Animal attractions
INSIDE THIS WEEK Views: Page 8 Jobs: Page 10 Sport: Page 12
PAGE 9
Lake laugh
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Here comes stage two
onstruction on Stage Two of the Wānaka Lakefront Development Plan will start on Monday – but it comes at a temporary cost The Wānaka Community Board has approved a request to close off a section of Ardmore St until the end of September to assist with the work. Community Board chairman Barry Bruce said the six-month road closure would enable work to proceed smoothly and save money on traffic management. The stage work will see the addition of a shared pathway in the area of lakefront running from McDougall Street to Dungarvon Street, connecting Mt Aspiring Road carpark with Wānaka’s town centre and displaying new Millennium pathway tiles alongside it. It is expected to be completed by the end of September. Parking for 110 vehicles and four accessible spaces will be added along the lake side of Ardmore Street, opposite Pembroke Park and broken into sections to create view shafts and
C
access points. “With vehicles prohibited from the lake’s edge and new parking added along Ardmore Street, we’re going to see expanded lawn areas, native planting and a space where people can really enjoy everything Wānaka’s lakefront has to offer,” said Mr Bruce. A detour for traffic will be in place via McDougall Street, Brownston Street and Dungarvon Street. Mr Bruce was also supportive of a proposal from community board members including from his deputy Ed Turner that temporary roundabouts be installed at McDougall and Dungarvon streets. Queenstown Lakes District Council General Manager Community Services, Thunes Cloete said once complete, the area of lakefront would be a greatly improved space. “Stage Two will feature expanded and irrigated lawns, creating open space and providing new places for people to sit, enjoy a picnic, and marvel
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View from the top: An artist’s impression of how the lake front will look at the end of September.
at the view without vehicles or campervans in the way,” he said. There are also plans to install a series of pou at the western end of the site near Dungarvon Street, representing specific elements of Wānaka and acting as a welcome to the area. The existing bund along the lakefront will be flattened out to improve access and views.” Dr Cloete said the temporary closure would
cause some inconvenience to traffic, but would ensure the safe and efficient delivery of the project. “The closure also creates efficiencies resulting in a shorter work programme, allowing a designated laydown area for equipment and machinery without the added complication of traffic management and shifting site boundaries.” Dr Cloete said it would also ensure the section of lakefront would be open sooner.
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CAMERA CLUB ‘IN FOCUS’
Cirl Bunting.
Lake Poaka.
We are drawing on more photographs from members of the Wānaka Camera Club and this week Robyn Bennett returns with another selection. Robyn, a Lindis Pass based club member for more than three years has a passion for wildlife and landscape photography.
Klelland Ponds.
Autumn crocus.
Autumn reflections, Lake Dunstan.
Shearing shed, Benmore.
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Measles: Still no word on fire cause new vaxx call A warning to be vigilant – and vaccinated – against measles is gaining volume now the country’s borders are opening. Measles has only ever arrived from overseas and there are concerns there will be an outbreak. In mid-March the Southern DHB reiterated calls for people to check they were up-to-date with their vaccinations for measles mumps and rubella (MMR), warning that low immunisation rates and reopening international borders increased the chances of a measles outbreak. There is a national push to get more people vaccinated against measles, a serious and highly contagious disease that would put additional pressure on a health system already contending with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. “As countries around the world respond to Covid-19, many MMR immunisation programmes have been paused,” Deborah KayCorkin, Southern DHB’s Measles Campaign Coordinator said. “Now that New Zealand’s borders are opening up, international travel puts us at increased risk of a measles outbreak.” In Southern towns and cities there were 72 cases of measles in
2019, among more than 2000 cases New Zealand-wide. Two doses of the MMR vaccine will protect 99% of people against measles. “We can stop outbreaks of measles if enough people have their MMR vaccination,” Mrs KayCorkin said. People can check their Plunket or WellChild books, or ask their doctors to find out whether they have received the two MMR doses required to be fully immunised. If they don’t know for sure, it is best to play it safe and get the vaccine, medical experts say. “There are no additional safety concerns with having additional MMR doses, and you can also safely have your MMR vaccine at the same time as your Covid-19 vaccine,” Mrs Kay-Corkin added As well as being available through GPs, MMR vaccines are available at many Southern pharmacies on a walk-in basis. There are plans to roll out the MMR vaccine programme to mass vaccination clinics across the Southern district. To find out more about the MMR vaccine, visit ProtectAgainstMeasles.org.nz or call Healthline on 0800 611 116. The flu is flying – See Page 8.
