.Holy Family Catholic School was approached for comment.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Igniting a conversation about developing Wānaka’s town centre, planning for the airport’s future, and advocating for an arts facility are all on the list of priorities for the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) for 2025.WUCCB chair Simon Telfer told the Wānaka App the board’s main priorities this year are safe pedestrian/active transport crossings points (on the lakefront, Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Hedditch St, and near the food trucks’ area on Ardmore Street); sports fields development (including lights at the Wānaka Recreation Centre, artificial turf, and Ballantyne Road remediation/master planning); and roading infrastructure (Golf Course Road roundabout, Hāwea’s Capell Avenue extension, the Ballantyne Road Corridor, and the McDougall Street roundabout).  Wānaka Airport future planning is also on the list.“We made a lot of progress on some of these priorities last year but it needs to be noted that they are multi-year initiatives,” Simon said.The board’s second tier of priorities has a wide scope. These include advocating for the completion of a Parking Management Plan for Wānaka, and “leading the conversation” on the Wānaka Town Centre Masterplan development, which has stalled since a community-led advisory document (the Heart of Wānaka Plan) was lodged with the board in July 2023.Read more: Heart of Wānaka group hands over ‘living document’“It’s an ongoing conversation with the community,” Simon said. “I’m concerned that without a clearly articulated strategy for the town centre it risks losing its way, particularly with Three Parks’ rapid growth and offering.”Simon said the board also plans to make progress on the design and funding for stage four of the Lakefront Development Plan - a shared pathway in front of the CBD, and establish a ‘community empowerment fund’ from the Wānaka Asset Sales Reserve (a pool of money to fund capital expenditure for the benefit of Wānaka residents). Read more: Who holds Wānaka’s purse strings: Board seeks control over asset fundWānaka Upper Clutha Community Board members (from left) Lyal Cocks, Barry Bruce, Simon Telfer (chair), Linda Joll, mayor Glyn Lewers (not a member), Chris Hadfield, and Cody Tucker (member John Wellington absent). Deputy mayor Quentin Smith (not a member) in front..Simon said he believed the amount of the fund should be the balance of the asset reserve, which currently sits at around $4M.“There are some potential land sales over the next couple of years that will, again, add to that Wānaka specific asset reserve,” he said. Simon said the board also plans to advance environmental works, including Bullock Creek stormwater infrastructure, as well as continue to advocate for a proposed Wānaka Performing Arts Centre, which was not included as a line item in Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) 2024 Long Term Plan.Read more: LTP: Arts advocates disappointed, but council work continuesFinally, the board hopes to deliver the Mt Iron Reserve Management Plan, and make progress on active transport initiatives - including innovations like scooters, foldable bikes, and electric skateboards.Simon said a range of priorities were completed last year, including stage five of the Lakefront Development Plan (the path past the Wānaka Marina), pedestrian and walking improvements through Stoney Creek area (including the new bridge), the Schools to Pool pathway, the Riverbank/Ballantyne Roads roundabout, the Domain Road roundabout in Lake Hāwea, and the Ballantyne Road sports ground remediation contract.The board’s first meeting for the year is still weeks away (Thursday February 20). Local body elections - for the WUCCB and Queenstown Lakes District Council - will be held in October this year.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A local woman plans to swim the length of Lake Wānaka - 44km - to raise funds for freshwater conservation and the next generation of swimmers.Wānaka Swim Club member and part-time coach Livi Schmid is tackling “the greatest challenge of my career” in the long-distance swim next month and she has already received donations towards her goal of raising $20,000, to be split equally between WAI Wānaka and the Wānaka Swim Club.“Every contribution will help protect our freshwater resources and support the swim club’s work in developing young swimmers,” Livi said.Livi chose to support those organisations “to shine a light” on the declining health of the lake and to inspire the next generations of swimmers to take on their own challenges.Originally from the USA, Livi chose to make Wānaka home two years ago and it was while coaching at the club she discovered “a first sense of community” since moving to New Zealand.She saw “firsthand the positive impact on local youth through the sport of swimming,” she said.Although she’s swum since childhood, lake swimming is a relatively new experience.Livi Schmid PHOTO: Elie Babin“I started lake swimming for the first time last summer. It's been a challenge to learn the technique and battle unpredictable conditions,” she said. Livi said being able to talk to experienced lake swimmers such as Cameron Stanley, who set a record swimming Lake Wānaka in 2020, has been invaluable: “He's been a great mentor and given me a good idea of what the training entails.” Fitness training and swimming 40-plus kilometres in the lake each week is the basis to her preparation but it has been the mental challenge she has found “especially difficult”. She said handling full time work, fundraising, and publicity on top of training for this marathon effort “can feel overwhelming at times” but having the support of family and friends and causes she believes in keeps her going.“I have been a swimmer my whole life, and I wanted to see if my body and mind could handle it. If not now, when?” the 24-year old said.  On the day, Livi plans to have at least two support boats, two kayakers, and up to three support swimmers “who will get in and out of the water with me”.“It takes a village to take on a challenge this size, and I'm so lucky to have mine.” Livi has established a Givealittle page for the ‘Liv to Swim’ event and she has already received $5,700 towards her goal: “I'm thrilled with the progress we've made so far, and if we can even reach half of the $20k goal, I will be ecstatic.”Donations can be made here.  The swim is scheduled for the weekend of February 15 - depending on weather and lake conditions.

