Wanaka Sun I Edition 1060 I 6th - 12th January 2022

Yoga instructor unhappy

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Watching the grebes

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New Year taxi rort THUR 06.01.22 - WED 12.01.22

Roy Pilott

editor@thewanakasun.co.nz

olice are investigating complaints taxi drivers were overcharging patrons in Wānaka over the New Year.

Sergeant Kim Chirnside said the drivers were from “out of town” and many were stopped by police.

Police learned of the taxi charging issue after multiple cases where exorbitant fares were charged.

Wānaka’s Yello cabs operations manager

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EDITION 1060

John Heaton said his company became aware of the issue after customers told drivers the fare they were being charged by his company was a fraction of what they had previously paid for the same journey.

There were reports of a $250 fare from Wānaka to Hāwea – five times over the odds – punters being quoted $50 then discovering $100 had been taken from their accounts, and one being told the $40 on the meter was the result of a fault in the unit and being charged $85.

John Heaton said one group thought they did

well to negotiate a fare down from $60 to $40 – for a journey which should have cost $20.

“My advice to people is to go to police. Digital transactions can be traced,” he said.

The New Year arrived with a wave of unsupervised and inebriated young people in the town centre – and alcohol was seized from some as young as 13.

Some avoided a fine – by writing essays about alcohol the following day.

In this week’s Crimeline column (See page 11) Sergeant Chirnside said most of the alcohol had

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been supplied by parents who were too trusting about where and when it would be consumed.

Police numbers swelled in Wānaka over the weekend and for the Rhythm and Alps concert where four arrests were made. They say among the drink-drivers caught was one who was clocked at more than 145km/h coming back from the concert at 2am.

The Wānaka waterfront saw a big gathering, even without firework festivities and police reported while the crowd was generally positive, “there were some unwanted aggressors”.

Tents moments

More than 6000 Rhythm and Alps festival goers camped in Cardrona for the concert ahead celebrating the arrival of 2022. We look at the event with more great pics by Ingmar Wein on Page 7 today.

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CAMERA CLUB ‘IN FOCUS’

The recipe to stun Landscape Photography is one of the most popular genres for most photographers and living in a region with so much natural beauty it is not surprising we want to get outdoors with our camera and capture its splendour.

There are three essential factors for achieving a great landscape picture - location, composition and good light. A technically perfect image of a boring location in drab lighting is never likely to make a stand-out image. But an awesome view, well composed with good lighting is a recipe for a stunning picture whatever camera or smartphone we use. Yet the reality of landscape photography is not only our own skill of seeing and composing an image but also on Mother Nature.

Whatever weather we encounter there will still be ways of capturing spectacular landscape pictures. Light is one of the most important factors in any photograph, but even more so in landscape photography. If the light doesn’t do the scene justice, then the image will be disappointing.

Indeed many keen photographers when they find a great location will return to the spot again when they believe the lighting to be perfect. The best light for landscapes is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, with the midday sun offering the harshest light. However part of the challenge of landscape photography is being able

PHOTO: Robert Richardson

The Wooing Tree.

to adapt to different lighting condition. Indeed great landscape images can be created in misty and cloudy days.

The key is to use the best light as much as possible and being able to influence the look and feel of our image with it. One of the goals when taking landscape photos is to get exceptionally sharp, clear, images. The exposure settings that we choose have a strong influence on this. Beginning with aperture, a mid-range setting of f8–f11 usually works well and produces the depth of field we need to keep nearly everything from the foreground to the background tack sharp. However if our landscape includes visual elements in

the foreground, middle and background, we might want to experiment with the aperture to achieve a certain creative effect.

For example to create a deep depth of field where all elements of the image, from the foreground to the background are in focus, we will want a higher aperture like f11 to f16. A shallower aperture can be a powerful creative tool, as it can isolate a particular element by keeping it pin-sharp while the rest of the image is blurred.

The type of lens we use is important because it changes the way we compose our Landscape photograph. There is no particular ‘right’ lens as each has own way of ‘seeing’ the world.

There are four main types of lenses commonly

used in landscape photography. These include wide angle lenses, standard zoom lenses, telephoto and prime lenses. Wide angle lenses are probably the most popular landscape lens.

Their focal length usually ranges from 14-35mm.

The reason for their popularity is because it allows us to capture a large area of view and long depth of field which is basically what most photographers want when photographing landscapes. These two qualities mean we will end up with images that are consistently sharp in focus from foreground to background.

Standard zoom lenses usually range from 2470mm. This lens is great when we want to improve compositions by placing emphasis on the subject by simply zooming in on it.

In landscape photography a telephoto zoom lens is really useful for more intimate scenes by tightening our composition and cutting out distractions.

A great landscape photo is Robert Richardson’s ‘Wooing Tree.’ The image was captured in late April shortly before sunset. The low angle of the sun to the left of the image gives a nice shadow, while the polarising filter Rob used, improves the colour saturation and contrast. Rob took his photo with a Canon 5D Camera with aperture set at f11 and a shutter speed of 1/20th second.

Wānaka Camera Club is dedicated to helping anyone interested in photography and we welcome anyone to join us. The club also runs day and weekend trips and courses.

Our next meeting is February 14, 7.30pm, St John Rooms, Link way.

– By Bob Moore

Today we present Bob Moore’s monthly column from the Wānaka Camera Club – alongside a selection of fabulous photos, all taken by club president Rob Norman.

At West Wānaka.

Winter at Coalpit dam.

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The Rees River.

In the Lindis.

Lake Alexandrina.

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Conspiracy theory rejected Clubs call for help

Yoga instructors in Wānaka are unhappy at being linked with Covid conspiracy theorists by a British newspaper.

In early December the owners of three studios told The Wānaka Sun they opposed the Government vaccine mandates as they believed that all individuals had the right to choose their own healthcare.

Nicci Huston of Hot Yoga Fusion, Prairie Pritchett, The Body Garage, and Susan Allen, Yoga Ground, released a statement saying the practice of yoga meant to join or unite and “telling people that they couldn't be a part of something so important for mental wellbeing, for physical wellbeing is just a step too far”.

All three studios subsequently closed.

The Guardian this week announced “many know Wānaka, a picturesque tourist town at the foot of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, for its most famous tree.

“The willow, which blooms uncannily from the glacial lake as if floating on water, represents different things for different people. For some, the miracles of a divine nature…”

It then turned to a link between yoga teachers and the Covid vaccine.

“Several calls to other yoga studios around the Auckland region indicate that some have lost as much as 40% of their instructors with the introduction of the mandates.”

The Guardian told readers that “wedged between photos of downwards dogs, glowing chakra, and well-lit crystal balls, high traffic wellness accounts have been leaving a granolacrumb path to more sinister conspiracy theories”.

It quoted journalist David Farrier linking the industry to anti vax “rhetoric”.

“If you’re looking at yoga or wellness, you

Susan Allen

The Guardian suggests some people think the Wānaka Tree is linked to miracles.

already have some pretty thriving accounts that are popular as it is. And what you find is that often it’s a subtle pivot, and sometimes a less subtle pivot, where these wellness accounts will be posting similar photos, but the captions underneath will start to include some incredibly strong anti vax rhetoric,” Farrier was quoted saying.

Susan Allen told The Wānaka Sun the story was insulting.

“It implies the yoga and wellness industry is run by idiots who are glued to social media and take on board anything they are fed,” she said.

“I don’t believe in the coercion of the mandate for the Covid vaccine – but I am not anti vax – I have travelled and been vaccinated many times over my life” she said.

“The Guardian’s article has completely missed the point that we closed because of the vaccine

mandates, to make a stand for the freedoms regular kiwis are having stripped away from them.

The author of the Guardian article obviously had his own personal agenda.”

She said the health and wellness industry was populated by people who were proactive in gathering information, doing research and asking questions.

“People who choose to make a living in the health and wellness industry earn their bread and butter, and reputations, from being well researched and well educated in their field.

Wellness is about asking questions, taking ownership of one’s own health and taking steps every day to ensure the longevity of one’s health and well-being.”

The suggestion and inference that yoga practitioners believe the Wānaka tree is a divine miracle is ridiculous, she said.

Two Wānaka organisations have put out SOS calls ahead of major events.

The Wānaka Yacht Club has called on members to lend a hand this evening ahead of their major three-day regatta starting tomorrow.

“We are needing a wee tidy up of the area around the Yacht Club so anyone who needs a bit of exercise with their mower/weed eater etc will be certainly welcome,” the club’s newsletter says.

The Mitre10 Mega Wānaka Roys Bay regatta and endurance races at the club start tomorrow (Friday).

And Holy Family School is also calling for help in preparing for the 15th Craigs Aspiring Art competition and exhibition running from January 14 to 18.

The school says it is short of hands for its longest running and biggest earning fundraiser and couriered artwork will arrive at the school tomorrow.

“There are a variety of jobs available, from unpacking/packing art, hanging art or working a shift on the daily exhibition,” the school’s newsletter this week said.

Meanwhile, it’s been a busy week for bowlers in Wānaka with the Fulton Hogan Wānaka Classic Men's 4's Invitational wrapping up today.

The event draws bowlers from all over the South Island – watch for our wrap of the event next week.

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A year for elections

The new year will see two sets of polls for New Zealanders to vote in.

Local government elections will be held under, in many cases, revised boundaries and with the addition of Māori wards.

A second major exercise in local democracy will be the triennial elections for school boards to be held mid-year.

Every state and integrated school in New Zealand has an elected board, a change that was instituted in the Tomorrow’s School reforms of the Labour government of David Lange.

School boards have significant responsibilities for the effective governance of the school. This means oversight of the school’s educational direction and responsibility for sound financial management. The board appoints the principal of the school. The principal is then responsible for the day-to-day management of school, and its staff, but the ultimate accountability for all aspects of the running of the school rests with the board.

