Wanaka Sun | 14 - 20 January 2021 | Edition 1009 by Wanaka Sun

They’re off!

INSIDE THIS WEEK Views: Page 13 Jobs: Page 15 Sport: Page 16

Cromwell races.

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Basecamp Building sells.

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DELIVERED AND FREE

PHOTO: Corben Turner

Every cloud has a silver lining: the Upper Clutha Youth Workforce has been put to task in the cherry orchards, despite the difficulties caused by early January’s rainfall. Read the full story on page 3.

Crown Range crashes concern Police Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

New Zealand has been slammed as the ninth deadliest nation in the world to drive in, according to a new survey by London financial website Nerdwallet. With a higher than usual number of vehicle mishaps on the Crown Range alpine pass these holidays so far, continuing a distinct trend, the embarrassing assessment has a ring of truth to it. Latest Police statistics revealed that between December 31 2020 and January 6 last week, there seemed to be a higher than usual number of vehicle accidents on the Crown Range and Cardrona Valley Roads. Police recorded seven crashes in this period alone, three of which occurred on January 2 alone. Police Manager of Mobility and Safety Helen White said the primary trend for this “higherthan-usual record” was for single vehicle accidents related to driving too fast for the conditions.

There was a significant amount of rainfall over that period which made the road significantly more difficult. Two crashes were likely caused by alcohol consumption and fatigue respectively. “The worst area appears to be in the stretches immediately before and after the summit, where the road is narrow and windy. Again, the contributing factors were primarily speed in these areas in poor conditions.” Drivers made four driving complaints over this period, reporting incidents of unsafe overtaking and vehicles crossing the centreline in this stretch of road. Police advice to drivers was to remember to drive to the conditions and adjust speed and following distances when conditions dictate. “These vehicle crashes were all avoidable with more care and attention by road users,” White said. Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor and Wānaka Councillor Calum MacLeod said proposed changes to the Crown Range Rd speed limit, to make the road 60 km/hr (the limit is currently 100 km/hr,

with restrictions on corners), would eventually arrive, but a big problem was driver behaviour, and people using the road as a “race track.” He added that analysis of previous data had shown that most of the accidents on the road occured when people thought they had a gap, but it was too short and they were caught out by blind spots. “But we have to do this step by step over months and years, rather than decades. The council has installed crash barriers and tried to do some things to improve it,” he said. He warned that budgets would become tight in years to come due to Covid-19, and said that could be a constriction. The Nerdwallet study used the World Health Organization’s 2018 road safety report to analyse the best and worst places to drive across the globe, using number of road deaths, road quality, average speed limits, and funding on roadworks in different countries. With 353 deaths per million of population, New Zealand rated the

*Includes house and land. Some conditions may apply. Photo is a sample only.

ninth worst with 353 road deaths (71.9 deaths per million); in front of Croatia with 297 deaths (72.9 deaths). The US was rated the most deadly nation to drive in, with 36120 deaths (or 110 deaths per million). Norway had the safest roads, with just 108 road deaths in one year. A transport agency spokesperson said that although it is unclear how the rankings in the Nerdwallet study had been determined, the government agreed that too many people had been killed or seriously injured. Between mid 2018 and January 2020, data from the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency’s crash data mapping system showed Arrowtown and the southern end of the Crown Range road had 11 fatalities, 96 serious accidents, 270 minor accidents and 659 non-injury accidents. “New Zealand has many road safety challenges, including winding, hilly and often narrow roads. But we know we can and should do better,” the spokesperson said.

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New year, same old rubbish

Four dumped cars have been removed from the Cardrona River area since November 2020.

Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

Despite a large-scale clean up last winter, new signage installed by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), and the continued efforts of Clean up the Cardrona coordinator Chrissie Thomson, illegal dumping has continued at the Cardrona riverbed, with the recent appearance of a freshly abandoned car as well as bottles and other rubbish. Eighteen local volunteers picked up 1.2 tonnes of rubbish along several kilometres of the river between State Highway 6 and the Ballantyne Rd bridge in September, and new signage was installed in November - although Thomson warned these would be ineffective due to their small size. “The volunteers who helped clean up the Cardrona are most frustrated that people do not act responsibly and treat the area as a dumping spot. Many of our locals walk and bike in this area , run in this area, exercise their dogs,” she said. Jerome Sheppard, DCE Crown Property,

PHOTO: Supplied

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), which has jurisdiction over the land, confirmed that four dumped cars had been removed from the Cardrona River area since November 2020, and LINZ was in contact with QLDC to locate and remove the fifth car. GPS coordinates were needed to confirm it was on Crown Land and arrange removal. “The QLDC have put up “No Dumping” signs in the area, however signs are often ignored or vandalised,” he said. “We are open to working with councils, community groups and individuals to look at innovative ways of monitoring and protecting our riverbeds from illegal dumping. “Removing rubbish and dumped cars is an ongoing and challenging issue. We inspect Crown property sites - including the Cardrona River, and remove dumped rubbish. Advice from the public is always helpful if dumping has accumulated between visits. Notification of dumping including the location can be emailed to the Crown property team at crownproperty@linz.govt.nz.” “Come on Wānaka! We’re better than this,” said Thomson.

PHOTO: Supplied

Alcohol harm safety response organisation Red Frogs New Zealand were busier than ever over the holiday period as more people took to the Wānaka lakefront between December 29 and 31. Around 40 volunteers from all over the South Island, and as far afield as Wellington, handed out 4,016 pancakes and 946 litres of water, and interacted with over 6,000 people. Coordinator Shannon Thomson said the group enjoyed “great interactions with people” and spending their free time exploring Wānaka.

HOKITIKA DRIFTWOOD & SAND Beach Sculpture Festival 27 - 31 January, Hokitka Beach Now in its 18th year, Hokitika’s annual Driftwood & Sand beach sculpture festival is once again set to wow locals and visitors with its wild untamed works of art. Hokitika Beach will soon be transformed into a stunning outdoor art gallery for wild, innovative, nature-inspired artworks made from driftwood, sand, and other beach materials. Budding artists of all ages work side by side with professionals turning driftwood and other materials they find on the beach into sculptural pieces.

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Youth reap benefits of cherry picking Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

It’s been a rough start to the year for Central Otago fruit orchards, as many have suffered at least 40 per cent damage to their cherry crop after the New Year’s heavy rainfall, with apricots and other stone fruits also affected. After initial struggles to recruit seasonal pickers due to the Covid-10 border restrictions, some orchards were now being forced to let staff go - with 90 pickers at large Cromwell orchard CentralPac reportedly being informed it would be their last day over the weekend. Central Orchard Management operations manager Tim Hope said that in his twelve years on the job, he could remember at least two other instances of damage as significant as this year. He predicted that all growers would be “significantly impacted” by the rainfall, but the extent of damage would vary across different fruit varieties, blocks and growing systems - and while some orchards would have to let staff go, others would need the manpower to go through their blocks, which could be slower work than usual as more quality control was needed. Now two weeks into the picking season, the Upper Clutha Youth Workforce, coordinated by Kahu Youth Trust, The Upper Clutha GSD Collective and CentralPac, are being put to task, with a shortened picking window and extra pressure to fill their buckets. Sarah Millwater, the driving force behind the project which aimed to provide many local youth with their first introduction to the working world, said it had been a real learning curve for organisers and participants alike.