The real estate landscape is constantly shifting, and understanding these changes is vital for both landlords and tenants.In our latest podcast episode, we delve into the recent modifications to the Residential Tenancies Act that will directly impact how rental properties are managed.Summary of changes outlined in the RTAA 2024 primarily pertain to: Tenancy Terminations – Source REINZLandlord can terminate a periodic tenancy by giving least 90 days’ notice without providing a reason.Landlord can end a periodic tenancy on certain grounds with 42-day notice period. For example, under an unconditional sale and purchase agreement of a tenanted residential property requiring vacant possession.Minimum notice period a tenant must give to end a periodic tenancy has now been decreased to 21 days.Landlords (90 days) or tenants (21 days) can give notice to end a fixed-term tenancy without providing a reason.Minimum notice period a tenant must give to renew or extend a fixed-term tenancy is now 21 days.These changes will take effect on 30 January 2025.Note: If a termination notice was issued before 30 January 2025 by either the landlord or tenant, then that notice remains valid and cannot be replaced with a different notice period by that party. For fixed-term tenancies that started on or after 11 February 2021 and expire on or before 30 April 2025, the law before these changes will still apply. For fixed-term tenancies that expire on or after 1 May 2025, the new law will apply.We aim to equip you with the tools necessary for navigating the complexities of real estate.Whether you're a landlord, tenant, or prospective investor, understanding these changes can empower you to make the most informed decisions possible in the competitive property market.Ray White Wānaka is situated at Sir Tim Wallis Drive Wānaka. Find out more here.PHOTO: Ray White Wānaka

A Wānaka housing project that will provide affordable rentals to seniors has received a $100,000 grant from a local trust that assists people in need in the Upper Clutha.The housing project, which is being developed and managed by Queenstown Lakes Housing Community Trust (QLCHT), received the six-figure donation from the Elsie and Ray Armstrong Charitable Trust. The grant will contribute to the development of 10 affordable, one-bedroom units, along with two three-bedroom family units on the corners of Upton and McDougall Streets. It will allow QLCHT to provide “additional features such as solar panels, a communal laundry space and shared services, including a highly efficient hot water heating system to the 12-units,” QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott said. “These extra infrastructure benefits will provide substantial financial support to the occupants by significantly reducing power costs.” Elsie and Ray Armstrong Charitable Trust trustee Simon Telfer said the group is excited to contribute towards the important community project. “The elderly are an important demographic in our local community who need support and we are thrilled about what this project will provide them,” he said. “We’re pleased this grant helps to kickstart the development and hope it leads to others supporting our fellow Wānaka residents.”QLCHT hopes to break ground on the $5-6M project by the middle of 2025.The development will help to get some of the 250 Wānaka households on the QLCHT waitlist - including a growing number of seniors - into homes. “We have a lot of people aged over 60 living in the district, and some encounter unfortunate and unexpected circumstantial changes, which are outside of their control,” QLCHT Wānaka tenancy manager Emma Roberts said.“For many of these people, their only option is to upheave their lives and leave town. By offering an alternative rental option it allows them to have a greater sense of security, which is important as the local population grows and ages.”The new development started as a concept back in November 2022, when QLCHT purchased a section on McDougall Street – beside five council-owned rental properties – with the intent of developing the vacant lot into affordable rental units for seniors.  Last year Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) approved the transfer of ownership and operational management of the five neighbouring properties to QLCHT. PHOTO: Supplied