Typically, each board will have five to seven members elected by eligible parents and caregivers. There is a member of the board elected by the staff of the school, and high schools also have a member elected by students. Boards can co-opt additional members as they see fit, and the school’s principal is also a board member.

Board meetings are held in public, and each board will have published policies and procedures that are available for all to see. Boards generally meet eight to 10 times a year, and a meeting allowance is paid.

The Chair of the board at Mount Aspiring College, Ian Hall, said the responsibilities of a board member are challenging, but are very

Off to the Solomons

Mike Clay

Dr Ian Hall is the chair of the Mount Aspiring College board.

rewarding as well.

“We’re fortunate to have an excellent board,” Dr Hall said. “We have robust discussions, but we are agreed on the expectations that we have for the school and its ongoing development”.

Board members at Mount Aspiring College at present are Dr Hall (Chair), Bridget Legnavsky (Deputy Chair), Ben Taylor (Chair, Finance

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Committee), Shona Brown, Ed Nepia, Mark Sinclair, Martin Toomey, Carter Hewson (student elected member), Roy Gawn (staff elected member), and Nicola Jacobsen (Principal).

Information on the roles and responsibilities of school board members can be found on the website of the New Zealand School Trustees Association at www.nsta.org.nz

Queenstown Airport’s General Manager, Operations and Safety, Mike Clay has taken up a new role in the Solomon Islands.

He left just before Christmas, one month shy of his seven-year anniversary, Korero magazine reported.

He will lead a project to take the aviation sector, 11 Government owned airports, Air Traffic Control and Aviation Security, out of Government control and set it up as a StateOwned Enterprise called Solomon Islands Airports Corporation.

During his time at Queenstown Airport he oversaw the introduction of after-dark flights, apron overlay, and the building and commissioning of The Hub, Queenstown Airport’s Operations Centre.

He was also a champion of safety and security and introduced systems.

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Singing out the year

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The biggest New Year party in the country was a hit for both festival goers and the region’s economy.

Rhythm & Alps ran over three glorious days on four stages in Cardrona Valley for 10,000 partygoers each day and had more than 6000 onsite campers.

Organisers say 70 per cent of festival goers came from Otago, Christchurch and Southland, and 10 per cent from Auckland.

There was drama on the eve of the event when several acts were ordered to self-isolate for seven days including UK-based DJ Friction, Sin Howard, duo Lee Matthews and Culture Shock.

Howard told followers she was “angry and heartbroken” after being named a close contact of English DJ Robert Etheridge, known as Dimension. His failure to wait for a clearance after tests resulted in an Omicron scare in Auckland.

“Just want to take a moment to acknowledge the amount of artists who have been stripped of their livelihoods within the last 24 hours,” Howard told her followers.

Rhythm and Alps organisers recruited Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Upbeats, Rubi Du, MC Slave and Nice Girl as replacements.

They joined Filth, Kora, L.A.B, Montell2099, Muroki, Paige Julia, Salmonella Dub, Tiki Taane, Scribe & P Money, and Shapeshifter.

A fireworks display rang in 2022 – sight denied residents in Wānaka because of logistical difficulties.

Pictured: 2022 arrived with a bang as Shapeshifter was on stage. Photographers Ingmar Wein and Lucas Perelini captured all the action, the crowd at the Sonarchy stage, the audience in the front row, Muroki entertaining, Fat Freddy’s Drop, the DJ performing at the Boombox, the happy concert goers and Kora on the Alpine stage.

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PAGE 7

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The year that was...

Benjamin Wilson completes his look back on an eventful year as viewed through the Wānaka Sun lens – today he reviews the months July to December.

thewanakasun.co.nz Golden times

Go ahead and Jump Champs here to train.

Food Producers Awards.

MAC students Maddi Frazer, Abby East, Whitney Bennett, Tegan Labes and Dylan Rimmer launched Sprout Tonic, a sustainable, seaweed based, indoor plant fertilizer. And the Wānaka and Queenstown Waste Management centres started accepting child car seats for recycling.

The Central Lake Trusts announced $1.5 million worth of grants to 18 recipients, including Wānaka Riding for the Disabled, the Wānaka Rowing Club and Dunstan Hospital.

MAC students raised almost $30,000 in the 40Hour Famine challenge. 25 Upper-Clutha Forest and Bird volunteers planted 110 native trees in the old farm north of Makarora. And 7-year-old Lochie Win began his incredible 5-week long ski adventure, raising money for the Cancer Society Hikuwai residents told the Wānaka Sun they

had not received any NZ Post deliveries since last September. “It’s a story that’s long overdue,” said resident Jacqueline Slavich. Two weeks after the initial story broke, NZ Post began to deliver mail to Hikuwai once again. Residents of other subdivisions spoke of similar postal woes.

Sergeant Kim Chirnshide called Wānaka’s drink driving rates “alarmingly high.” The vaccine rollout opened to group 4 and became available to people over 60 years old. The Trans-Tasman bubble paused, resulting in Lake Wānaka Tourism Manager, Tim Burke, calling it a “real blow” to local businesses. Meanwhile, Wānaka ski and hospitality workers maintained their struggle to find local accommodation.

To finish with a heart warmer, the month also saw resident Barbara Cruikshank celebrate her 105th birthday at Enliven Elmslie House.

Wānaka’s New Worlds. Owners of both New Worlds expressed their gratitude for the altruistic act.

Prior to the lockdown hitting, the Wānaka Sled Dog competition was cancelled due to dangerous weather and trail conditions. The event was cancelled last year as well, due to Covid-19. Fourwheel drive vehicles caused damage to Albert Town’s new Hāwea River Track, after being open for only six weeks. Wānaka’s Artisan Markets saw a dramatic reduction in stallholders and vape use became apparent at MAC. A Bullock Creek storm water pond overflowed twice in a week, causing residents to complain.

An illegal poison bait drop between Bremner Bay and Beacon Point was cleared up by QLDC. Unfortunately, several dogs were killed before the poison was removed. A local landowner was thought to be responsible.

Tragically, Matt Davison, who owned Wānaka’s

Caltex Service Station, died while working at his Caltex carwash.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to MAC staff and students, expressing his excitement of MAC’s $46 million new block development. And MAC students contributed to 210 hours of volunteer community work during their teacher only day.

A total of $4000 was raised for the Otago Westpac Rescue Helicopter by a competition held at the Wānaka Golf Course, which saw 72 golfers from 13 schools compete. Team Craighead from Timaru won the grand trophy.

Local businesses excelled again; Wildwire Wānaka was one of the 12 Qualmark 100% Pure New Zealand Experience winners. And Hāwea’s Eco-dome retreat won the award for best new build over $100,000 at the annual Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand Awards.

for the second year in a row. Tim Burke said the cancellation was “another example of the significant impact Covid-19 and lockdown are having on our economy, business and individuals.”

A Lake Wakatipu stream that turned bright green last month was found to be the victim of an ill-conceived prank. Vandals caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage in the Hikuwai subdivision. Rubbish was dumped into Waterfall Creek. And the Auckland couple, William Willis and Hannah Rawnsley, gained mass media

attention after they travelled from Hamilton to Wānaka, breaching Covid-19 restrictions.

Some more lows included, the stray cat population in Northlake exploding and Ode owner Lucas Parkinson closing his awardwinning restaurant after five years of ownership.

The lockdown also saw seven-year-old Lochie Win and his father Luke return home early from their five-week ski adventure. During their journey the pair raised $12,500 for the Cancer Society, surpassing the $10,000 they raised last year.

Proud to support the Upper Clutha since 2000

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EDITION 1033

Mail shock for Hikuwai residents Lauren Prebble

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

July was a mixed bag with a quirky slant. Wānaka Freemasons invited the community to their Dunmore Street Lodge. Over 200 farmers fired up their utes and tractors in downtown Wānaka as a part of a nationwide Groundswell protest.

A wallaby was killed in the Kakanui Mountains, sparking bio-security concerns. And the Cardona Alpine Resort finally opened after receiving fresh dumpings of snow.

Local food and wine producers showed their mettle throughout. Kai Pai Bakery won gold for their Chicken and Vegetable pie at the Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards. Valli Gibbston Vineyard won the International Wine Challenge’s Sustainable Trophy, and the New Zealand Red Trophy, for their 2019 Pinot Noir. And Wānaka chef, Gus Hayden, won the Farro Earth Champion title in the 2021 Outstanding NZ

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I

t’s a story that’s long overdue”.

These are the words from miffed Hikuwai resident Jacqueline Slavich.

She and other homeowners in the Hikuwai subdivision have been without NZ Post deliveries since they moved into their new home in September.

“The builder built a letterbox... we assumed to put the letterbox up,” she said.

Soon after Jacqueline received mail - it was a formal announcement explaining why the post would no longer get through.

The letter said New Zealand Post was committed to providing “a sustainable mail and parcel delivery service for New Zealand” and “as part of the ongoing sustainability of New Zealand Post we are looking at how we deliver mail into all new subdivisions”.

Its preferred option for Hikuwai was to cluster mail boxes around a central point in the subdivision.

“Currently there is no mail delivery to your subdivision,” the letter continued.

“Implementation of mail delivery is being investigated. In the meantime, please do not erect a mailbox until this process has been completed”.

Jaqueline understood a “a bank of letterboxes” would be available by March.

“Then March came and went.”

For the meantime, the 150 households in the Hikuwai subdivision were required to redirect post to the nearest PO Box outlet.

“People don’t like things sprung on them,” says Jacqueline.

NZ Post’s nationwide “new identity” rollout was announced on Monday. Standard post will

“

JULY

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Twin win for Gus.

be rolled in with courier services - branding for the exercise has reportedly cost $15 million.