“The picking itself is really hard,” she said. “There’s lots to think about and real skill involved. Cherries have to be perfect for the international market, so the size and colour of each cherry is really important, as well as filling the bucket up as fast as possible.” Workforce supervisor Corben Turner, who had been out with groups of 16-18 and 19-24-yearolds at different orchards in the Upper Clutha each day, agreed that the work they had been doing was “more gruelling” than it would have been without the rain damage. “We could pick a handful of five to ten cherries, and only be able to keep one or two,” he said. Nevertheless, the overarching impression from Millwater and Turner was that the project was having a positive impact on the young workers - building resilience, teamwork and a sense of community, as well as hopefully starting some of them off on a career path in the horticulture industry. “They struggled on day one,” said Turner, “but by day two they had got their head around what they needed to do and were working pretty hard. It’s a friendly atmosphere and they’re having fun. It’s nice to see them working.” Millwater added that, with a nine-week wait for mental health services in the local area, she believed being outside in nature, making connections and being part of a team could be a gamechanger for young people - and was helping the organisations learn how to better help young people find employment in future. PHOTO: Supplied Finally, the project was also helping to foster Kahu Youth Trust, The Upper Clutha GSD Collective and CentralPac orchard in Cromwell have been working local relationships between the youth and the together to employ, transport and supervise 44 members of the Upper Clutha Youth Workforce. orchards on which they were working. A number cherry jam, and spent time talking with them team, who had worked all day in the rain, and of orchards had provided their workers with - with Sid Dyer at Rima Downs Enterprises that they had “completely changed [his] views refreshments, including scones with homemade recalling he was “really impressed” with the on today’s youth.”

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Basecamp building sells

PHOTO: Snow Sports NZ

Kreischberg Big Air World Cup podium. (L-R) Kokomo Murase (JPN) 2nd place, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL) 1st place, Anna Gasser (AUT) 3rd place.

Sadowski-Synnott wins gold Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

PHOTO: Jo Galer

The Basecamp building in West Meadows Drive, which has just been sold, with new owners taking over in February.

Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

The three-storey Basecamp building in West Meadows, which includes Ruby’s Cinema, has sold to an undisclosed buyer. However, while he could not say who bought it, former owner Allan Dippie said the cinema and Basecamp Climbing Centre operations would stay on site and were not affected by the sale. “Next month a new local owner will take over and it is our understanding they have great plans to further develop the top two floors of the building,” he said. He added that a local family trust had bought the building and they had said they “currently intend to carry on with the use of the building as it is.”

His company Willowridge Developments purchased the building back in 2008, setting up its offices alongside the Lone Star Restaurant, which was eventually sold to the restaurant Jack Rabbit. This also closed last year. “Willowridge has now moved its offices to Three Parks so had decided to sell the complex,” he said. Meanwhile, up the road towards Ruby Ridge, the final stage of the West Meadows development (stage 7) starting this year would see the direct connection of West Meadows Drive with Meadowstone Drive below the hill. This will provide an alternative route to the lakefront for residents in the West Meadows area. The final stage had recently been designed and consented, with 27 new sections, he said.

Young Wānaka snowboarder Zoi SadowskiSynnott has claimed the gold medal at the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup held in Kreischberg, Austria over the weekend. This was the first Snowboard Big Air World Cup of the season and the first opportunity for athletes to earn qualification points towards the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. After crashing her first run, the three-run format with the top two scores combined meant the pressure was on for Sadowski-Synnott. She successfully stomped a backside 1080 in her second run and a switch back 900 in her third to take the win, with a combined score of 162.40. This was the first time the Wānaka-based athlete has landed a back 1080 in competition. “It was pretty difficult [after crashing the first run], I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I wanted to land the backside 1080 in competition,” said Sadowski-Synnott. “I only learnt it in New Zealand this summer

and so I was just stoked to land that in my second run. It really set me up for the switch back 900.” Britt Hawes, Communications Manager Snow Sports NZ, said the level of riding was incredibly high in the women’s category, with all three podium scores spanning only one point. Kokomo Murase ( Japan) scored the single highest score of the night, finishing in second place with an overall score of 161.80. Snowboard Big Air veteran Anna Gasser (Austria) rounded out the podium in third with a score of 161.40. Seven Kiwi athletes competed over the weekend in Kreischberg at the Big Air World Cup in both Snowboard and Freeski. Snowboarders Cool Wakushima (Queenstown) had her World Cup debut finishing in 17th place, Tiarn Collins (Queenstown) finished in 18th place and Mitchell Davern (Auckland) finished in 36th place. Over on the freeski side Margaux Hackett (Wānaka) finished in 12th place, Ben Barclay (Auckland) finished in 38th place and Luca Harrington (Wānaka) finished in 48th place in his first Big Air World Cup of his career.

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The summer of cathinones?

PHOTO: Supplied

Since its inception - and while surviving the traumatic earthquakes of over a decade ago - the band has been extremely busy and successful.

Dixieland jazz at its best Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

PHOTO: KnowYourStuffNZ

As KnowYourStuffNZ couldn’t do drug checking at all the festivals over New Year’s Eve, they urged people to buy reagent tests from retailers and test their substances themselves. While not as thorough as spectrometer analysis, reagent tests can show when MDMA has been replaced by a cathinone.

Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

New Zealand drug testing group KnowYourStuff NZ have reported that about 40 per cent of MDMA samples it tested in the days leading up to New Years was actually a cathinone called eutylone or an MDMA/eutylone mix, a huge increase on previous years. Wendy Allison, Managing Director, said the organisation had started seeing small amounts of eutylone in December 2018 and it had been picking up since then, and cited the Covid-19 pandemic as a possible explanation for it “flooding the market” this year, because there was less MDMA coming into the country. “It’s been strongly prevalent this summer and a large number of people have had extremely negative experiences with it,” said Allison. “People taking this have experienced insomnia, gastric distress, hallucinations, and severe anxiety.” Cathinones, a group synthetic psychoactive substances also known as ‘bath salts’, are often more potent, mg for mg, than MDMA, but the euphoric effects are mild and wear off quickly, increasing the risk for dangerous dosing symptoms of which include hallucinations, tingling extremities, seizures, psychosis, vomiting and diarrhea, insomnia, severe, prolonged anxiety including panic attacks, and in some cases, death. Eutylone has been found across New Zealand in pill, powder, and crystal form, so there is no way of identifying it by sight - and whilst Health Minister Andrew Little's Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Bill passed in December, this was too

late for testing at this summer’s festivals. The bill changes two pieces of legislation the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Psychoactive Substances Act - to allow people to get their drugs tested at festivals without prosecution, and to permit event organisers to host testers. It is currently set to expire in 12 months, but Little said he was committed to bringing in a permanent change before then. In the meantime, KnowYourStuffNZ - who had previously been checking drugs at events in “legal limbo” - found that 75 per cent of festival-goers bringing their drugs to be checked this summer said they would not take them if they turned out to be eutylone. Last year, only 50 per cent said this. They had been urging people to buy reagent tests from retailers, which, while not as thorough, could still show when MDMA has been replaced by a cathinone. “Being able to get the message out early and fast meant that by New Years Eve, people knew about eutylone and were helping each other avoid it. While we weren’t able to have a physical presence at every event, the law change and the publicity around made it much easier to get the message out,” said Allison. The word from Wānaka’s Rhythm & Alps founder and director Alex Turnbull was that the presence of ‘bath salts’ had been the same this year as every other - “it’s just that the media have picked up on it.” He said that, “if we have the right crew to do it correctly and properly,” he would introduce drug testing at the festival next summer. For more information, visit: knowyourstuff.nz.