Otago Lakes Police are expecting an increase in international drivers between now (January 29) and February 9, Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said.Chinese New Year, the Burt Munro event and Waitangi Day all take place across this period.“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,” she said.Wānaka Police have responded to a handful of road incidents over the past week.Police were called to a motor vehicle accident on Wānaka-Mt Aspiring Road last Monday (January 20) where it appeared the driver lost control on gravel.“The vehicle left the road onto the grass verge and rolled onto its right hand side,” Fi said. “The upper part of this road is gravel and has corrugations. Police urge drivers to slow down and drive to the conditions.”Police also responded to a “car v cyclist” on Wānaka-Mt Aspiring Road yesterday (Tuesday January 28) “where a cyclist appears to have sustained moderate injuries”.  Enquiries are ongoing as to the nature of injuries and any likely charges, Fi said.Fi said there were “minimal issues” at last weekend’s UIM Jetsprint World Championships.However, a visiting carload arrived late on Sunday (January 26) and “started doing burnouts in the carpark”.“The vehicle was impounded, the female driver is to appear in court and has been forbidden to drive. Another male in the vehicle was arrested for breach of bail.”Police conducted alcohol checkpoints during the event and no one who was tested had an excess breath alcohol reading.Last Saturday (January 25) police were called to Post Office Lane over a minor assault.A 19-year-old male was arrested and subsequently trespassed, Fi said.Police received two SAR (search and rescue) call-outs over the past week.One from a person who was concerned their friend had not returned from Mt Iron, who was located “safe and well”; the other was an incident on the lake where a boat had capsized, but all passengers were found.Fi asked drivers to take extra care when driving around schools, with school resuming shortly.“Please slow down around our schools and expect the unexpected with distracted children using devices.”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

Locals will have to wait a little longer to find out whether the ‘golden arches’ are coming to town.The independent hearing panel which is considering McDonald’s Restaurants NZ’s application for a local McDonald’s restaurant and drive-though needs more time.The panel initially planned to issue a decision by the end of this month.A decision is now not expected until the week of February 10, a Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) representative said. McDonald’s lodged its resource consent application for a 445m2 restaurant and drive-thru at 237 Wānaka-Luggate Highway in November 2023.A three-day hearing on the application was held in Wānaka in November 2024.See also: Protectiveness for town expressed as McDonald’s hearing concludes.During the McDonald’s team’s right-of-reply, following the hearing, it made a concession.Instead of operating 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, as initially planned, if approved it would operate from 6am-11pm daily, the lawyer for McDonald’s said.See also: McDonald’s: ‘Discreet’ amendment to Mt iron proposal.If the restaurant is approved, McDonald’s has indicated it hopes to have the Wānaka operation up-and-running by 2026.IMAGE: Supplied

The Wānaka Festival of Colour has unveiled its 11th festival programme and invited locals to immerse themselves in the arts this coming autumn.The 2025 festival will run for nine days from March 29 – April 6, and feature over 60 events, including theatre, cabaret, music, comedy, dance, kōrero, visuals arts, community events and more.“We’re thrilled to be presenting a fabulous lineup of incredible performances and events for the whole community to enjoy,” Wānaka Festival of Colour artistic director Sophie Kelly said.“This year's programme delves into themes of identity, belonging and self-expression, inviting our audiences to explore diverse perspectives and personal narratives.”The programme, which was revealed at a launch in the Lake Wānaka Centre last night, includes Subtle Dances (a fusion of contemporary dance and live music bringing together some of New Zealand’s finest dancers from BalletCollective Aotearoa); Upu (a theatrical celebration of Māori and Pasifika literature curated by award-winning poet Grace Iwashita-Taylor); and Be Like Billy, which celebrates the show-band legacy through theatre and cabaret.Other highlights are Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst in their sell-out play In Other Words, a love story exploring Alzheimer’s and the power of music. Aspiring Conversations 2024’s hit Dirty Passports, curated by Nathan Joe, will also return.Festival organisers had already announced Canadian circus Cirque Alfonse’s latest work ANIMAL, the cabaret show An Evening Without Kate Bush, and Chamber Music New Zealand’s Reimagining Mozart.The programme also features a diverse music lineup, featuring The Veils with tracks from their new album Asphodels, Delaney Davidson with his enigmatic country noir, and The Eastern.There’s also a free Community Whānau Day which will kick off the festival (on Saturday March 29) with an early bird lake plunge followed by a day of entertainment at the Dinosaur Park and lakefront. Aspiring Conversations will also return, offering up discussions from a range of identities, including writers, musicians, professors, and journalists.“This year’s theme of embracing the extraordinary and trying something new ties perfectly with our gifted name from Kāi Tahu, Te Kaupeka Rau, which reflects seasonal changes and the idea of turning over a new leaf,” Wānaka Festival of Colour executive director Ruth Heath said. “Once again, we have something for everyone to connect and engage with—an opportunity to find joy and surprise in discovering something new alongside friends and whānau.”The Pacific Crystal Palace will take centre stage as the festival’s hub but there will be performances at a mix of venues across the region.The full programme is available now and tickets will go on sale from Friday (January 31) at 8am.See Festival of Colour in your Wānaka App.IMAGE: Supplied