In response to questions from The Wānaka Sun a NZ Post spokesperson said the changes to the look of the NZ Post brand was not an organisational restructure, “and mail delivery to the Hikuwai development in Wānaka was in no way related to the shift to a single brand”.

NZ Post did apologise to the residents in Hikuwai.

“The Hikuwai subdivision is one of a number of new developments in Queenstown Lakes District and Central Otago where we are requesting developers and residents to cluster their letter boxes. We need to make sure that the way we deliver mail to New Zealanders is financially sustainable and clustered letter boxes for new developments is an important step to ensure NZ Post can deliver mail to these areas.

“We have been in discussion with the Hikuwai subdivision developer about clustering letterboxes.”

But it seems that information was lost in the post for Hikuwai developer Lee Brown.

He says there was no correspondence with him about the postal change.

“We had absolutely no idea that NZ Post would not be delivering to Hikuwai. There is no land set aside for cluster boxes, obviously, because like all other residential subdivisions in Wānaka the mail does and should get delivered to your mailbox outside your gate,” he said.

Surrounding subdivisions North Lake and Albert Town continue with a door to door postal service, while Hikuwai residents, nestled in between an existing postal circuit, have their post transferred to PO Boxes.

“We are a residential subdivision surrounded by residential on the Wānaka side and residential on the Albert town side,” Lee Brown said “The

The post won't get through to Hikuwai.

natural boundary for Wānaka has always been the Clutha River.

“We do not support cluster boxes and all of the residents that I have spoken to, who live in Hikuwai, would prefer their mail delivered to their house.”

Jacqueline Slavich says she wholly understands the need for NZ Post to re-address

their faltering postal industry - but the absence of the letterbox has caused headaches for her athome sewing service.

“It seems ridiculous. They come to Northlake… they drive straight pass… We’re just a little puddle in the middle”.

Copies of The Wānaka Sun for Hikuwai residents are available from Monkey Farm.

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Lochie’s new target Proud to support the Upper Clutha since 2000 PAGE 09

Hikuwai’s got mail THUR 15.07.21 - WED 21.07.21

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EDITION 1035

AUGUST August had its rays of light, but they were mostly overshadowed by the re-emergence of Covid-19, which started an ongoing theme of cancellations and frustrations.

The arrival of the Delta variant caused the whole country to be plunged back into an Alert Level 4 lockdown. The lockdown was a blow to the start of an optimistic ski season, as earlier in the month the Cardrona Ski Resort opened new ski terrain for the first time in 10 years.

Ignite Wānaka Chairman Andrew Howard said “the timing of this lockdown is terrible and is absolutely challenging.”

Presenter Matty Mclean was also forced to cancel his planned morning Breakfast Show at Lake Hāwea, due to the alert level change.

Following the Alert Level 4 announcement, Ardmore Street Dominoes cooked up enough pizzas for the soon-to-be busy staff of both of SEPTEMBER Wānaka battled the Covid-19 lockdown as a community in August. Messages of positivity painted on rocks began to pop up around Wānaka, produced by another anonymous herald of inspiration. And Upper Clutha Plunket supported families by hosting a series of educational and creative sessions online.

MAC students began to face the challenges of athome education. Their Principal, Nicola Jacobsen, said she was “really impressed with how well people had coped.” And an ACC report revealed that at-home injuries in Otago totalled a staggering $275 million worth of pay-outs across the past five years. Isaac Carlson, the Head of Injury prevention at ACC, said it was especially important to keep homes safe in the current Covid-19 environment.

Despite the challenges of Covid-19, growth in Wānaka remained steady. 20 volunteers, organised

by Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust, planted 200 native trees in the Albert Town Reserve. Conservation Minister, Kiritapu Allan, announced $3 million in funding for a new predator control project in Lake Wānaka and Whakatipu.

The QLDC voted to keep the Wānaka Community Board. Hāwea Flat school announced upgrades planned for the school, including four new classrooms. And Stage Three of the Wānaka Lakefront Development was completed.

The Crankworx Summer Series 2021 was announced to have events in Queenstown, Cardrona and Wānaka, from November 27 to December 12. But unfortunately, the highly anticipated ski festival, Snowboxx, was cancelled

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An ode to Ode

Happy birthday to both of us

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Lockdown rocks...

UC-exit support grows THUR 09.09.21 - WED 15.09.21

his moves – and he was expecting to see national television coverage on the issue this week.

Wānaka has three elected lakes district ānaka councillors say they understand councillors, and while they are prepared to talk about the issue, none would give a definitive yes for Upper Clutha to divorce Queenstown or no when asked whether or not they supported the petition.

Lakes District Council.

As the community mulls over going alone, the But deputy-mayor Calum MacLeod has warned that separations are not simple, pointing council itself is in the midst of a representation to the “Brexit fiasco” which surrounded Britain’s review which includes, as one option, abandoning the only Community Board under its wing – move to leave the European Union.

Almost 1600 people have now the petition, a Wānaka.

The three Wānaka representatives are Calum number which would triggering an investigation MacLeod, who is also deputy-mayor, Quentin by the Local Government Commission.

The commission becomes part of the scenario Smith and Niamh Shaw “If you look at the Brexit fiasco - there was once 10 per cent of voters signed the petition. It would then consider whether the Upper Clutha a great desire to leave Europe but the reality should become a separate district, independent of doing that was not fully explored,” Calum MacLeod said. from QLDC, with its own local authority.

As to his personal position – “I am duty bound The man behind the petition, Dean Rankin, said the petition was continuing to receive strong to retain an open mind”.

He noted central government was carrying out support. The long-standing Wānaka resident’s profile has been given a significant lift as a result of a Representation Review and the initial feedback

Viv Milsom

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

Who is behind these stones with the positive messages?

Daisy Watford

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

he search is on for an artist who has been sharing messages of positivity across the community.

Inspirational quotes have been painted onto rocks and placed in and around Wānaka over the last week.

The rocks have been popping up across the town centre and some of them have even made their way to Kirimoko.

Residents say the messages have provided an air of optimism during the Covid-19 lockdown period.

T

The Wānaka Sun has been on a mission to discover the “kind hearted human” who has been sharing the love around town. But despite best efforts, the mystery continues.

One local resident suggested that the Knitsy Wānaka team could be behind it but they recently informed the Wānaka Sun that they are currently overseas.

Our second tip off led us to a local Wānaka student, Renon Sasaki, who hangs up heartwarming messages in the lakefront trees at Christmas time.

Renon’s mother, Yumi, confirmed that she did not create the rock messages.

“Renon did hang her handmade message cards on the trees at lakeside every Christmas day and some other time, but she didn't create it on the stones. What a wonderful act to give a smile to people during the lockdown period. It’s awesome,” Yumi said.

In response to a post on social media calling on the community to spread the word, Megan Webster suggested that there could be more than one person behind the idea.

“You probably will never find out. Adults and kids paint rocks and put them out for others to find,” she said.

While the artist remains unknown, the rocks

have brought a smile to many Wānaka residents.

Builder Sean Minors spotted a rock on his way to New World at the weekend.

“It’s such a nice gesture. It was a dull morning and seeing that actually lifted my spirits. The artist had clearly written the message to cheer people up during lockdown. They should keep it up.”

Rocks New Zealand is a nationwide Facebook Group that encourages people to paint and place rocks throughout their communities.

Anyone who finds a rock can then take a photo and share it to the group, in the hope that the artist may come forward.

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EDITION 1038

Board feels ‘demoted’ Lauren Prebble

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

ocal body reorganisation plans have exposed an eroding relationship between.

Wānaka Community Board and its parent body.

Submissions on a proposal to scrap the board close tomorrow and its chairman Barry Bruce has already suggested it has not received enough support from Queenstown Lakes District Council.

An independent representation review earlier this year concluded a proposed Wānaka-Hāwea Ward, with an additional councillor, would

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provide adequate representation.

But board members this week echoed Bruce’s comments that the Wānaka community would not be adequately presented with a fourth councilor and two said they felt shut out of discussions concerning the community.

“We were not included in the Wānaka Airport sale to QAC in 2016… or the proposed large Film Studio near Wānaka Airport that was signed off this year - the list goes on,” board member Jude Batton “This did not used to happen.”

She believes the board has been strategically demoted and there is a need for training and support from the council staff. She has penned

a comment piece for The Wānaka Sun which appears on Page 8.

Deputy Chairman Ed Tayor believes there is a lack of trust from council when it comes to making decisions on behalf of the rate payer.

“If there is no change then I believe the Community Board will struggle to be as effective as it could be,” he said.

But Deputy Mayor Calum MacLeod who has represented council on the Community Board for three terms believes delegation has not changed, “times have changed”.

He thinks a capable councillor at full council meetings would be more effective in

terms of community representation than the Community Board.

“It should go,” he said.

The only board member not to express an opinion on the board's future is Niamh Shaw who wants to leave it to the public to have a say.

Queenstown mayor Jim Boult said the board did a good job, but questioned whether the public would think they would be better served by having four “enthused” councillors.

Submitters on the plan who asked to be heard will have their say, in public, in Queenstown on August 25 and Wānaka the following day. The council is scheduled to discuss the issue in mid September.

New terrain opens Lauren Prebble

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

Skiers and Snowboarders on Cardrona Ski Resort can now explore a new line in the untouched Soho ski area Willow's Basin is on the southern face of Mt Cardrona and it is the first time in 10 years that the ski resort has introduced a new terrain to the public. The last recorded terrain opening was Valley View.

The 63ha area of Soho basin is reached from the top of McDougalls via the Skyline Trail. The terrain is said to be suitable for intermediate and advanced skiers.