This aerial shot was released by the fire service after the fire was put out.
The Fire Service says it has still to determine what caused January’s Emerald Bay fire which burnt for three days. The Wānaka Sun sought an update from the fire service this week and was told by Otago’s District Manager Phil Marsh “we have no update yet on the Emerald Bay fire investigation at this stage”. He said in the meantime, the fire
service continued to work with local residents and “are considering options for fire control measures moving forward”. The fire engulfed 280ha and had a 7.1km perimeter. Within days, Senior Constable Bruce McLean told Wānaka Sun readers in the weekly Crimeline column police knew the cause of the fire. He also told readers “make sure you are careful cooking and use no naked
flames or smoking in the outdoors where the ground is tinder dry”. Meanwhile Fire and Emergency NZ has suspended fire permits in the Clutha and Lakes Zones. Mr Marsh said prolonged dry weather had raised the risk from outdoor fires and there was no significant rain forecast. The suspension of permits in all three zones will be reviewed on Monday.
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Wānaka artists to open festival
Martin Hill and Philippa Jones have shared the creation of their work in group settings a handful of times before – once at their design studio in Wānaka for art students from Ohio.
Wānaka-based environmental artists Martin Hill and Philippa Jones will open Wild Dunedin, the New Zealand Festival of Nature. The festival opens on April 22, International Earth Day. In a first for the Festival, which runs through the second week of the Easter holidays, the artists will coordinate the creation of a large land art sculpture by members of the public, to underline this year’s theme ‘He wai ka rere ki te moana – Down to the sea’. “With a focus this year on the sea, we celebrate Earth Day with an exciting event on the beach at Lawyers Head,” said Jeannie Hayden, Festival Director. “The artists want their land art to be a reminder that our human economy needs to move closer to nature, where there is no waste in the environment.” Martin and Philippa’s work - designing, constructing and photographing sculptures - has
taken them around the world. “This work is about people getting involved and making connections with nature,” said Martin. The community made sculpture at the northern end of St Kilda beach will be documented by drone. The group will be collecting natural items on the beach while the tide is low, and then allow the incoming tide will take them away, demonstrating nature’s cyclical processes. The footage will also form part of Martin and Philippa’s talk at the Otago Museum the following afternoon, during which they will explore their land art practice and experiences creating 12 mountain sculptures around the world – the subject of their book, Fine Line. The book is a collection of photographs and essays about the “inter-relatedness” of art, nature and science. Wild Dunedin will features family-friendly events from April 22 to 28.
Let’s Talk Upper Clutha Feedback is now open on two important topics for our district.
Draft Annual Plan 2022-2023 – The work plan for the year, along with budgets and key priorities for us to deliver on behalf of the community, and what it means for levels of service and the rates you pay.
Draft Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2025 – This plan sets out how we’re going to respond to climate change in our district. Our plan has more than 60 actions, ranging from an improved public transport system to food resilience and many areas in between.