A new ‘farm park’ subdivision near Tarras, is being proposed by the Trevathan family who have worked the land since 1949.Central Otago District Council (CODC) has invited public submissions on the Maori Point Road proposal, which would involve turning 133ha into 16 lots for residential use.The land historically was subdivided off the larger Morven Station and is currently used for cattle grazing.The application would allow each lot to be 2,000sqm and developed for rural residential purposes, while the remaining 14ha lot would be retained as productive farm use. The new lots would have shared ownership with the larger farm through a body corporate type arrangement, managed by Jonny Trevathan of the Clutha Plains Trust. The application said the purpose of ‘clustering’, instead of dividing into 8ha parcels each, was to allow for the productive land to be maintained in a larger parcel suited to the existing grazing usage.While the development took up usable productive farmland, it was far less than if the development was scattered throughout the 133.1190 hectares - thereby retaining a 119ha farm amongst the subdivision.The ‘farm park’ development enabled residents to live among an operational farm and have access to fruit and nut trees within the covenant areas. Jonny said it had been an 18 month process to get the development proposal underway, and many local people were already aware of his plans.A similar farm park had also been consented on Jolly Road in Tarras by Douglas Developments three years ago. “They are not uncommon around here anymore,” he said.Hillend Station near Wānaka and Bendemeer Estate at Lake Hayes were also based on a farm park model.Jonny said the idea was for people interested in rural living but without having the responsibility of running an actual farm.There would be conditions on the sale and purchase agreement agreed by a committee regarding the types of houses that could be built there.“We’re trying to do this high end,” he said.A lot of native trees would be planted to create an ecosystem and encourage more birds into the area.Submissions close on February 14 via the CODC website.

“The boats, the engines, the noise, and the smells”: Excitement was building for commentators at the beginning of the UIM Jetsprint World Championships in Wānaka this past weekend (January 25-26). The Novus Glass Wānaka Aquatrack (near Luggate) was the stage for the final stage of round one of the event, which attracted the world’s top jetsprinters from New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and Canada.This was the first year the event held three classes, which attracted 11 boats for Superboats, 15 for Group A, and 22 in LS Class).Commentators said the field was the best they had seen for jetsprinting, and it promised to be “a dogfight”.Practice runs and qualifiers took place on Saturday, and - despite some delays because of rain - finals on Sunday.The Australian crew achieved “an epic sweep”, claiming the top spot in all three classes (Superboats, Group A, and LS Class) on Australia Day, the NZ Jetsprint Association said.The next round of the UIM Jetsprint World Championships will be held in Whanganui this coming weekend (February 1-2).Results:Building King Superboats:1st Phonsy Mullan and Narelle Pellow (AUS) 46.1312nd Sam Newdick and Shama Putaranui (NZL) 46.1803rd Reuben Hoeksema and Suzi Katovich (NZL) 47.635Sprintec International Group A:1st Brendan Doyle and Holley Small (AUS) 49.2782nd Ollie Silverton and Amanda Kittow (NZL) 49.3793rd Justin Roylance and Tracey Little (AUS) 50.268MTW LS Class1st Bastian Mullan and Tahleah Mullan (AUS) 48.5382nd River Rogers and Cole Keatts (USA) 50.9343rd Kyle Elphinstone and Jacob Ballamy (AUS) 51.155