James McDonald, who is holidaying from New Plymouth, lined up with 30 others at the bottom of the run to catch one of the first chair lifts back up.

“I only came up today because of the opening. The piste just doesn't do it for me, I knew there would be more challenging stuff over here.”

He liked the steepness of the bowl and that it was ungroomed and skiers had to find ‘the pow-pow’.

Work on the project took a turn when native lizards and geckos were found to be in the area of Pringles terrain and the Department of Conservations declared the area nationally-significant site for alpine lizards.

For the domestic travellers, like Aucklander Paul Carter, new terrain will keep them interested for years to come.

“It’s my second year in a row we’ve been down in Cardrona.

It’s a great thing that they keep adding to the mountain.”

Agnes Delereu and James McDonald get off the Willow Chairlift.

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Proud to support the Upper Clutha since 2000 PAGE 9

Silver rider

Calum MacLeod

Niamh Shaw

he had would suggest the country was heading for larger Councils – akin to regional bodies – not smaller units.

“I do feel generally that there is strength in numbers. We will always have a stronger voice nationally as a larger group.”

Quentin Smith backed an investigation into different options, “but I am under no illusion that there are significant challenges to succeeding and forming our own Council.”

He said it came as no surprise that Upper Clutha residents did not think being part of the QLDC was the best way forward.

“The pros are self-evident, in that we would be in charge of our own decision making and funding to the extent that local government has mandate - but there are cons and challenges as well that we need to understand.”

He said those challenges included the financial implications of such a move, the impact on rates, borrowing and capacity for investment and the economies of scale structurally.

He also said in most sectors the Upper Clutha has been “really poorly served by centralisation… centralisation though three waters, RMA reform and local government reform are a scary prospect for Wānaka.”

Niamh Shaw said it was clear people “in this area, particularly the smaller communities” were not happy with the way they were being represented at present and felt the QLDC was not adequately serving the Upper Clutha.

“I am fully supportive of a review and investigation of the representation of the Upper

Clutha District by the Local Government Commission. I will also be advocating that QLDC thoroughly considers the community feedback from the Representation Review.

“This petition and the Representation Review are louder echoes of what this community has been saying for some time.

She said she was undecided whether splitting from QLDC would be the best solution.

“Having experienced the scale and complexity of what the QLDC deals with on a daily basis, I believe establishing a standalone council would be a mammoth project. I am supportive of changes to improve the current system, whether that be a fully supported and enabled Community Board, and/or a greater concentration of staff in the Upper Clutha.”

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EDITION 1039

Quentin Smith

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Ellesse with mum, Angela Mote-Andrews, representing Mount Aspiring College.

Daisy Watford

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

rom sipping hot chocolate at the Tarras Country Cafe to standing on the podium of the Tokyo Olympics, it's safe to say that Ellesse Andrews has come a long way since her time here in Wānaka.

The former MAC student claimed silver in the women’s keirin at the Izu Velodrome last Thursday, behind Shanne Braspennincx from

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Ellesse in action in Tokyo

The Netherlands.

Staff and students from Wānaka Primary celebrated the former pupil's success during a school assembly on Friday.

"Ellesse encapsulates all of the attributes she showed whilst she was at the school," Principal Wendy Bamford said.

"She is a positive, highly engaged learner and achiever and fully deserves the success at the Olympics."

While the 21 year old now resides in

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1600 names on petition W the strong support for a petition calling

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Inspired in Rotorua

PAGE 11 DELIVERED AND FREE

rejoiced over the announcement. “What a simple sensible decision… this will make a lot of people happy”.

While New Zealand Post adjusted their outlook for Hikuwau, the spokesperson said it was difficult to maintain a sustainable delivery system as suburban merges with rural boundaries to accommodate growth.

“We need to make sure that the way we deliver mail to New Zealanders is financially sustainable and clustered letter boxes for new developments is an important step to ensure NZ Post can deliver mail to these areas.”

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Proud to support the Upper Clutha since 2000

PAGE 5

or Alberttown.

But that dialogue happened without the knowledge from Hikuwai developer Lee Brown.

“We had absolutely no idea that New Zealand Post would not be delivering to Hikuwai. There is no land set aside for cluster boxes,” he said.

In their statement, New Zealand Post said they consulted with the developer about the clustering letterboxes at the entrance but their discussions were “unsuccessful”.

Regardless, Mr Brown said the news was a great outcome.

Aggrieved Hikuwai resident Jacqueline

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EDITION 1042

But this week New Zealand Post has revealed it is working with a contractor to introduce a traditional service.

“We hope to have this postal service up and running within three months. To have post delivered, Hikuwai residents will have to erect a mailbox in a suitable location and as per NZ Post’s mailbox specifications.”

New Zealand Post told the Hikuwai residents last September that their mail was no longer going to be delivered and for homeowners not to install a letterbox. Mail was to be transferred to an allocated PO Box in either Wānaka Central

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wo week after “The Last Post” Hikuwai residents are being told by New Zealand Post to buy letterboxes.

The Wānaka Sun reported at the start of the month, under the Last Post headline that postal services to the new subdivision in Wānaka would go to a community collection of post boxes rather than individual homes.

The move caught both residents and the developer on the hop.

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Vaccine rate latest

Lauren Prebble

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

T

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The post will be through to Hikuwai after all.

Cambridge, her parents Jon Anderson and mother Angela Mote-Anderson said that Wānaka is where her cycling journey began.

“Wānaka has always been a very special place for our family. I would spend almost every summer holiday there as a kid,” Jon said.

At age nine, Ellesse moved to Luggate with her parents and sister Zoe after Angela secured a job as Head of Music at Mount Aspiring College.

“As soon as we got to Wānaka we really felt at home. We love being outdoors and we’d spend

a lot of time with the kids in the mountains and enjoying outdoor adventures,” Angela said.

Ellesse attended Wānaka Primary where she joined the school netball team and developed a passion for dance.

It was actually Ellesse's love for dance that helped fuel her interest in biking.

“She had already shown a lot of promise so we made a deal with her that if she went out on her bike, she could do another dance class” Jon said.

Continued on page 2

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Sun News

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All that glisters is not gold

OCTOBER

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National and local government issues dominated the news throughout October. The New Zealand Government issued 165,000 residential visas, which was welcomed by Wānaka business and tourism leaders. And the Three Waters Reform was forced ahead by the Government, to the dismay of many local body leaders. Central Otago Mayor, Tim Cadogan, called the move disappointing, but not surprising.

Super Shot Saturday went ahead on October 16. 10,000 vaccine doses were administered to the Southern District Health Board’s population, pushing the district to a first-dose vaccination rate of 86%. The Government’s Covid-19 traffic light system was also announced, which stirred controversy with the introduction of mandatory vaccine certificates. And Rhythm and Alps announced early that vaccination certificates would

be required to attend their December festival.

The Wānaka Lakefront Development boardwalk saw 300 people attend its opening ceremony. Later in the month QLDC released its plans for the fifth stage of the Lakefront Development, calling for community feedback.

The 2021 Summer Vineyard Series was announced to play at Queenstown’s Kinross Vineyard on November 27. 60 free all-day carparks in Anderson Road were converted to free one-hour parks. The Upper Clutha Environmental Society opposed a Second Star Ltd build planned for Damper Bay. Twelve MAC students received $2500 Central Lakes Trust scholarships for further education in 2021. And job vacancies continued to increase due to the pandemic. Job finder, Seek, revealed 81 listings in Wānaka.

Three friends, Amanda Mitchell, Carmen Lintsen and Laura Carleton, cycled, ran, and walked 1000km for Step Up for Ovarian Cancer.

The trio’s journey was inspired by their friend Kate Spackman who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. And Rob Hutching, who swam the 256km length of Clutha River last year, published a book about his triumph. The book was titled “Downriver Nomad: A triathlete’s Adventures and Adversities into the Rapids”.

In sport, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous were jointly named the Snow Sports NZ Overall Athlete of the Year. Queenstown Lakes alpine ski racer, Alice Robinson, finished 11th in the Audi FIS Giant Shalom World Cup season opener in Austria. And MAC’s under-16 football team won silver in Dunedin’s regional Under-16 Football Tournament.

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EDITION 1047

Movie town: changed Wānaka won’t cope community group has warned of a pending uproar over ambitious plans to turn Wānaka into a “movie town”.

Silverlight Studios plans to establish a film studio and tourism activities on 322ha adjacent to State Highway 6 about 7km east of Wānaka.

The development will include a sound stage lot with up to 10 sound stages.

The project is reportedly budgeted at close to $300 million. An Economic Impact Assessment report says construction of the studio may well create “just under 2300 jobs”.

“This application, if approved, will have the same sort of impact as that of CIAL (Christchurch International Airport) building an international jet airport at Tarras. If that goes ahead, the Tarras community will be destroyed forever. Will the same thing happen to us?” a submission to the Environmental Protection Authority’s Expert Consenting Panel from the Mt Barker Residents Association reads.

“Silverlight seems to believe that the Upper Clutha community will want this development, based on the number of jobs it plans to bring to the Upper Clutha Basin. There is no shortage of jobs in the Upper Clutha; in fact the opposite is true - there is a shortage of skilled workers and houses for them to live in.

“If, despite our genuine and serious concerns, the application is to be approved, we need to know how Silverlight intends to mitigate the impact of an additional 4000-plus people moving to the Upper Clutha. We currently don’t have enough accommodation or infrastructure to cope with such a huge increase.”

“If this application goes ahead with approval for any tourism related activities, the uproar from the local community will be significant.

The submission noted Wānaka was a

A

An artist’s impression showing the scale of the Silverlight proposal.

lifestyle town.