Christchurch’s award-winning River City Jazzmen (RCJ) will be returning to deliver ‘authentic’ dixieland jazz at the Lake Wānaka Centre on January 23 in the venue’s first concert of 2021. This highly acclaimed band has appeared all over New Zealand playing their spirited and entertaining brand of traditional dixieland jazz and their appearance here is much anticipated. The group, who have been playing together for over a decade, follow the New Orleans model, with six skilled and inventive soloists. From ‘Bourbon Street Parade’ to ‘The World is Waiting for the Sunrise’, the RCJ repertoire boasts in excess of a hundred numbers dating from 1917 up to the best of the 50s and 60s trad. Since its inception - and while surviving the traumatic earthquakes of over a decade ago - the band has been extremely busy and successful.

They have won Fat Eddie’s ‘New Orleans Dixieland Band’ competition over 16 competing groups, and featured at the Art Deco festival in Napier in 2019, as well as performing at the Taranaki, Wellington and Whanganui Jazz Clubs. Michael Bain, President of the Wellington Jazz Club, said the band “played an outstanding performance,” with “tight ensemble playing and superb improvisations… [it was] great to hear the old standards played with such gusto.” The ensemble includes Neill Pickard (QSM), founder of the Christchurch Jazz School, on banjo/guitar/vocals; Michael Fairhurst on trumpet/flugel horn/vocals; Tony Lewis (MNZM) on trombone; Allan Hawes on clarinet; David Pitt on acoustic bass; and Lou Moverley on drums. The event will start at 7:30pm. Tickets ($35 for adults, school students go free) are available from Gifted Design at 19 Helwick Street or eventfinda.co.nz, or on the door from 6:30pm.

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ADULTS: $35; STUDENTS AT SCHOOL: FREE Presented by Wanaka Concert Society. Supported by QLDC. Cash ticket sales at Gifted Design Store, 19 Helwick Street, Wānaka. Online sales at www.eventfinda.co.nz, Booking Fee applies. Cash door-sales from 6.30pm at Lake Wanaka Centre.

For more information or to book an appointment contact our friendly reception team

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Reintroducing: Max De Roy

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Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

Local artist Max De Roy is ready to launch the next stage of his creative career with a new exhibition - and a new name. The ex-MAC student (formerly known as Max Hall), who returned home last year after living overseas in New York and London, said his latest collection was a renewal of his commitment to making art, marking out a new direction along with his new name - but he was not forgetting where he had come from. The surname ‘De Roy’ was intended to pay homage to his late father, David Ross Hall, and to the town he grew up in, surrounded by such local landmarks as Roys Peak and Roys Bay. It was here that a 16-year-old De Roy first borrowed $100 from his mother for art supplies to create his first large-scale artwork - which later sold at auction for $1,700 - and here that his new work will be displayed. ‘SIX ON THE DOT’ - a synthesis of pop art printing and classical oil painting - is a collection of six contemporary pieces which reimagine what art can be in a time of immense social, political, and technological change and examine De Roy’s classic subject matter and experimentation with different media. “I don’t have a consistent style and have always prided myself on that,” said De Roy. “I have always wanted to turn my art on its head with each collection.”

PHOTO: Supplied

Aspiring Art Prize creative director Leigh Cooper (far right) and Holy Family Catholic School Friends of the School chair Sarah Jamieson (second from right) with judges Robyn Notman (left) and Professor Federico Freschi.

Wānaka art event impresses judges Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz PHOTO: Anna Allan

Max De Roy: “I have always wanted to turn my art on its head with each collection.”

“The exhibition requires you to change your perspective,” he added. “Up close it is intimate, psychedelic and confusing, the dots cloud the brain and leave it curious as to the nature of the image. The second perspective is more generous, it is achieved by standing at a distance from the work and allows the brain to process the bigger picture.” This exhibition, which will tour up to Christchurch later this month, marks another departure for De Roy, who will soon be heading to Wellington to start studying Design for Stage and Screen at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. There, he plans to establish himself as a Kiwi artist with exhibitions in Wellington and Auckland. ‘SIX ON THE DOT’ will open at 123 Ardmore Street at 6pm “on the dot” on February 2, and will run from 10am each day until February 9.

A cubist rendition of boats in Dunedin’s Deborah Bay was Supreme Winner at the Craigs Investment Partners’ Aspiring Art Prize, crowning another successful fundraising evening for Holy Family Catholic School. ‘Boat Study (View from Deborah Bay)’ by Dunedin artist Philip Maxwell was awarded the $10,000 main prize at the opening night at the school, in front of a 300-strong crowd. The event is now into its 15th year and success secures its future in Wānaka. 124 well-known artists from around New Zealand submitted their works, seeking one of the biggest cash prizes ($16,500 in total) in the country. It raises about $22,000 each year for the school. The People’s Choice award went to Mark Cowden for ‘Diamond in Yellow’ following the exhibition. The Runner-up award of $2,000 went to Wānaka artist Sophie Melville for her watercolour ‘Winter Shadows over the Lindis Pass’. Best Landscape, with a $2,000 prize, went to Sarah Adam for her oil painting ‘Sundown Evening Gown’. The Best Work

Under $1,000 went to Ruth Mitchener for her oil painting ‘Ngā Manu Sanctuary’. A new category, The Round Corner, showcasing paintings on a 40cm diameter round priced under $1000, was won by Sandy Rodgers for her mixed media painting ‘Loved to Death’. 31 of the works were sold on Friday night, valued at $43,000, with 16 more selling in the days after. Judges for this year’s Aspiring Art Prize were Robyn Notman, Head Curator of Pictures at the Hocken Collections, and Professor Federico Freschi, Head of College of the College of Art, Design & Architecture at the Otago Polytechnic. They were impressed by the range and variety of works. A portion of the funds will be set aside to create an Aspiring Art Foundation, to enable opportunities for budding young visual artists at the school to receive extra opportunities. The event is organised by Holy Family’s Friends of the School (FOTS). Chair Sarah Jamieson said the sell-out opening night gala event and interest showed how far the Art Prize had come in 14 years. “Every year we are blown away by the support that we get,” Jamieson said.

A clubhouse to beat them all Our wonderful clubhouse is now under construction. With 1650m2 of floorspace, it will offer a swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, movie theatre, lounges with gas fireplaces, a bar and café, games and billiards room, library and social spaces for meetings and special occasions. And there’s more outside, with decks, outdoor fireplace, barbecue area and bowling green. It’s all yours when you become a resident of our over-65 community at Queenstown Country Club.