For full details and to have your say head to z letstalk.qldc.govt.n by Monday 25 April. THE WĀNAKA SUN
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Mental health: keys identified The reports show continuing to foster initiatives that improve social connections, support and broader equity and inclusion helps build longerterm community resilience. And they point to locally-driven projects as the bedrock of the recovery, resilience and future wellbeing of the Southern Lakes community. Initiatives have enabled better promotion of exercise and social recreation, access to authentic peer-to-peer sharing and conversation, and easier access to counsellors. Direct one-to-one support for business owners covering both selfmanagement and business management was also referenced frequently. The report notes deficiencies in core social infrastructure have been exacerbated by Covid. The report suggests that the best way to alleviate the mental health impacts of Covid is to bolster existing community initiatives and support the development of new approaches that communities see as beneficial. The report was co-designed by the community and experts to determine the mental wellbeing challenges facing communities in the Southern Lakes region as a result of Covid-19. It gathered ideas from the Wānaka, Te Anau, Cromwell and Queenstown communities about how Te Hau Toka could best help support their mental wellbeing. Leadership Lab was commissioned by Te Hau Toka to manage the co-design process and produce a report with a clear community voice and expert analysis. The findings were informed by three strands of enquiry: • A Listening Team process which gathered the perceptions of affected communities. • Exploring the insights and perceptions of community-based service providers. • An Expert Design Challenge drawing on the knowledge of people with direct experience of supporting communities dealing with Covid or other relevant disasters.
Adell Cox
Community-led wellbeing initiatives are vital elements in alleviating the mental health impacts of Covid-19, according to reports commissioned by the Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group.
The Listening Team comprised 14 community members from different geographic and demographic areas who conducted 267 conversations with individuals and small groups across the Southern Lakes communities. It targeted five priority groups – youth, migrants, businesses, older people, and new parents. The conversations explored challenges to the individuals’ mental wellbeing in the Covid-19 context and ideas they thought would be helpful. Community-based service providers were surveyed and results aligned with the Listening Team results, adding more insight into the availability and usefulness of services.
The Expert Design Challenge ran in parallel to the co-design process. Contributors with experience and expertise in areas ranging from clinical psychology, mental health and population health through to anthropology, whanau ora commissioning, nutrition and human performance, and disaster recovery were invited to participate. Key challenges identified through the community listening process were a lack of social connection, anxiety, stress, uncertainty, financial challenges, reduced wellbeing, health, lack of counselling and health facilities, whānau stress, visa and employer challenges, lack of information and vaccination disputes.
Residents go slow on speed… Less than 100 people have provided feedback on proposed speed limit changes in Central Otago – and the cut off day is next Tuesday. New limits are proposed for 70 roads, parts of roads, or areas in the Central Otago district. This includes residential zones, rural roads and town centres. Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said it was a surprisingly disappointing response to date, given how engaged Central Otago had been in recent consultations such as the Long-term Plan and the Waste Review.
‘Awareness’ of need for change
“There isn’t a single person in the district who won’t be affected by the proposed changes in this consultation; that’s why it is really important that we hear from as many people as possible. “Even if you’re not a driver, you might be a cyclist, a pedestrian, or you’re probably a passenger. This is going to affect all of us and we really want to know what you think. This is all about safety. “If you go into the consultation documents and wonder why ‘such and such’ street or road isn’t there, then let us know; or if you think ‘that’s a stupid
thing to do, don’t change that road’, tell us, we need to know. Equally if you support the proposal and see changes in there that you or your community have been calling for to improve safety around where you work, live or play, then please make a submission to tell us you agree.” Tim Cadogan said while there had been a lot of Facebook traffic on the topic, a comment on a Facebook post did not equate to a submission so he urged people to go that step further and complete a submission.