“People grew up here or moved here because they like the lifestyle elements. Allowing a Universal Studios-like town to be built at Corbridge Downs will change the nature of Wānaka forever. It will become a movie town. To date the Wānaka community has not been allowed to have any say about that proposed change.”

The Association highlighted Wānaka’s community spirit – referring to the opposition to a proposal to scrap its Community Board, a call for the town to break away from Queenstown Lakes and the successful legal opposition by the Wānaka Shareholders Group against efforts to transfer to lease to the town’s airport to the district council to Queenstown Airport Corporation.

But the association has taken a pragmatic view of the likelihood of the project failing to win approval. It looked forward to considering the evolution of plans pertaining to the core creative enterprise proposed.

“At a minimum, approval of the application must be on the condition that Silverlight pays for the increased infrastructure costs and provides means of active transport for walkers and cyclists connected to the planned Upper Clutha network… to gain social license the commitments Silverlight needs to make to the local community should be far greater, permanently structured and far more closely aligned with the collective values of the community that currently lives here.

The Association said it understood there may be benefits in diversifying the South Island’s

economy, but “to us it is only the actual creative enterprise associated with film production that has any positive value to our community”.

A bevy of organisations have asked Silverlight to provide a 2.9km shared pathway from the intersection of highways 6 and 84 to the studios, as a condition of an Expert Consenting Panel granting any fast-track consent development proceeding.

The Upper Clutha Tracks Trust said initial conversations with Silverlight Studios and their advisers has been positive.

Simon Telfer of Active Transport Wānaka said safe and climate friendly walking and biking was a priority for the Wānaka community.

“There’s now an expectation that developers enhance the town’s active transport, both within their development and connecting to the wider network. It’s all part of the social licence of doing business in our town.”

The Upper Clutha Environmental Society “in general supports” the Silverlight application because it believes the social and economic benefits that will accrue to the district, especially in terms of employment and economic diversity, far outweigh adverse landscape effects.

The submission, in the name of secretary Julian Haworth, says in making its assessment it took into account the 35-residence subdivision already consented to on the subject site “which itself will have significant adverse effects on landscape values”.

“However the Society assesses the Silverlight subject site to be of strategic importance to the sustainable management of the Upper Clutha in that it is immediately adjacent to outstanding natural landscape-the Clutha River Corridor. This must be taken into account when consideration is given to granting consent.”

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NOVEMBER

Mind the falcons

Wānaka was vibrant with activity in November.

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult began the month confident the district would hit a 95 percent vaccination rate by Christmas. Groundswell held another protest, which saw 370 people attend.

Judy Young and volunteers raised $4,300 for breast cancer during the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal.

And 1500 people took park in Wānaka’s six-day Wao Summit, with the goal “mainstreaming sustainability and fostering diversity.”

Community action was yet again prevalent.

The Central Otago Council launched their ‘Spare Room, Spare Time’ campaign, encouraging locals with spare rooms to lend a hand to the seasonal workers struggling to find accommodation. And the advisory group, Shaping our Future, held a forum at the Hāwea Community Centre, asking residents to pitch in on the community’s longterm plans.

The schools showed off their eco-friendliness.

MAC’s Green Team dedicated a day for staff

and students to get to the school using an environmentally friendly form of transport. And 11 Hāwea Flat School students teamed up with Waste Free Wanda to create a video entry for the Rinse Recycle Repeat NZ Competition.

MAC also held its annual senior awards ceremony. Jess Carswell was named dux, Emma Davies was named proxime accessit and Lucy Fenton was the best all round student. And Oscar Searle, from Wānaka Primary school, was a recipient of the 2021 Blake Young Leader Award.

QLDC opened a pop-up library in Wānaka’s Recreation Centre, due to renovations taking place at the main library. The Wānaka Chamber of Commerce postponed its annual gala to next April, due to an uncertainty of Covid-19 restrictions. The Otago Regional Council adopted its new Significance, Engagement and Māori Participation Policy, He Mahi Rau Rika.

And an Armistice Day Remembrance Service was held at Chalmers Street War Memorial.

Wānaka GP and former winter Olympian Mark Edmond left Aspiring Medical Centre over the Government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

He was one of more than 1,300 health workers who did the same. His comments about the vaccine drew a massive response over the next fortnight. Councillor Niamh Shaw had a near miss with a child and recounted her experience to her Facebook followers. And Queenstown Lakes Council Chief Executive, Mike Theelan, was given a 5.5 percent increase in pay, increasing his annual salary to $376,289.

In sport, Wānaka took home 11 medals during the 2021 NZ Masters rowing regatta. Elaine Herbert, Alison Hebbard, Yvonne Gale and Val Ransom were crowned the 2021 Wānaka Bowling Club champions. Coast to Coast Champion Simone Maier won the women’s title at the OSM Wānaka Multi for the second year in a row. And Oisin Corbett was crowned the 2021 Wānaka Squash Club Junior Champion.

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No vax, no show

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EDITION 1048

Board walk: be proud

PHOTOS: Queenstown Lakes District Counicl

Community Board chair Barry Bruce and district mayor mayor Jim Boult did the honours at the ribbon cutting ceremy.

ommunity Board chair Barry Bruce says Wānaka should be proud of the latest stage of the Lake Front development.

He and Queenstown District mayor Jim Boult cut the ribbon to formally open the third stage of the project at a ceremony which attracted about 300 people – who just missed the rain – on Monday.

Ngai Tahu representatives Paulette Tamati-Elliffe

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and Komene Cassidy also spoke at the opening.

The new development includes a boardwalk, shared pathway and 4000 new native plants between the Dinosaur Park and marina.

“The result is a testimony to the original concepts, consultations, final plans and construction that honours the history of our region and respects our environment,” Barry Bruce said.

“Without exception the comments I received from people who attended the opening ceremony were positive and enthusiastic.

“Of particular note to me was the ability shown

by Reset Urban Design to relate and understand our Wānaka history and environment combined with the amazing skills of Blakely Construction to undertake the physical works.”

He said it was an honour to share the opening

of the Stage 3 Lake Front redevelopment with the Mayor Jim Boult today.

“The official opening of this stage was the culmination of a huge effort by many people over a number of years.

“I am confident our QLDC Management and staff have selected the best people in design and construction and I eagerly look forward to getting the other Lake Front Development stages underway.”

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Close call for councillor

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DECEMBER

The four tops do it again

Covid-19’s effect on businesses and events was compounded in December. Destination Queenstown reported that $30 million in business events had been cancelled.

Queenstown Lakes District Council cancelled their 2021 New Year’s Gathering. January’s Ruby Swim was also cancelled. Wānaka’s Youth Hostel closed. And Tarras Country Café closed because of its owner’s disagreements with the vaccine mandate.

However, contrary to Covid-19’s gloom, Wānaka was far from stationary. Rhythm and Alps sold out, requiring vaccine certificates for entry. Hāwea volunteers gave the Lake Hāwea Community Centre a Christmas sprucing. The Wānaka Food Security Network launched two new produce stands in Upper Clutha. And Zoi wins with style

Wānaka Library’s ‘Shelve your Fine’ had its 10th anniversary, giving readers amnesty for their book fines throughout December.

Riot Games, the creators of ‘League of Legends’, gave WAI Wānaka a US$10,000 grant to continue their environmental work.

Queenstown’s $19 million recreation ground wastewater pump station was completed. And Queenstown Airport welcome passengers from Auckland for the first time in twelve months.

The Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital had its grand opening. And Countdown opened a new Wānaka Metro store on Ardmore St. Wānaka Primary School held their end of year show, Rock Bottom. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the show could not be viewed live by parents and was recorded instead.

Piggy back, bird style

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Santa, snowman, tree and a giraffe are welcoming Christmas to Wānaka.

elinda Donaldson has been dubbed the Christmas light fairy.

The swimming coach who moved south to Wānaka from Auckland three years ago has pursued two passions in her new hometown – and blended them.

For the last three years she has adorned her home with Christmas lights, “waterfalls”, Santa and blowup Christmas trees, snowmen and... a giraffe.

And it’s all for the children, she says.

Wānaka Swim Club members gather at Belinda’s home before Christmas to see the lights and for a session of

B

Christmas Carols – this year with Roger North on guitar and coach Cameron Stanley on violin.

And as her collection of lights and Christmas goodies has grown, so too has the popularity of her Infinity Drive home as a must see on the Christmas lights list.

“A few more people are doing it here each year,” says Belinda. “I love to see other people doing it – the children just love it, and older people walk past my hedge, and they enjoy it too.”

Chris Hill told the Wānaka Community Discussion Forum: “absolutely fantastic to see this

Christmas spirit. You really gave me a big lift last night after a really tough year.”

And Elizabeth Rose chimed in with complimentary comments about the carols… “Belinda Donaldson is Christmas light fairy”.

A fairy with lots of elves, it has to be said.

Fellow swim coaches Jackson Reardon (chimney duty) and Cameron Stanley and Belinda’s husband Malcolm (roof waterfall technician) do some of the heavy lifting when it’s time to set the stage – as do young members of the swim club who are on light duty.

“And the children come back when it’s time to take the lights down and help put them away,” Belinda said.

For 11 months of the year the Christmas lights and displays are stored in the attic. For the festive season they are outside – while the boxes are stacked in the garage, where there is no room for cars.

“I’m 60 now - but I’m a kid a heart,” Belinda explains. *The Sun will be in letterboxes again on December 30 and January 6 - send your Festive season pictures to editor@thewanakasun.co.nz and we’ll publish a selection of them.

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Grants list worth close to $1 million

Otago Community Trust has announced it will plough over $950,000 into projects in its last funding round for 2021.

The major grant, $300,000, was awarded to the Transition to Work Trust to support a new partnership with Innovate HQ to continue delivering the Mana Rangatahi programme, dedicated to supporting pathways for youth aged 18 to 24.