Call Hilary 0800 111 410 or visit queenstowncountryclub.co.nz Artist’s impression

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Sun Cromwell

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Racing alive and well at Cromwell Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

If ever proof was needed that grassroots support for horse racing is alive and well, this year’s Cromwell harness racing event was it, said the organisers. Wyndham Harness Racing Club President Russell Ferguson said the support for Cromwell’s only harness racing event each year, held on Wednesday, January 6 at the Cromwell Equestrian Centre facility, was “outstanding.” The crowd turnover for bets was $124,000 on the day, and, through the TAB, $1.6 million. “With 2,500 to 3,000 people through the gate, the crowd was certainly up on other years. “The weather bombs that went through spared us, and it turned out fine and was lots of fun. We were very proud of how well the day went, the holiday crowd supported it and we were able to provide an

excellent entertainment package. It couldn’t have gone better,” he said. This was the 15th year the event had been held, with the Southland club having the licence to run it as part of the holiday racing circuit, which includes Omakau (rained off) and Roxburgh, which also went ahead. “The three race meetings complement each other nicely. Because there were owners and their horses in the area affected by the rain, we were also able to add a couple of extra races to the meet and take them in as well.” “It is well proven, and as communities we’ve always known it, that grassroots support for this industry is still there and people like to go to the smaller venues and tracks,” Ferguson said. It was also a win for the sponsors and Cromwell businesses and vendors at the 11-race event.

PHOTOS: Peter McIntyre

And they’re off: Grassroots support for small-track racing events is alive and well, say organisers.

People enjoying the harness racing at the Cromwell Equestrian Centre on January 6.

Sculpture park in Queensberry already popular Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

PHOTOS: Clare Toia-Bailey of Image Central

The Lake Dunstan Cycle challenge was the one that got away, despite the weather raining off other events.

Plenty of competitors for road race Jo Galer

journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz

Around 140 riders turned out for a 96 km road race, the Lake Dunstan Cycle Challenge, last weekend. Cromwell Summer Series Race Director Bill Godsall said the race gave locals and visitors alike the opportunity to challenge themselves with a good long cycle race around Lake Dunstan. “The weather was great and it went really very well – it was a really fast field,” he said. Mitchel Fitzsimons was first in the male under 20 category with a time of 2:19:51; Rhylee

Akeroyd of Invercargill was the first female with 2:19:59. In the 20-34 category, Myles Gibson and James Williamson were first equal with a time of 2:19:56; and Gemma Hunt was first at 2:27:06. The 45-54 category saw Glenn Gould of Timaru first with 2:19:59. Helen Beattie was the only female placed in this age-group with a time of 2:35. In the 55-64s, Simon Kennelly was first with 2:20:04; with Jan Brosnahan in first for the females with 3:04. The Lake Dunstan Triathlon and Duathlon, postponed because of adverse weather conditions on January 2, is now scheduled for January 23. Details on the Cromwell web page.

A new art venue has established itself in Queensberry, with an exhibition of the best of New Zealand sculpture, appropriately entitled ‘Defiance’ – conceived in defiance of 2020 and the year that it was. The park, with 13 sculptures outdoors and nine indoors, is the creation of Sunny Collings and Selena Henry (with the assistance of Sunny’s son Ben Slim), who said that the park had been busy with “delighted visitors” since it opened on December 20. “What we love is hearing people talk about the sculptures, whether they are liked or disliked, and hearing their responses to the work. And also their enthusiasm as they discuss their views – we’re hearing some wonderful conversations and seeing the works in a new light,” said Collings. “We’re really happy with how it’s gone and we have had time to talk to people if they want to talk about the sculpture. “This is where we create opportunities for people to engage with sculpture in a wide and spectacular setting, high above the Upper Clutha Basin in Central Otago,” said Henry. Visitors are provided with a map of the indoor and

PHOTO: Sunny Collings

The Poison Creek Sculpture Project at Queensberry Hills in Central Otago is well underway. With the fine weather, people have been making the pilgrimage to view the sculptures.

outdoor sculptures, including work from Arrowtown artis Morgan Jones, the late Stephen Mulqueen and Wellington-based Tanya Ashken, and encouraged to set off on a voyage of discovery, with the spectacular scenery as a backdrop to the art. As both organisers run the park as a hobby, Poison Creek open days will be on an impromptu basis and weather dependent, and those curious and excited by the concept will need to keep their eye on the project’s social media sites to see when the next one is coming up. The park is next open this Saturday, January 16. Entry is by koha.

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HIKING COLUMN

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NATURE by Forest and Bird

A West Coast special My New Year’s resolution is to save the world

PHOTO: Joanna Perry

The Hokitika Gorge Track was recently extended to incorporate a full 2km loop and two bridges across the river. Unfortunately, this work was completed just in time for the New Zealand borders to close to international visitors.

Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

After a brief reprieve, I’m back this week with a West Coast edition of the hiking column - in review of my recent road trip from Wānaka to Whitianga and back again, and in an effort to encourage you to visit another part of the country that has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Hokitika Gorge walk is a short but stunning one somehow managing to incorporate turquoise blue water, native bush and waterfalls into a singular kilometre. The track was recently extended to incorporate a full 2km loop and two bridges across the river. Unfortunately, this work was completed just in time for the New Zealand borders to close to international visitors. The work at the gorge started in January 2020 and was a joint project between the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Westland District Council, intended to further increase the growing popularity of the track and attract more people to Hokitika. So, it was a bittersweet wander across the new 90m suspension bridge - empty, save for us, on the Saturday afternoon before Christmas. Hokitika itself was quieter than I had ever seen it, and a conversation with a local cafe owner who told us she was having to pay staff well above-average pay to maintain her business, and had still seen five baristas who had signed contracts be poached by other businesses in the last few weeks, was surprising but believable. This is an area where under-population has always been a problem - but this latest development rubs salt into the wound. The Hokitika Gorge is just one of the beautiful walks to enjoy in the area - we also saw dolphins on the Ship Creek coastal walk on our way up - and it’s enough to make you forget the sandflies (at least until you get back to the car for your repellent). So, if you’re tired of the summer crowds here in Wānaka, and ready for some untouched wilderness - I strongly recommend you take the trip and help give back to our struggling neighbours.

Thinking about my New Year’s resolution this year I have decided rather than another doomed gym membership a better one would be to stop the global extinction crisis, halt climate change and prevent future pandemics. Clearly, I am planning a big year! My involvement in the catastrophes of extinction, climate change and pandemics has been personal and professional. Over the past 30 years I have worked in the AsiaPacific with local communities and their governments to protect forests from clearfelling and species from the illegal wildlife trade. With a team of wildlife vets, we sampled wildlife for novel viruses in an attempt to predict the next pandemic. As different as they may seem, these three catastrophes have several things in common, and one big difference. One of the things they have in common is they are infinitely solvable, but I will get to that later. Most disappointingly, the first commonality among the three catastrophes is we knew they were coming because the science told us so. We have known for decades that spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere while at the same time destroying things like tropical forest that absorb CO 2 will result in global climate change and its negative consequences. Likewise, conservation scientists have been telling us for just as long that we cannot continue to rip down rainforests, pollute rivers and destroy ocean food-chains without a loss of species, the ecosystem services - like clean water and air - they provide, and ultimately the collapse of the ecosystems themselves. Less well known among the general public is that research projects over the past decade have been attempting to predict the next global pandemic. Teams of researchers have been sampling wildlife, domestic animals and human populations in frontier towns to identify what viruses are circulating that could potentially ‘jump’ to humans and result in a new global pandemic. The team I worked with in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam identified numerous viruses unknown to science, and many that could potentially cause a pandemic, including several coronaviruses (although sadly not the one we have come to know as COVID-19).