Tim Cadogan
Adell Cox, Chair of the Te Hau Toka Group, says that while Covid has highlighted shortcomings in the social infrastructure, it has also stimulated a wide range of positive and, in many cases, inspiring responses. “People in all areas referenced the benefits of more family time and more space for social connection and conversation. They talked about the support they received from whānau, friends, neighbours, schools, counsellors, youth workers, community events and community organisations. Financial stress has been a central issue for many, with the business and migrant communities noting that Covid relief packages and financial support have been life-savers,” she said. “Covid has also prompted a number of people to take stock of their lives and reset and re-evaluate their future goals and plans. While many businesses have struggled, some have evolved new and more sustainable business models. There is also an emerging awareness of the need for change in the region’s broader economy,” she says. A Recommendations Framework has been developed based on the combined findings. It outlines how Te Hau Toka could best support communities to look after their own, and each other’s, mental wellbeing with ideas from the community and experts on how to maximise change. The framework is being used to form an action plan with short, medium and longer term initiatives to improve community wellbeing. This will help Te Hau Toka allocate its funding in the most impactful way and in alignment with the three ‘Promotion and Prevention’ Focus Areas of the Kia Kaha, Kia Māia, Kia Ora Aotearoa Plan*. Initiatives already in place include Te Hau Toka’s Connecting Communities fund, extra mental wellbeing navigators for the region, improved communication, and better access to information about services and support. The Traffic Light Guide, in particular, was seen as a helpful resource which other regions, including Dunedin, West Coast and North Canterbury have replicated.
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Snow farm raises the roof
The view from the inside during construction work and how the new hut looks from the outside.
The roof has been installed on the new Musterer’s Hut at Snow Farm. Construction at the farm on Cardrona Valley Road is being carried out by Breen Construction of Alexandra and is on schedule. That’s excellent news given the unpredictable weather that can occur at this time of the year at the Snow Farm and the challenges in the construction industry, John Burridge of the Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust said. He said the project had been made possible by generous funding from the Central Lakes Trust and the Otago Community Trust “who have supported us since our inception as the Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust (Pact) purchasing the
Snow Farm from the Lee family”. There had also been help from the Department of Internal Affairs and the Community Matters section of department in Southland and project management support from Rubix director Peter Soundy – who is also the chairman of Pact. Yunca Stoves donated equipment, John Alexander carried out key survey work and the Waiorau Nordic Ski Club provided volunteer labour. “The partnership with Breen construction has been invaluable in meeting demanding lead times and containing the costs of the build,” John Burridge said. The Musterers Hut is a much larger addition to three existing huts and will be ready for use in
July. The trust says it is needed urgently because the current huts at the Snow Farm are 88% booked for July and August. The hut’s layout also has features which will create a slightly different offering to the other huts, where the sleeping and living is in one communal room. The new hut has two sides which can be partitioned off with a sliding wall, each side has its own cooking facilities and fireplace, and separate bunkrooms. The smaller side has 12 beds in three separate bunkrooms that sleep four in each room, and the bigger side, 24 beds in three eight bed bunkrooms. The new hut is sited between the Meadow Hut and the Bob Lee hut complex.
John Burridge said it was ideally suited for servicing from the Snow Farm base, a short 4.5km ski or snowshoe, but also for providing the “living in snow experience” that most southern schools look forward to each year. “Given the hut size and facilities, schools from other parts of New Zealand may well want to consider this outdoor adventure opportunity for sports teams and other groups as excellent cross-training.” The surrounding trails are Wānaka Olympic biathlete Campbell Wright’s training ground at the Snow Farm. An opening ceremony is scheduled for early July 2022. For more details go to www.snowfarmnz.com .
How April Fools floated their boat
The Lake Hāwea community page presented this image to support claims that a super yacht was about to berth.
The April Fool bug was in evidence at the start of the month – even a national newspaper presented a page three lead story suggesting a water sport event would be staged at Auckland’s Eden Park. At Lake Hāwea the community’s weekly newsletter reported “rumours are circulating wildly at Lake Hāwea about the arrival on the lake of a super yacht believed to be owned by a prominent Russian businessman”. Readers were told the vessel was sighted offshore near the southern end of the lake on Thursday evening, but some locals reported that it had been observed near Silver Island at the head of the lake in recent days. “The name of the boat has not been able to be determined, but it appears to be very similar to the vessel owned by a Russian businessman, which was last reported berthed in the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean. It had apparently departed from its berth in darkness about three weeks ago and, with its maritime transponder turned
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off, had not been tracked since that time. How it managed to get to Lake Hāwea is still a mystery,” the report continued. “During a reported radio communication with the skipper - Captain Claude Brightwater - it has been emphasised that the owner is not one of the Russian oligarchs that are subject to sanctions imposed by the governments of USA, UK and the EU.” As with the ruse in the national newspaper, the story finished with an undertaking that more would be revealed at noon – the cut off time for April Fools jokes. “The skipper indicated that all will be revealed… when, at midday, the boat will berth at the Lake Hāwea boat ramp jetty for refuelling (about 250,000 litres of diesel) followed by a Hāwea civic reception. It is understood that some red carpet has been organised for the jetty and the Hāwea District Brass Band will be performing,” the report added.