Trust chair Diccon Sim said Otago Community Trust trustees were particularly impressed with the success of the Mana Rangatahi programme. He said its close alignment with the Trust’s strategic priority of raising resilience and capacity of youth in Otago gave rise to a strong case for support.

A $200,000 grant to Catholic Social Services was also awarded to help the construction of a new Family Support Centre in Dunedin.

Mike Tonks, director of Catholic Social Services said the social service agency was excited to be advancing the new build.

“The project is particularly focused on providing better spaces for family focused services,” he said.

A total of seven Wānaka groups were among more than 50 organisations recognised in the lates round of grants.

– See who they were on Page 3.

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THE WĀNAKA SUN

EDITION 1059

Olympic dream in the balance

Campbell Wright has just over two weeks to seal a Winter Olympics berth.

is sport of choice has a low profile in New Zealand. He runs on the smell of a proverbial oily rag – and the Americans are eyeing him for a place in their future Winter Olympics squads.

But Wānaka’s Campbell Wright is striving to convince the New Zealand Olympic Committee

by January 15 that he should be in their team for Beijing in the biathlon.

Biathlon involves cross-country skiing and rifle shooting and is a national sport in Norway, which produced the sport’s “King of Biathlon”, Ole Einar Bjorndalen who won 13 Winter Olympic Games medals between 1998 and 2014 Campbell, 19, is regarded in some quarters as the most promising biathlete to emerge since Bjorndalen.

His reputation has been enhanced by the fact

H

he competes on the European biathlon circuit with just family funding, ski sponsorship from Rossignol and coaching support from Italian coach Luca Bormolini against athletes with corporate sponsorship and national backing.

Bormolini says the other teams are kind to the lone Kiwi - offering rides to events and assistance with his ski waxing.

Campbell, only the second teenager behind Bjorndalen to win Biathlon World Cup points, is based in Livigno, Italy with Bormolini, who has coached him for five years.

In recent 10 days Campbell has competed in World Cup events in Austria and France where he was aiming to prove to the NZOC that he has the form to achieve a top 16 finish at the Olympics.

Biathlon is an almost unknown in New

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Zealand, which has about 10 registered biathletes who mainly train and compete at Snow Farm next to Cardrona skifield. Campbell trains on Wānaka roads on roller skis in the off-season.

“Campbell is already putting New Zealand on the world map with his performances so far,” says his father, Scott. “It’s hard to overestimate how big a deal biathlon is in Europe and the international spotlight that will be shone on New Zealand if Campbell is able to compete at Beijing and future Olympic Games.”

He says a medal at Beijing is unlikely, but not out of the question.

Scott Wright said his son wants to compete for the country of his birth, but the United States has seen his potential. Campbell’s parents Scott and Alison are both New Zealand and US citizens, so Campbell is eligible to represent both countries.

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Council: lakes are covered Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) says it has appropriate cover in the wake of Wānaka harbourmaster and training officer Jeff Donaldson quitting.

Donaldson announced he was leaving a week before the holiday boating season begins, saying he could not safely perform his functions.

He told the Otago Daily Times he was employed by Cougar Security to be an authorised Maritime New Zealand trainer on jet ski and boating behaviour, but his new contract was "not working".

Cougar Security has the contract to provide water safety services on Lakes Wānaka, Hāwea and Queenstown.

Queenstown Lakes District Councill spokesperson Sam White said during the peak summer period there would be a suitably qualified and warranted Harbourmaster residing in Wānaka, in addition to other waterways officers covering the Upper Clutha.

“This person will ensure expected levels of service are met and be available to talk though matters of concern with members of the public onsite,” he said.

In addition to the Harbourmaster, contracted staff will be operating in the Upper Clutha, including • Warranted Enforcement Officer at main Wānaka beach / Roys Bay area • Warranted Enforcement Officer on patrol in Mata-Au Clutha River mouth and surrounding area • Patrol in Glendhu Bay (main ski area) including marquee and Enforcement Officer / Ambassador on demand • Boat ramp staff to focus on education (such as handing out and talking through new season brochures) and encourage a high level of self-compliance.

“These staff are in direct communication with waterways officers and the Harbourmaster and will be based at Glendhu Bay (Rotary Park - Council ramp), Hāwea main ramp, Eely Point and Roys Bay (Wānaka marina),” White said.

2021 Ho m e B u il d e r s

ueenstown Lakes mayor Jim Boult remains confident the district will hit a 95 per cent vaccination rate by Christmas.

The mayor has come out in support of the South District Health Board as other boards around the country come under fire for the level and quality of their communications.

“I don’t have any concerns over DHB communications,” mayor Boult said.

“That said, I am not the lead person in that engagement, but I have been vocal via my own recent media releases in supporting Southern DHB’s current efforts getting as many people

Q

vaccinated as possible.”

There has been criticism of the way Covid case reports have been stage managed to ensure they are revealed at the Government’s televised stand ups.

In Waikato three mayors – from Hamilton city and Waipā and Waikato districts went public with concerns last week.

And slightly south, Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter broke ranks to publicise two cases in his district – saying if he didn’t, it would have been 23 hours before the announcement was made.

He did it again this week.

Hāwea looks to the future Hāwea residents are being asked to help shape their community.

Advisory group Shaping our Future will host a forum with support from the Hāwea Community Association to help shape long-range strategic plans.

The forum will be held at the Hāwea Community Centre on November 13 from 9am to 2pm.

Hāwea Community Association Chair Cherilyn Walthew has welcomed Shaping our Future’s community driven process.

“With rapid residential development and new suburban subdivisions, the landscape of Lake Hāwea township is changing significantly. It is now time to address this issue by the community and for the community.”

The forum will identify a set of key priority issues that should be addressed in the short to medium term and look further to the future of Hāwea in 30, 40 and 50-years’ time.

“By addressing these issues now, the community can collectively work towards a common goal for future generations,” Cherilyn Walthew said.

Shaping our Future is a non-profit, independent advisory group whose mission is to help the public influence government’s policies. For more information go to www.shapingourfuture.org. nz/events.

A Waipā District Councillor says she was told to keep quiet about Covid being found in a water supply to enable the announcement to be stage managed - and the South Waikato District Council kept quiet for almost a day about a case.

The Super Saturday vaccination push has also some in for criticism from members of the Community Newspapers Association who noted that vaccinations venues were not made available in time for their deadlines and board appeared to target digital audiences media over community print publications.

On Super Saturday Southern delivered 9,706

PHOTO: Lennon Bright Photography

Competitors in last weekend’s OSM Wānaka Multi are dwarfed by the scenery which helps makes the event so popular. The competition proved to be a Wānaka success story too. – See story Page 12.

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EDITION 1053

Covid ruling: GP quits ānaka GP and former winter Olympian Mark Edmond has resigned over the Government’s Covid mandate.

He left Aspiring Medical Centre this week after eight years saying freedoms were being taken away “for something that has not been shown to be particularly effective in the real world”.

The Christchurch born 44-year-old has spent 17 years as a general family practitioner, and 20 years in medicine.

He represented New Zealand in the two-man and four-man bobsled event at Salt Lake City in 2002, where his wife Angie also represented New Zealand in the luge.

The father of five, who moved to Wānaka in January 2014, cannot continue in practice because he is not vaccinated.

The Government announced a vaccine mandate last month. It will cover thousands of workers in healthcare and education who are required to be vaccinated by the end of the year.

“This is my career, so it’s not a decision that I take lightly,” Mark Edmond said.

Having to choose between his job or the vaccine was ‘highly coercive’ and a ‘breach of my personal freedom’.

He said he had not expressed his personal views to patients as he tried to present them with objective and

W

informative advice.

His concern is over the definition of the vaccine, which he says is disingenuous.

“Technically it’s more a gene therapy… it’s a little bit misleading.

They’ve since changed the definition of vaccine to include mRNA gene therapy, but it didn’t meet the old definition until Covid came along.

“When you introduce genetic material to a cell and get the cell to do something, that is gene therapy.

When you introduce something to the body and then you get the immune system to respond to that thing then that’s a vaccine.

“The argument for calling it a vaccine is that your cells then produce something that your immune system then responds to. You can’t conflate the two things together, they’re a separate thing. It’s disingenuous to say the two are similar, so similar that you can call them the same thing.”

He said he could understand why it is called a vaccine because it’s a term that people are familiar with, and the non-medically trained portion of the population understand. But he regards it to be misleading.

“I think that if you say a term often enough then you stop thinking about it.”

He said he has been vaccinated in the past and considered each treatment on its merits.

Mark Edmond

He believed other freedoms had been denied New Zealanders during the pandemic.

“There’s also the freedom of movement because of the lockdowns and of what people want to wear because they have to wear masks.

There’s freedom of what to put in your own body, freedom of association that has been happening.

Freedom of expression as well because I’m not

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allowed to say anything that goes against the vaccine.

“So, there are at least five key freedoms and I’m, like, enough is enough, I have to make a stand on this before everything is lost because its heading that way.”

He said he was not the only employee at the medical centre to have decided against getting vaccinated, but he understood he was in the minority.

– By Aimee Owens

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Ignite awards list revealed

Finalists for the Ignite Wānaka Business Awards have been announced, and judges say they have been impressed by resilience and innovation despite the challenges of Covid-19.

More than 60 businesses from around Wānaka entered the biennial awards, sponsored by Milford Asset Management.

Winners will be announced at a gala dinner in April at a secret location on April 30, 2021. The function – normally held in November – has been postponed due to Covid alert level restrictions.

The judges are Wayne Hudson, Ann Lockhart, Charlie James and Meg Taylor.

Finalists are: Infrastructure/trades (supported by Findex): Batchelar McDougall, Dunlop Builders, Mega Mitre10, R&R Plumbing, Uppercut Firewood.