The second thing the three catastrophes have in common is we ignored the threat they posed. How did that work out for us? By the mid 2000s, scientists and conservationists like myself thought the debate about global climate change was over because even then the science was so compelling and the time for action had come. While we busied ourselves planning the climate change adaptation and mitigation projects that went largely unfunded, vested interests like the fossil fuel industry busied themselves funding a misinformation campaign that succeeded in stifling climate action. Our approach as technical people to preventing future pandemics followed a different path with similar results. We found the new viruses and assessed their risk as emerging diseases and new pandemics. We dutifully reported our results to governments, published them in peer reviewed scientific journals, and then sat back and watched the world remain unprepared for the coming pandemic. The one that is now here. There were no vested interests marshalled against pandemic preparedness, but rather most politicians ignored it because like the rest of us they are not very good at assessing risk, and presumably because it would cost money. Aotearoa New Zealand was among the least prepared developed countries: the 2019 Global Health Security Index ranked this country 35th in preparedness below Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa. The global extinction crisis is tracking exactly as the other catastrophes: we are largely ignoring a problem that the science tells us is real, with denial now evident in the pushback against action to prevent extinctions. With the success of climate denial, a well-used and effective playbook is being deployed: downplay the extinction crisis by framing it as a historical problem, claim economic growth alone will fix it, and also claim technological fixes and some targeted conservation interventions is all that is needed. Meanwhile business as usual. So those are the similarities among the three global catastrophes. The one big difference among them is our response to the most recent one, the COVID-19 pandemic. What this tells us is that when we are sufficiently motivated and we feel the

threat is sufficiently immediate, we can do what is required to tackle a global threat and ultimately defeat it, as we surely will with COVID-19. The irony is that if left to unfold unchallenged, climate change and the global extinction crisis are far greater existential threats to human well-being and survival than COVID-19 could ever be. But rather than just catalogue these crises, the challenge for us is to bring the same approach we are using for COVID-19 to the other unfolding catastrophes that do not immediately threaten the lives and well-being of us and our immediate families. Our collective personal, political and technical response to the COVID-19 pandemic is a blueprint of how we must address the other crises. First, we need to stop denying they exist. Second, we need to follow the science. Third, we need to act now. And acting is quite simple. If you have been reading Forest & Bird columns in this newspaper in recent months, we have had some tips for you. In November, this column was about the global extinction crisis and addressing it by doing our bit to promote sustainable production and consumption (by supporting farmers using regenerative agriculture and food producers focussing on sustainability, and by following the Wānaka Wastebusters mission to reduce, reuse and recycle) and by supporting increased conservation efforts (by getting behind conservation projects by local community groups such as the Southern Lakes Sanctuary). Last month this column was about the partnership between Forest & Bird and Lake Hawea Station to offset their greenhouse gas emissions and how we can do our bit by reducing our carbon footprint, and where we cannot by offsetting it (by planting trees in our own backyards or as part of one of the many community groups such as Forest & Bird that plant trees in our region). To defeat any and all of these crises requires us to change our behaviour, and we need to do that before the problem smacks us in the facemask. Ross Sinclair is on the local committee of Forest & Bird and has been working in international conservation longer than his grey beard.

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GREBE DIARY 6 January 10, 2021

New year, new waste free you? Usually at this time of year people are giving up stuff: alcohol, chocolate, binge watching series on Netflix. It’s also traditionally a time to try something new, like taking up running or joining a gym. But what if the new habits you took on this year actually cut your carbon emissions, helped to build your resilience, and saved you money? After a year that tested our resilience, borrowing some tips from waste free living can help strengthen our ability to withstand stresses (like a global pandemic) and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing how to make simple stuff from ingredients you can source close to home means you have a plan B (or maybe it’s your plan A) if supply chains are disrupted. Take bread for example. None on the shop shelves? No problem. Living a bit of a waste free life means you can bake your own bread - and there will be enough flour/seeds/nuts in your cupboard for weeks because you buy in bulk. Stuff you make yourself tastes great because of all the happy vibes you get from being productive and it’s healthier because you control the ingredients (probably, though that’s your call). Plus it means less waste as loads of dried goods can be bought in bulk, locally and without packaging, yay! Repair is in! Fix your broken stuff: throw some glue at a broken toy, put a stitch in a rip, or get professional help to extend the life of things you already own. Last year, Wastebusters started our own Repair Revolution by hosting repair events around our district. It was awesome! So much stuff was fixed - from backpacks to antiques, treasured teddies to bikes. By fixing our stuff we’re saving resources and the raw materials needed to make new products. Knowing how to fix stuff is right up there with knowing how to make stuff - happy vibes and resilience all the way! Any time is a great time to start working on your food resilience. Gardening is great for the soul, and composting is key to a thriving, healthy garden and a bountiful harvest. It also helps soil hold moisture and resist drought. About 50% of the average kiwi household rubbish bin contains organic matter. That’s bad news for the environment because food scraps and green waste release the harmful greenhouse gas methane when they break down in landfill. It’s also a waste of a really valuable resource, but it doesn’t have to be. You can compost it instead. Queenstown Lakes District Council funds Dr Compost, Hāwea’s own Ben Elms, to give free advice and run workshops on all things composting. There are a couple of workshops

coming up soon so if you want to get composting and get growing, get your free ticket for Winter Veggies (February 24) or Easy Ways to Compost (March 3) on Eventbrite. You can find more information on the Dr Compost Facebook page. Before you compost have a look at the food you’re throwing out. According to Love Food Hate Waste, the average Kiwi households wastes 86kgs, or $644, of edible food each year. Bread and leftovers top the food waste leaderboard, with fruit and veggies accounting for a third of food we buy and chuck. By storing food correctly in the fridge or freezer, and eating our leftovers we can cut our carbon emissions caused by food breaking down in landfill, and save money. If that all sounds a bit much for January and you’d prefer to ease yourself into a more sustainable year, start with shopping secondhand first and buying local food without packaging. Say no to disposables and opt to refill and reuse instead by ditching the top four most prolific single-use plastics: bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups, and straws. Little steps like this really do add up to reduce waste and cut carbon emissions by keeping resources in use. For tips and inspiration on how to reduce, reuse and recycle, follow Wastebusters on social media or check out our website, www.wastebusters.co.nz. – By Ruth Blunt, Wastebusters

I have started most diaries this year articulating the hectic nature of this year’s efforts. The season started late relative to other years but has made up for it by attempting to cram into a shortened season more than has happened in previous years. Although the first birds attempting to breed this season were spread out over a period of almost two weeks, nearly all the nests were destroyed within an hour or so by the ferocious winds of early to mid-December. This led to most of the birds re-nesting and laying within a day or so of each other. The result is the highest number of eggs hatching in a week that I have so far recorded ever. Fresh breeders have moved in and as of today there are fourteen nests with 42 eggs between them. I need to carry out an individual nest check to be able to provide precise hatch dates, not something I could do Sunday with a boisterous nor-wester. Those that have hatched eggs this week are now parading their youngsters around nest sites by piggybacking them. Territorial squabbles continue and at times the scene is not unlike the combats of old in Roman times with the chicks posing as charioteers and rushing their parents into battle against opposing forces. Back to basics. The most often asked question I receive is, “how do you tell the difference between sexes”, to which I respond “with difficulty”. The above photograph by Christchurch photographer Bevan Tulett provides the best visual explanation. Males are slightly larger than females and best illustrated by the difference in thickness around the neck. As can be appreciated, that is much easier to see when they are together, but does take a bit of practice when the birds are apart from each other.