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Phone: 03 443 8000, Top of Helwick Street, Wānaka OPEN: MON-SAT 8AM TO 6PM • SUN 10AM TO 6PM
THURSDAY 07.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 13.04.22
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The flu is flying The Government's $12 million influenza vaccination campaign has been launched with wider eligibility for free doses and a 40 percent increase in supply. The seasonal virus has hardly been in existence for the past two years in New Zealand, as a flowon effect of the country's closed borders against Covid-19. However, this year the Government has been gradually reopening its borders to the world. Vaccinated Australians may visit later this month, and vaccinated visitors from around the world can enter at the start of May. College of General Practitioners medical director and Porirua GP Dr Bryan Betty said New Zealanders may have lower immunity to the virus and, therefore, may be particularly vulnerable after spending two years without it. "The thing we need to understand about the flu - it's brought in from overseas by aeroplanes," he said. Institute of Environmental Science and Research Technical Lead, Epidemiology, Andrea McNeill, said ESR would be leading communityand hospital-level surveillance of influenza and other respiratory viruses on behalf of the Ministry of Health this year. “Influenza continues to circulate internationally, mostly at low levels currently, but we expect cases to be arriving at our border now.” Health officials also noted this week they're “very concerned” about low measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates among children, and the Health Ministry is urgently working to increase them. “We are very aware that as we continue to open the borders that measles in particular is something that we don't have in New Zealand. It only ever comes into New Zealand across the border, so we need to be prepared and as protected as we can be for that," Director of Public Health Dr Caroline
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Zealanders cannot access the psychological care and support they need.” The union said three boards – Northland, Auckland and Wairarapa did not provide information with the time frame sent in the Official Information Act. “Psychologists are a critical workforce in our public health and education sectors. In DHBs psychologists provide treatment for physical and mental health conditions and psychologists at the Ministry of Education work directly with children at risk of exclusion from school because of developmental or behavioural challenges,” Dr Powel said. “Our members tell us the main reason they are leaving public sector roles is because of the Government pay freeze at a time of record cost of living increases.”
LETTERS
Cat shock
Just back from a weekend at Kidd’s Bush, we were shocked and disappointed to see two juvenile cats wandering free at the campsite. It seems that some people are prepared to sacrifice a thousand fledgling birds rather than have their two unwanted cats euthanised. I shudder to think how we can ever enable the populations of bellbirds/korimako, tui, South Island robin and the many other native bird species to restore at this and so many other sites. So many are already gone. Ashley Conland Wānaka
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McElnay said. University of Otago immunologist Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu said that although Covid-19 had been a key focus over the past two years, it was important to remember that all childhood vaccinations are still important. "An issue of major concern has been the disruption to usual, non-Covid-19 childhood vaccine schedules in Aotearoa New Zealand due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This means, there is potential risk of a measles or whooping cough outbreak, for example. “As a result of the Covid-19 situation, there are also children and young ones in Aotearoa New Zealand who may have never been exposed to the influenza virus. A resurgence of influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could possibly occur.