Professional services: Batchelar McDougall, The Film Crew, Ocula.

Tourism (supported by Lake Wānaka Tourism): Hook, Lavender Farm, Wild Wire.

Retail (supported by Logic 1): Lavender Farm, Mega Mitre10, Ocula.

Hospitality (supported by Drive Accounting): Lavender Farm, Pembroke Patisserie, Red Star Burgers.

Innovation (supported by Aspiring Law): Proppy.co.nz, R&R Plumbing, The Film Crew.

Sustainability (supported by Queenstown Airport): Manage My House, Ripe, Wild Wire.

Young enterprise (supported by Air New Zealand): The Next Chapter, The Napery, Village Gift Not-for-profit (supported by Queenstown Lakes District Council): WAI Wānaka, Community Networks/ LINK Upper Clutha, WAO Resilience and Diversification Award (supported by Todd & Walker Law): Pembroke Patisserie, The Film Crew, Wild Wire Employer (supported by EASI NZ): Breen Construction, Manage My House, Ocula Individual (sponsored by Cardrona Alpine Resort): Anna Van Riel, Waste Free Wānaka; Bridget Legnavsky, RealNZ; Mandy Bell, Wai Wānaka.

People’s Choice finalists (supported by the Wānaka App): Dunlop Builders, Lavender Farm, Mega Mitre10, The Next Chapter, Ocula, Pembroke Patisserie, R&R Plumbing, The Film Crew, Village Gift.

2021 Ho m e B u il d e r s

PAGE 12 THUR 11.11.21 - WED 17.11.21

EDITION 1052

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Your lakes – your say

PHOTO: Jono Young

The regional council is embarking n a two year plan to establish how Lake Wānaka should be managed.

The public is being encouraged to attend meetings next week which will be part of a two-year journey to shape how the district’s lakes are managed.

The Otago Regional Council is planning a new Land and Water Regional Plan to ensure waterways can be healthy and safe, from the mountains to the sea (ki uta ki tai).

Staff and councillors will be in Wānaka and Queenstown next week to get local knowledge and views on waterways.

Nest Thursday’s (November 18) gathering in Wānaka will be held at the Lake Wānaka Centre, 89 Ardmore Street, Wānaka. It will be in the form of a drop-in from 11am and community meetings and discussion from12:30 to 2pm and 7-8:30pm.

The new plan will set environmental outcomes and rules and limits on resource use. It will be refined through subsequent plan changes which

will add provisions related to topics such as groundwater limits, wetlands protection and highrisk land uses. It will include a range of activities that are permitted, and a range of activities that will require resource consent from ORC. Dunstan Ward Councillor Gary Kelliher said community input into the plan would be vital.

“We know the community is concerned about preserving water quality in the Upper Lakes, and we want a Land and Water Regional Plan that addresses these concerns to ensure waterways stay healthy for future generations to enjoy,” he said.

“The community’s goals and preferences for local waterways, combined with the science ORC has collected and input from iwi, will guide how ORC proposes to manage land and freshwater in the Upper Lakes rohe.”

The Upper Lakes rohe (area) covers the lakes of Wakatipu, Wānaka and Hāwea, from their tributaries to their outlets, including the Hāwea River. Catchments include the Greenstone, Dart, and Rees Rivers, the Makarora and Matukituki, and Hunter Rivers, along with smaller tributaries to the lakes, including Bullock Creek, Minaret Burn, Timaru River, and the Von and Locky Rivers.

Cr Kelliher hoped people from all around the area would come along and share what they want for their environment.

“Whether you’re an angler, a swimmer, a farmer, a food gatherer, or you just love our waterways, come and tell ORC what you think should be in the Upper Lakes section of Otago’s new Land and Water Regional Plan,” Cr Kelliher said.

For more information go to www.orc.govt.nz/ UpperLakes.

Gary Kelliher

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vaccinations, 2885 first doses and 6,825 second doses. By the end of the weekend 94 per cent of people had had their first jab and 72 per cent their second in Queenstown Lakes. Those figures reinforced the mayor’s confidence of hitting 95 per cent at Christmas.

Waikato is not on a par with the SDHB in terms of vaccinations rates and Mayor Boult noted that “taking the wider view, locally we are leading the country in vaccinations”.

The Government has set health boards a target of 90 per cent vaccination rates before it eases lockdown restrictions.

Putting things into scale

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Belinda lights the way

The worst weeds

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EDITION 1051

Mayor backs 95% prediction

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Our 2021 dux

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It’s kitten season

A community survey revealed that one third of its participants were dissatisfied with the Otago Regional Council. 1,500 Hāwea residents went without power for 10 hours due to significant network maintenance. And free-to-use camping areas in Lake Dunstan saw a 49 percent increase of use compared to last year.

For her incredible home Christmas light decorations, Belinda Donaldson was dubbed the Christmas light fairy. Kai Pai Bakery won best vegetable pie at the 2021 NZ Vegan Pie Awards, for their vegan roast vegetable cashew and curry pie. Scope Media won silver at the 2021 national NZ Pressies Awards. And Gillian McCaskey was appointed as MAC’s new Assistant Principle.

Sadly, former Queenstown Lakes District Councillor, Ross McRobie, died at age 70.

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WHAT'S ON

CAN YOU GET IT WRITE? We are looking for a talented writer with energy and passion to make The Sun shine.

Is it you?

Does writing community news excite you? Can you build up a contact list and get stories from our schools, service and sports clubs? Can you become the go-to person when newsmakers in our community look for publicity? Can you monitor organisations and see stories where others can’t?

Are we looking for someone who will devote a day to a story? No. This role requires a quick-thinking nimble journalist who can get the balance right between quantity and quality.

If it’s you, then start writing now - tell us about yourself and why you should be in our newsroom.

If you are looking for a challenging role in a positive, friendly environment, plus the benefits of working in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, apply today to admin@thewanakasun.co.nz with your CV and cover letter.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand.

ARE YOU OUR NEW EDITOR? A unique position in one of New Zealand’s most desirable communities has become available at The Wānaka Sun. We are looking for a full-time editor who can build on recent changes in our weekly publication and drive up readership on our on-line platform.

The successful applicant will be a respected multi-skilled journalist with a reputation for outstanding communication, organisation and leadership – and someone comfortable with a camera and digital media. He or she will constantly update our website and produce a weekly print product filled with breaking news, well subbed supplied content, regular columns and great photography.

Our new editor will, ideally, arrive with a sound knowledge of Wānaka.

Journalism will be our new editor’s life, not 9-to-5. The successful applicant will see this role as a long-term appointment.

Organising content and building contacts will be two of the major strengths of our new editor who will work in the community.

Our new editor will be a self-starter, highly motivated and flexible.

2022 LAKE HAWEA OPEN TOURNAMENT SATURDAY 15th JANUARY 2022 TEE OFF AT 12 MIDDAY

MEN'S-0-13 & 14+ WOMEN'S Open BEST GROSS, NETT & STABLEFORD $30.00 ENTRY FEE PER HEAD (INCLUDES BARBEQUE) Please register your entry - Field limited to 84 entries. No walk-up entries please.

Must be an affiliated member.

Must have a Vaccination passport please.

ENTRIES TO: Richard Henderson (Club Captain) 027 254 2899 or Email:- rindy20@hotmail.com PLEASE BE AT THE CLUB ROOMS BY 11.30am

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If you are looking for a challenging role in a positive, friendly environment, plus the benefits of working in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, apply today to admin@thewanakasun.co.nz with your CV and cover letter.

THANKS

Wanaka Pharmacy is your local pharmacy.

We’re the big pharmacy at the top of Helwick Street - open from 8 to 6 Monday to Saturday and 10 to 6 on Sundays.

Ph 443 8000.

The Salvation Army Family Store is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 9.30am to 4pm and most statutory holidays. We look forward to seeing you in our wonderful store.

Thanks to everyone who comes to Wastebusters to donate goods, shop and recycle.

Your support helps us work for zero waste and a resourceful community.

WANTED The Salvation Army Family Store requires good quality household goods, if you can help this would be appreciated.

Your donations can be dropped at 48 Helwick street or phone for a pick up 443 5068

NOTICE Cut rags (100% cotton) and drop cloths, only $7 for a big bag. Now in the yard container at Wastebusters. Open 9-5 seven days.

Business Networking International.

The Wanaka chapter of BNI meets weekly at 7am Tuesday morning. Great networking opportunity to grow your business.

Contact Randal Dobbs for information 021 973 043 The Salvation Army Family Store is able to collect your donations, this service is available one day a week please phone the store on 443 5068 to make a booking.

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Phone: 03 443 5252 • Fax: 03 443 5250 News Editor: Roy Pilott • 027 4500 115 editor@thewanakasun.co.nz News tips: editor@thewanakasun.co.nz Advertising: adrep@thewanakasun.co.nz Admin: Benn Ashford • 021 956 740 admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Mail: PO Box 697, Wānaka Deadlines: Display Advertising 4pm Friday prior to publication. marketing@thewanakasun.co.nz

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Crimeline

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUM

Our year in review PHOTO: Wānaka Sun

Chirnside K Kim Sergeant, NZPD Welcome to 2022 and hopefully a year with more freedoms than the last.

We had a very busy period over the past week, when Wānaka swells to a small city, and we get some colleagues from Dunedin to join our team.

Rhythm and Alps brought extra fun for Wānaka Police, with seven staff stationed out there for the event hosting 10,000 visitors. There were four arrests and many illicit substances seized during the event, and unfortunately several investigations underway in relation to violence.

We have a number of complaints regarding the behaviour of taxis which were overcharging customers cards at the end of their journeys.