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) has declared a prohibited fire season for the Lakes and Glendhu Bluffs areas until further notice.A prohibited fire season means no outdoor fires are allowed in the district and all fire permits are revoked.Otago District manager Phil Marsh said conditions remained dry enough to be a significant fire risk despite Sunday’s rain."Even if we do get some rain this week, it won’t have much impact on our dried-out tussock and grasslands," he said."If a wildfire gets going in this environment, and there’s even a bit of wind, it can be really difficult to bring under control.”The decision to prohibit fires was made to protect the people, property and environment of the Lakes (Wānaka and Queenstown) and Glendhu Bluffs areas, he said.Phil urged people to think about the fire risk of activities such as mowing, using power tools, or parking vehicles on long, dry grass."When planning your activities, check the forecast fire danger for that day - consider working in the morning, and avoid hot, dry and windy days altogether," he said."We’ve had several unwanted vegetation fires in Central Otago over the last couple of weeks caused by people operating machinery. "One fire in Gibbston last week appears to have been caused by light magnified through a glass bottle onto dry grass.”People can find information on the fire risk and restrictions in their location here by entering their address and following the guidance provided.“This is the best way to help us prevent fires in Otago this summer,” Phil said.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka’s Luca Harrington (20) has added a second X Games medal to his collection, winning silver in the ski big air in Aspen, Colorado on Sunday (January 26). Luca went to X Games as an alternate in both of his medal events, walking away from the weekend with a gold and a silver medal, a result that has wowed the snow sports community.After his winning slopestyle performance, Luca was one of the favourites for the Big Air competition. He was in elite company, with four of the eight skiers returning gold medallists.With a stacked field, the expectation was that world first tricks would be delivered, and the excited crowd was not disappointed. In what has become a trademark approach for Luca, he came out swinging in the playoffs and put down a triple corked 1980 with a tweaked tail grab, going huge and punching his ticket to the final with ease.In the final Luca repeated the triple corked 1980 and was sitting in bronze medal position after the first of two finals runs. He upped the ante in his second run adding an extra 180 degrees of rotation, landing his first ever triple corked 2160 tail grab (six full rotations).He was rewarded a huge score of 97.00 by the judges, just one point behind the leader.Watch here.Luca could not contain his excitement as he pulled into the bottom of the course and was surrounded by fellow competitors and his family congratulating him. Winner Miro Tabanelli of Italy made history landing a double corked 2340 cuban grab for the first time ever in skiing. Matej Svancer of Austria rounded out the podium in third with a never-been-done trick of his own, in what was one of the most progressive ski big air events in memory.This wraps up the 2025 Aspen X Games, where the NZ Park & Pipe team will be bringing home its highest ever medal count from a single X Games, five (two gold, one silver and two bronze). The kiwi athletes will get the chance to take on the world class courses again at the Aspen World Cup, which is starting with the qualification rounds on Friday NZT (January 31).PHOTO: Mark Kohlman / X Games

A reprioritisation of the transport budget for Queenstown Lakes will affect a handful of Upper Clutha roading projects.Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) received around $11.9M less than expected for the 2025-2027 financial years from the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency for transport projects.As a result, funding was reprioritised late last year.“The most significant things from an Upper Clutha perspective are the changes in funding around the [Hāwea] Capell Avenue extension, and the reduction in budget for minor improvements,” a QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App.The Upper Clutha minor improvements budget was reduced by around $3.7M to $4.7M.“The [minor improvements budget] in particular will have significant implications for the smaller interventions that are quite visible to the community such as intersection improvements and crossing points,” the spokesperson said.The budget for the Capell Avenue extension (to connect Capell Avenue with Cemetery Road) for the 2025-2027 was reduced by around $3.2M.The budget for the project for 2025-2027 is now $0.37M, and $1.4M for the 2028 financial year.QLDC councillors approved the updated three-year transportation capital expenditure budget at the last full council meeting.The reprioritisation occurred because QLDC’s transportation budgets were approved by council when the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan was adopted in September, before NZTA funding was confirmed. The LTP had “included assumptions around the type and quantum of funding QLDC would receive from NZTA”.At the council meeting, councillors expressed frustration about the level of investment from NZTA.NZTA “really needs to come to the party in this district,” deputy mayor Quentin Smith said.A QLDC representative told the Wānaka App QLDC staff plan to work through priorities with the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board to agree where the remaining funding will be invested.PHOTO: Wānaka App