With so many chicks present at the moment it has been interesting to watch their behaviour as it relates to feeding. Way back I noted that in broods of more than one chick, that one of the chicks could often be seen swimming close to the parent that carried its siblings. At first I thought that it might be disadvantaged by being in the water, but then I noticed that it would intercept the approaching adult that carried food and with persistent begging claim the morsel carried by its parent. I observed this behaviour today in a much younger brood and noted that the chick in the water was fed almost twice as frequently as its two sibs. The size of the chicks was not sufficiently different to be able to tell which was the older, but my guess would be that it would be the oldest chick that was in the water, and ultimately the fittest that would benefit most from the age difference in the brood. The breeding behaviour of grebes is such that they begin incubation immediately after the first egg is laid. With eggs laid 1-2 days apart, an age hierarchy is created within the brood with obvious advantage to the first hatched. I gather that the Hawea birds are travelling the lake with their three chicks and doing very well. On a sadder note, I received a phone call late afternoon to inform me of a dead adult grebe on the shoreline next to the new pontoon. All I can say at the moment is that it was a breeding adult with brood pouch and in good condition. There were no obvious signs of injury, but the network has already connected to get it to Otago University Zoology Department and I should hear the outcome of the necropsy later today. – By John Darby

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Farmers welcome funding to protect lake water quality Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

The Wānaka Catchment Group (WCG) will receive over $1 million from the government to assist in furthering their work to protect the water quality of Lake Wānaka. The Wānaka Catchment Group was established in 2017 by farmers in the Lake Wānaka area in response to a community interest in Lake Wānaka's water quality and the effect of farming, as well as an increase in official scrutiny of regional farming practices. Their $1.9-million project focuses on improving water quality flowing through high country stations and farms throughout the lake catchment. Chair Grant Ruddenklau said: “Farmers in the Wānaka catchment have funded their own activities during the past three years. Our primary focus was on educating our group, learning more about how farming affects water and then implementing actions on-farm through the use of our environmental plans.” The group has also worked closely with the Otago Regional Council (ORC), via a Good

Water Project, sampling water quality at locations throughout the catchment to prioritise locations where environmental actions will benefit the quality of water flowing to the lake. ORC Chair Andrew Noone said he was “glad to support” the application for funding, which focused on fencing over 40 km of waterways and planting 10,000s of native riparian plants at priority sites throughout the catchment. The funding would also support an environmental education project within local Iwi and schools to build mātauranga Māori into the community understanding of the local environment and farming. Chris Arbuckle, Environmental Consultant and Touchstone project coordinator, said: “While we work through the finer details of the project over the next couple of months, from a personal point of view I’m overjoyed Minister Parker is supporting this initiative. The farmers and others I have worked with over the past few years in Wānaka have welcomed learning about environmental issues and adopting actions onfarm. It’s great to get a boost to support their commitment to protecting Lake Wānaka.”

PHOTO: Archive image

The funding will help with fencing over 40 km of waterways and planting 10,000s of native riparian plants at priority sites throughout the catchment.

Aurora Energy partners Exploring our waterways this summer with solarZero Joanna Perry

newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz

Aurora Energy is partnering with solarZero, a leading solar energy business, to explore new ways to provide cost effective electricity to the fastest growing regions across the Aurora Energy network. Aurora Energy General Manager Asset Management and Planning Glenn Coates said solarZero came forward as a leading service provider following an extensive ROI/RFP process in 2019. “This process was about finding reliable, lower cost alternatives to building new network infrastructure and ensuring the increase to supply can meet not only current demand but future demand as these regions continue to grow,” said Coates “We were pleased by the response we got from the market, especially with several applications of interest focusing on new and emerging technologies and are very happy to be partnering with solarZero on this new partnership.” With its origins in solar water heating innovation in the 1970s, solarZero has installed more solar systems on Kiwi

homes and businesses than any other company. It was the first solar company in the world to achieve Toitū carbonzero certification and has held this green credential for nine years running. The Aurora Energy and solarZero partnership will involve solarZero installing solar panels and battery storage on customers’ properties so they can switch to non-network alternatives when the load on the network increases. Coates said the Upper Clutha NonNetwork Alternative ROI was the first of its kind for Aurora Energy, and was seen as a start to emerging technology solutions with benefits including the deferral of high cost network upgrades and greater electricity demand flexibility for households, thereby delivering solutions in the best interests of our communities. Neil Cowie, CEO, solarZero, said: “Globally, solar, batteries and smart control - which are collectively known as flexibility services - are increasingly recognised as being key to an efficient power system that supports the electrification of the economy. This project is right up there nationally and internationally.”

With summer holidays ongoing and kids to keep entertained, WAI Wānaka has created an activity map to help you and your family or friends explore some of the interesting waterways around Wānaka. The map shows the location of seven waterways, suggesting activities and providing interesting facts for each location. The aim is to direct locals and holiday makers alike to some of the lesser-known spots in and around Lake Wānaka, to provide an opportunity to explore different ecosystems and the creatures and features within these waterways. WAI Wānaka is a community organisation charged with protecting and improving freshwater in the Upper Clutha, and while this activity sheet is a fun way to keep kids entertained for a while, it’s also hoped it will engage the next generation in learning more about our natural environment. Prue Kane, WAI Wānaka, said, “We’re so fortunate to live in a place with beautiful freshwater lakes, rivers, creeks and wetlands. We wanted to create something that encouraged locals and visitors to get out and explore some of these in a fun, interactive way. We hope the result is inspiring people to want to do their bit to protect these waters.” “Volunteer groups have achieved impressive results at these locations and we also wanted to showcase this community effort. Groups such as the Albert Town Community Association (Albert Town lagoon) and Friends of Bullock Creek (Bullock Creek boardwalk) dedicate their time to restoring and beautifying public areas for the sake of both the environment and for the public to enjoy,” said Kane. “Te Kākano has provided eco-sourced plants which

Exploring the Wānaka Spring.

PHOTO: Merle Sea

have been planted by volunteers at most of these sites. John Darby involves local students in his work protecting the Grebes and his ongoing commitment has shown wonderful results in the lakes.” One easy thing for anyone to do is to follow Otago Regional Council’s CHECK, CLEAN, DRY method to prevent the spread of freshwater pests between waterways. A simple soapy wash of all water equipment and clothing, then letting it dry out before reusing will stop any tiny little hitchhikers catching a ride to a different waterway. For more information, or to download a copy of the activity sheet, visit the waiWānaka.nz website, or pick up the activity sheet from the library, i-Site or a local campground. – By Wai Wānaka

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PUBLIC NOTICE

N o t i c e b o a rd | P a p a P ā n u i RESOURCE CONSENT APPLICATION

landscaping, services and a second access to the site. This is in addition to an existing unit on site consented for a maximum of eight (8) guests for 365 nights per year of short term Visitor Accommodation.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT 1991

Access is proposed from Orchard Road.