These taxis are not from Wānaka, and police stopped many of these operators to ensure they were within regulations. Investigations are ongoing relating to the overcharging.

In the evenings there was an ongoing trend of unsupervised young people both intoxicated and consuming alcohol in town. There were countless seizures of alcohol of youths as young as 13 and a raft of infringements issued. Senior Constable Vink ran his alternative resolution programme again, hosting some of these young drinkers the following mornings, where essays regarding alcohol were completed, in lieu of a fine.

A sad trend was that parents, when spoken to about their youths, had been told a completely different story as to what they were up to. Most of the alcohol has been supplied by parents but they had been too trusting on where and when it was consumed.

Police were present on the waterfront at night this week to keep our young people safe. Despite no council events this year, this was a massive area of congregation, and while the crowd was generally positive, there were some unwanted aggressors.

On the December 30 a 20-year-old male chose to demonstrate his parkour expertise by mounting an occupied police car. He spent some time at the police station.

On December 31 a 19-year-old male was arrested for two serious assaults which left two young victims with injuries. The 19-year-old was from out of town, as were both of the victims.

There were other arrests that night in relation to public disorder.

In relation to our roads, there were some poor outcomes. During the week 20 drink drivers were intercepted, three vehicles impounded, and numerous young drivers stopped while breaching their licence conditions. One of the intoxicated drivers was driving in excess of 145km/h from Rhythm and Alps at 2am. Another lost control on Mt Iron Drive travelling at a speed closer to 100km/h than the posted 40km/h. With the increased population we were always going to see increases, but this is not a positive trend.

Police wish to thank the public for their reports of dangerous driving through *555. Several highlevel drink drivers were apprehended across the Wānaka and Queenstown area as a result of calls from the public.

Stay safe and enjoy the remainder of the holiday period.

THE WĀNAKA SUN

So 2021 has been and gone.

Tobias started the year as a small 4 month old and finished it as a walking talking toddler.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to stay up on New Year's Eve. Instead, I fell asleep at 9pm with Tobias in my arms.

You see for us, it was like any other night.

And this particular night was a rough one.

So rough that I gave up the New Year's countdown altogether.

Even though Tobias is a whole year older, there are some things that haven't changed. Lack of sleep is one of them. While we've come a long way since those hazy newborn days, we still wake

up three or four times a night.

Luckily though, I can now function pretty well on just a few hours sleep. In fact, even if we did sleep through the night I'd probably wake up every few hours just out of habit.

2021 has been a year of discovery. Tobias went from rolling to crawling to walking. I went from an overwhelmed new mum to a slightly less overwhelmed new mum.

I have also learnt lots of new things. I have learnt that if I want to get out of the house in the morning, I need to get clothes, snacks, and lunch ready the night before.

I've also learnt how to change a nappy with fewer tears and how to clean the house with one hand.

2021 brought us another lockdown and more border closures but it also gave us lots of precious time with Tobias.

Going back to work after maternity leave was one of the biggest challenges for me. Navigating

meetings, deadlines, and working from home wasn't easy but we got there. Having to ask friends to look after him has also been hard at times and not having family around certainly hasn't helped.

But we've had a lot of fun. We've been on many trips including Mount Cook, Dunedin, and the West Coast. Tobias had his first birthday party, his first swim in the lake, and many play dates with our antenatal friends.

But while I'm excited for more adventures in 2022, I am also pretty anxious about it.

Daycare, visa applications, and a trip back to the UK all await, and I worry how it will impact Tobias as he enters this new phase of toddler hood.

It's going to be a busy year, filled with lots of big emotions but I feel that we are better prepared for it as a family.

So, 2022, here we come.

– By Daisy Watford

GREBE DIARY 10 January 2, 2022

The outlet stream is attracting more than grebes and stoats”.

Over the next few days, nests 5,6,7,8,10,11 and 14 will add to the growing population of chicks.

My early predictions suggested that this could be a record year. Chicks fledged thus far total 73 and we still have at least six weeks of the breeding season to go. The record year was 2015-16 when we fledged 89 chicks from 47 (nests) breeding attempts. Thus far we have recorded 34 breeding attempts this season.

It’s maybe that I was that much younger five years ago with the feeling that this year things have been hectic. But they are more hectic as reflected by the seven nests that are due to hatch in the next week. That some 12 pairs turned up within a week of each other resulted in a breeding synchrony which has been maintained through the season. On more than one occasion we have had three nests hatch on the same day.

Many of our regular visitors to the marina will have noted that we moved nest 1 a few metres or so from its original position attached to the marina bridge. It was quite remarkable how quickly the bird has adapted to its new location

and is now much less concerned with visitor traffic. They have two eggs, but I am unsure if they will hatch. The nest had been abandoned for two days and on the day we discovered the stones, the eggs were cold.

Our ambitious design changes carried out on nest 11 in an attempt to enlarge the nesting area on the back of the platform have worked in some respects. Two more eggs were added, but sadly the nest has been deserted the last two days. I think the next move will be to modify the back of the platform to stop birds nesting on it.

Some of you may have already caught up on the news of the Grebes on Alexandrina with its “newly discovered” colony of Grebes. It’s not the presence of grebes per se that is new rather, it’s the density of them in a particular area that is new.

There are a number of reasons why we are still experimenting with platform designs and placements. An important one is the development of a management plan for a rare and threatened species. It was one of the reasons I motored to Lake Alexandrina in January last

THURSDAY 06.01.22 - WEDNESDAY 12.01.22

year. I was keen to find out what constituted a territory and the distance between nests. In the photo above, there are six nests. All six are hard to see, but they are there.

During my brief visit I counted just over 40 pairs in the lake outlet stream. DoC have a current estimate of 60 pairs for this season. A count carried out by members of the Ornithological Society over the whole lake in January 2014 recorded a total of 81 adults and 11 juveniles.

The real news item then was the high concentration of birds in a relatively small area which raises the question of why they may have changed their breeding behaviour leading it to be called a colony. I have been reliably informed that this nesting strategy mirrors the breeding behaviour of this species in its Northern Hemisphere range.

Such a concentration of nests attracts more than photographers.

The amazing photo by Bevan Tulett (Grebe Diary 6) of a stoat rolling a grebe egg to its den was taken right here!

– By John Darby

PAGE 11

Sun Sport

New home for Gymsports Aspiring Gymsports will celebrate their 20th anniversary by moving to a new home in 2022.

The Gymsports group will move to the new Queenstown Lakes District Council Youth, Sports & Community Centre, the former home of Mitre 10.

In the lead up to the move they hope to raise $150,000 to fund new equipment for the bigger space and will be offering new classes by July.

Committee member Colleen Nisbett said they aim to raise funds for the equipment from a combination of grants, corporate partnerships, volunteering and donations.

As part of the fundraising efforts, more than 20 parents and coaches affiliated with AGS joined forces with Aspiring Athletics parents to volunteer at Rhythm and Alps Festival. It’s hoped the work will raise $4000.

The gym has recently hired two new lead coaches, Emily and Ranan Feit, to tackle the growth of classes and the breadth of the programmes on offer in the Upper Clutha district.

Ranan Feit is a qualified coach in Men's Artistic Gymnastics, Aerobics, Parkour and Acro Dance and Emily specialises in trampoline and tumbling. The new coaches will

work with Rae Patterson.

AGS has already received support from Rotary Wānaka $2400 for new health and safety Equipment. A new Trampoline from Gymnastics New Zealand was purchased with help from The Lion Foundation ($15,000) and Central Lakes Trust ($4,800).

The Otago Community Trust has also granted $10,000 towards a new set of parallel bars, which will replace a set from the 1980's.

Aspiring Gymsports also plans to host ‘Gym Ninja Warriors Challenge’ - a mid-year fundraising event.

They will be offering new trampolining & tumbling lessons from the Wānaka Recreation Centre and improved equipment from Term 1 and will also re-introduce Rhythmic Gymnastics in 2022.

AGS will also be volunteering at Warbirds Over Wānaka and The Wānaka Show in 2022 to assist with volunteer numbers.

The gym has its sights set high to meet to raise $40,000 for a sprung floor within six months.

If you would like to contribute to support AGS visit: www. aspiringgymsports.co.nz.

– By Aimee Owens

The views from the new course are stunning.

Millbrook makes it a double A championship golf course made its public debut as Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort this week.

The Coronet 18 is a combination of the new Coronet 9 and the existing Coronet 9 holes.

With the Remarkables 18 also in play, Millbrook is now one of only two golf

Wānaka’s Ben Harrington placed seventh at the Snow Rodeo Freeski Halfpipe World Cup in Calgary this week.

It was a career best result and his first time qualifying for a World Cup final.

The event was won by

LASTING IMPRESSION PAGE 12

courses in the country to offer different 18-hole courses.

The new course was designed by former golf pro Greg Turner and Scott Macpherson and includes what Millbrook believes to be the highest commercial golf tee in the country - the 12th on the Coronet 18 at 480 metres

above sea level.

Greg Turner anticipates the new Coronet 18 par-five 11th hole looking towards Coronet Peak will become one of the most photographed holes in New Zealand.

Golf professionals and amateurs playing in the New Zealand Open from March 31 to April 3 will experience the new course.

It’s seventh heaven for Harrington

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Canadian Brendan Mackay.

It was a big event for New Zealand competitors with six others in Calgary chasing selection to the Beijing 2022 NZ Winter Olympic Team.

In the Freeski halfpipe, two back-to-back World Cup events,

Wānaka 16-year-old Gustav Legnavsky placed 22nd and 17th.

In the snowboard slopestyle, Queenstown duo Tiarn Collins qualified for the finals and finished 15th overall and Cool Wakushima was 10th place, just two spots off finals.

PHOTO: Ross Mackay

Ben Harrington

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