Details of the resource consent application and submission forms are available in the offices at Queenstown Lakes District Council, 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown; 74 Shotover Street, Queenstown and 47 Ardmore Street, Wānaka during normal office hours (8.00am to 5.00pm). You can also download these from our website www.qldc.govt.nz/ services/resource-consents/notified-resource-consents#public-rc or via our edocs website using the RM number as the reference www.edocs.qldc.govt.nz/Account/Login 1. K & J Butson (RM200946) What is proposed: Resource consent is sought for a five-lot rural subdivision. The proposed lots range in size between 1.0 and 6.78 hectares, with each lot containing a residential building platform: Proposed Allotment

Area (ha)

Building Platform (m )

Access

6.78

900m2

Direct from highway

4.37

900m2

ROW over proposed lot 5

1.03

900m2

ROW over proposed lot 1

1.00

900m2

ROW over proposed lot 1

1.00

1000m2

Direct from crossing SH8a

Landscaping and design controls are proposed in relation to future built form on the lots. The location in respect of which this application relates is situated at: Wānaka Luggate Highway, Wānaka, legally described as Lot 7 Deposited Plan 24216 held in Record of Title OT16B/228

The location in respect of which this application relates is situated at: 18 Orchard Road, Wānaka ADDRESS FOR SERVICE FOR APPLICANT: NZDL Limited C/- Nicola Scott Wānaka Resource Management Ltd nicolascott@xtra.co.nz 17 Old Racecourse Road, Albert Town, Wānaka The Council planner processing this application on behalf of the Council is Francesca McAdam, who may be contacted by phone at 03 441 0465 or email francesca.mcadam@qldc.govt.nz. Submissions will be received until 12 February 2021, and must be served on the Consent Authority, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Private Bag 50072, Queenstown 9348 or email rcsubmission@qldc.govt.nz. These must be dated, signed by you, and include the following information: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Your name, email address (preferred), postal address and telephone number. Details of the application in respect of which you are making the submission including location and the Resource Consent number. Whether you support or oppose the application. Your submission, with reasons. The decision you wish the consent authority to make. Whether you wish to be heard in support of your submission.

Any person may make a submission on the application, but a person who is a trade competitor of the applicant may do so only if that person is directly affected by an effect of the activity to which the application relates that:

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE FOR APPLICANT:

a) adversely affects the environment; and b) does not relate to trade competition or the effects of trade competition.

K & J Butson C/- Dan Curley IP Solutions Ltd dan@ipsolutions.nz 15 Cliff Wilson Street, Wānaka 9305

You may make a submission by sending a written or electronic submission to Queenstown Lakes District Council (details below). The submission should be in the format of Form 13. Copies of this form are available on the website www.qldc.govt.nz/services/resource-consents/application-forms-and-fees#other_forms. Address for Service for Consent Authority:

The Council planner processing this application on behalf of the Council is Sarah Gathercole, who may be contacted by phone at 03 441 0465 or email sarah.gathercole@qldc.govt.nz. 2. NZDL Trustee Limited (RM200608)

Queenstown Lakes District Council Private Bag 50072, Queenstown 9348 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown 9300

Email rcsubmission@qldc.govt.nz Phone 03 441 0499 Website www.qldc.govt.nz

What is proposed:

Dated: 14 January 2021

An application for a Land Use consent to construct 11 units in the form of airstream caravans and undertake 365 nights per year of short term Visitor Accommodation for a maximum of thirty six (36) guests with associated

Signed by QUEENSTOWN LAKES DISTRICT COUNCIL

Private Bag 50072 | 47 Ardmore Street Wānaka Phone 03 443 0024 | www.qldc.govt.nz

An excellent local opportunity FEE FREE WANAKA COURSES Offered though Te Wananga o Aotearoa Info sessions happening now

Public Notice | P ā n u i Notification of Draft Reserve Management Plan for Hāwea Domain PURSUANT TO SECTION 41 (6) RESERVES ACT 1977 Council hereby notifies the Draft Reserve Management Plan for Hāwea Domain. The Draft Plan is designed to assist in the future management and development of the Recreation Reserve area. Submissions open on 11 January 2021. The Draft Reserve Management Plan is available for inspection at Queenstown Lakes District Council offices at 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown or 47 Ardmore Street, Wānaka. The Plan can also be found online at www.letstalk.qldc. govt.nz. Submissions should be completed online at www.letstalk.qldc.govt.nz; or emailed to letstalk@qldc.govt.nz with the words “Draft RMP Hāwea Domain” in the subject line, or posted to Queenstown Lakes District Council, Private Bag 50072, Queenstown 9348. Submissions close at 5.00pm on Sunday 7 March 2021. Late submissions or oral submissions (without prior written material) will only be accepted where exceptional circumstances apply. All submissions and the name of individuals/organisations making submissions will be treated as public information. A hearing will be held in 2020 for any party to present their submission in person. Please ensure that you indicate in your submission if you wish to speak to it at the hearing. Private Bag 50072 | 47 Ardmore Street Wānaka Phone 03 443 0024 | www.qldc.govt.nz

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INBRIEF Disqualification for Alice Robinson Queenstown Alpine Ski Racing superstar Alice Robinson was disqualified at the FIS World Cup Super G held in St Anton, Austria last Sunday. This was Robinson’s third ever World Cup Super G start and a disappointing result for the young Kiwi ski racer who missed the final gate, resulting in recording a disqualification as her result. Robinson is known for her success in the more technical discipline of Giant Slalom, in which she has claimed three World Cup Podiums, including two victories, in the last two years. Next up Robinson will be focusing on the World Cup Giant Slalom to be held in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia on the January 16 and 17, the venue and event in which Robinson took the win almost exactly a year ago. Sharing Shed fundraiser The Sharing Shed in Hāwea Flat is raising money to turn the grass area outside the building into a gravel space for cars to park, and prevent flooding in heavy rain. The shed was set up in 2017 as a space to swap and share through donation of seedlings, produce, unwanted clothes, books - anything that people have finished with and wish to now pass on for free. The shed has helped many families who are struggling and in need of clothes or other items. Now it’s your turn to give back. The money raised will be to reimburse the owners for the cost of gravelling the grass area to stop the mud puddles. Go to: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/thesharing-shed-Hāwea-flat.

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Crimeline Planned power outages Planned outages over the next few weeks will take place at the following locations for pole replacements and network maintenance: Thursday, January 14, 9:00 - 4:00pm: Wānaka - Rob Roy Lane, Bevan Place, Mount Iron Drive, Ragan Lane, Islington Place, Achilles Place, Anderson Road, Mercury Place, Tyndall Street, Moncrieff Place, Apollo Place, Aubrey Road, Liverpool Way, Cascade Drive, Fastness Crescent. 9:00am - 4:30pm: Hāwea - Camphill Road, Lake Hāwea Albert Town Road, Butterfield Road, Lake Hāwea-Albert Town Road, Kennels Lane Thursday, January 21, 9:00am - 4:00pm: Cromwell - Scott Terrace, McNulty Inlet, Lakeview Terrace, Shortcut Rd. Tuesday, January 26, 9:00am - 4:00pm: Queensberry - Wailana Heights Drive, Estrella Heights Lane, Kaituki Ridge Lane, River Ridge Road, Willowbank Road, Riverview Road, Fay Lane, Pukekowhai Drive, Luggate Cromwell Road, Nursery Road, Briar Wood Lane, Luggate Tarras Road, Westreca Ridge Lane, Poison Creek Road, Akanaw Lane, Catalina Way, Queensberry Terrace, Jolly Road. Wednesday, January 27, 9:15am - 4.15pm: Hāwea - Camphill Rd. Thursday, January 28, 9:00am - 4:00pm: Hāwea - Timaru River Road, Gladstone Road, Gray Road, Hāwea Back Road, Nook Road, Denniston Road, Timaru Creek Road, Hodgkinson Street, Mccarthy Road, Kane Road.

PHOTO: Wanaka Sun

B BOPP Constable, NZPD Hello Wānaka and hello as well to the visitors that are still holidaying here. Hope everyone is having a good time. The weather hasn’t been the greatest but maybe it is turning for the better. Last week two youths tried to sort their problems by way of discussion, but it turned into a scene from Fight Club unfortunately. An adult became involved and was subsequently arrested due to the manner in which they intervened. Some patrons were ejected from a watering hole and then caused issues trying to regain entry. Better to deal with the bar staff once and leave when asked, rather than to deal with Police for trying to go for round two. Bar staff and security are just trying to keep a safe environment. Monday saw us deal with a vehicle crash that might have been caused by a medical event. Enquiries are ongoing at this stage. We also attended a mental health incident and have put some support in place which hopefully helps those involved. A person also had their license suspended for three months due to excess demerit points. Another vehicle crash on Tuesday where a sheep was hit. A helpful reminder to adopt defensive driving practises as you never know what is around the corner. There was another vehicle crash in the evening on the Maungawera Hill. The weather was quite bad at the time so please remember to adjust your driving to the conditions and you could avoid a crash. The evening was unfortunately capped off with a family harm incident.

NO SIGN UPS NO DOWNLOADS

PHOTO: TriWānaka

Friday, January 8 saw the return of the TriWānaka 2021 swim/run series. 24 people gathered on the lakefront to test themselves against the course and the clock in beautiful sunny conditions. The volunteer-organised event starts and finishes at Stoney Creek and competitors choose a range of distances. Now in its third year, the TriWānaka swim/Run series welcomes participants from all ages and abilities to have a go in a relaxed and friendly environment. Kids from 4-11 took part in their own swim/run and it was fantastic to see the determination on their faces as they embraced the challenge. The series continues throughout January in the lead up to Challenge Wānaka. For more information visit the TriWānaka Facebook page.

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JUST NEWS

On Wednesday another family harm incident occurred. There was also a report taken of the barrier arm to the Masonic Lodge carpark being damaged. Thursday saw a thief make off with a blow torch from Mitre 10. Conveniently they left us a valuable line of enquiry and once spoken to, they were brought down by their mum and made to pay for the item. Mums are great. A drink driver was apprehended in the evening. Friday was a quieter day for us. A checkpoint was done during the day. A few drivers blew under the limit for alcohol, but a reminder to all that it does stay in your system after a night of drinking. Some drivers got tickets for various offences. It is good to see most drivers sticking to the new lower speed limits around the place so hats off to you all for that. Saturday was a day of the driving menace. Numerous driving complaints were attended to so thanks for calling them in. Its good when we can catch up to them and show them the error of their ways. If you’re able too with a passenger in the car, get a couple of photographs of the behaviour so we can show it to the driver when they inevitably deny the allegation. A drink driver was also nabbed who has a penchant for drink driving. Hopefully the message gets through this time. Sunday another drink driver. That was number 3 for the week but who knows how many more there were. If you’re going to be drinking, organise a ride home. It’s better than having to organise rides for the 6 months that you’d lose your license for when you get a conviction. As usual, have a safe week and I hope you all enjoy it.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Aquatic weed control in Lake Wānaka

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the editorial by Mike Barker in late December regarding Land Information New Zealand’s lakebed restoration work at Lake Wānaka. This work is part of our wider programme of pest and weed management in and around Crown managed waterways across the country. This programme also includes Lake Dunstan, the Kawarau River and Lake Wakatipu. Left uncontrolled, invasive aquatic weeds such as lagarosiphon and hornwort can choke waterways, smother native aquatic plants, interfere with electricity generation and create havoc for recreational users of our lakes and rivers. In response, to retain the use of lakes and rivers and restore native plants, fish and birds we use a range of well tested methods to control weed growth in line with consent requirements. This includes scuba divers hand weeding to remove invasive plants, the installation of biodegradable hessian matting which supresses weed growth at the same time allowing native plants to grow through, and the application of very low concentrations of the herbicide Diquat to weed infested areas. Diquat in very low concentrations has been used safely and effectively to control invasive aquatic weeds in New Zealand lakes for 50 years. It’s used particularly to control large, dense weed beds that pose a risk to lake use. It’s also used to reduce the size of a weed bed, allowing divers to lay hessian more quickly and effectively. Despite the low risk associated with applying very low concentrations of Diquat, we take a careful approach to its use. As a precaution, we advise lake users not to swim or take drinking water from the vicinity of the treatment areas for 24 hours after each application. We use public notices, signs and our website – linz.govt.nz - to keep the public informed. We also contact key groups before any operation. While the battle against aquatic weeds isn’t over, we are pleased to report our control efforts are making a difference. For example, Paddock Bay in Lake Wānaka is now largely free of lagarosiphon and we’ve also seen progress in other parts of the lake. To prevent lagarosiphon re-invading these areas follow-up spraying and removal of weeds by divers is required. We’re fortunate to have the support of a number of local agencies, who share our vision to restore these precious waterways now so they can be enjoyed by future generations. Everyone can do their bit. Lake users need to ‘Check, Clean and Dry’ all boating and sports equipment to stop the spread of lakeweed between waterways. We’re also asking lake users around Lake Wānaka to avoid boating over areas where hessian matting is laid close to shore in the Paddock and Parkins Bay areas. There are signs marking these areas and buoys on the water at Paddock Bay. We’re proud of the progress we’re making to tackle lagarosiphon in Lake Wānaka and with the support of lake users preventing further spread, we look forward to reaching the point where only maintenance control work is required. In the meantime we will keep the community updated on future control work and progress. Megan Reid, Group Manager Biosecurity and Biodiversity, Land Information New Zealand

Correction

In last week’s Wānaka Sun article on the Mountain Film and Book Festival (page 3), it was incorrectly reported that: “The festival was severely curtailed in 2020 due to COVID-19 and was reduced to an online event.” Festival Director Mark Sedon has confirmed: “We did run live events, we were the first mountain film festival on the planet to run live events post-COVID and one of NZ’s first live events. “We used the Armstrong Room in the Lake Wānaka Centre, the Community Hub and Edgewater Hotel, plus the Memorial Centre in Queenstown. It was massive!” The Wānaka Sun apologises for this error.