Crimeline
Union cites health board staff issues The APEX Union says not enough is being done to resolve the number of vacancies in psychologist positions in health board. It says data released under the Official Information Act shows there are 148 psychologist positions vacant across District Health Boards. The figures release showed at the time the information was provided there were seven vacancies at the Southern DHB, that it had 34.96 full time equivalent staff and a turnover of 17.65 per cent. “The information we gathered through the OIA shows 20 per cent of these public sector psychology positions are vacant nationwide and annual turnover of staff is as high as 60% in some regions,” the union’s national secretary Deborah Powell said. “This information explains why so many New
Dianne Sika-Paotonu
Doesn’t sound right? Call us Friday saw the return of fun and games with April Fool’s Day which often results in a few peculiar jobs for the girls and boys in blue, but it appears the pranksters were well behaved this year. We attended two car crashes this week, first involving a car towing a boat and vehicle travelling south at Makarora and the second crash involved a 4WD that lost control on loose gravel and rolled. Both crashes had the potential for serious injury but fortunately only resulted in minor injury. This week has seen an increase in family harm incidents, once again the main contributing factor is alcohol. Often the call is from a nearby property after hearing the commotion. We appreciate these calls and they can be the difference between a minor incident rather than a serious assault. If you hear something that does not sound right, please ring us. On Thursday police arrested a shoplifter for 12 incidents of shoplifting from our supermarkets. We have also had a couple of other reports of shoplifting from New World and Mitre 10 that we are investigating. We are into the roar period for deer and they tend to wander at this time of the year. With this we see an increase in deer on the roads so if you are travelling in the hours of darkness be mindful what may be ahead. The other issues associated with this period is the poaching and shooting
THURSDAY 07.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 13.04.22
from vehicles. To hold a firearms licence is a privilege and any of the above will remove this in a heartbeat. Op Deterrence is continuing for several more weeks. This operation is focused on seatbelts, cell phones and speed. There are a number of you out there who have contributed financially towards this operation and once you have collected four of the prizes you get to ride a bicycle for a few months! Speaking of bikes, daylight saving has ended so if you’re still out and about on your bike at night make sure you have some lights sorted for it. Computer scams continue to be the crime of choice for a number of low life thieves. Don’t give out any details, passwords or any other personal information. Even if it sounds really convincing it is likely to be “fake news”. If they say it’s your bank calling or it’s an internet provider telling you someone has hacked your computer, there should be alarm bells going off at your end. Hang up and ring your bank or internet provider direct. We have a regular flow of found property that arrives at the station. At the moment we have quite a collection of watches which I’m sure are missed, and more peculiar is the track for a Makita Track Saw which must have come off the roof of a tradie’s truck. Enjoy the rest of the week and keep safe. – By Sergeant Darren Cranfield
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New push to save film waste Film Queenstown Lakes has launched a directory to help film, television and commercial productions minimise and manage their waste in the district. The directory, “And, cut…!” offers a reference to businesses and waste-related organisations which provide sustainable waste services. The directory is designed for the film industry, which has unique waste and recycling requirements, such as paint, cars, and old clothes. It was compiled by Council’s in-house film office, Film Queenstown Lakes, with Council’s waste minimisation team, and representatives from the film industry. Film Office Coordinator Kahli Scott hoped the directory would be a valuable resource for the film industry. “Our district has outstanding natural scenery and a beautiful environment that we’re proud to share on screen, but we also want to protect it. Overall, the film industry is moving to more sustainable ways of working and productions are increasingly more conscious about how they handle their waste. We’re hoping this directory will help them do that, here in Queenstown Lakes.” “We also hope this will get the conversation started on a local level about next steps towards becoming a more sustainable film industry. Waste is just one part of the bigger picture. We’re open to ideas about how we as a regional film office can help support and champion other initiatives around environmental sustainability
in the film industry and encourage anyone with an interest in this area to get in touch.” She also noted that using home-based film crew and suppliers can be a great way of reducing waste by keeping items and equipment in circulation locally, and that all visiting productions are encouraged to do this. Council’s Waste Minimisation Project Officer Kath Buttar said the directory encourages film productions to consider the waste hierarchy, where disposing of waste is the last resort, and reusing or repurposing items is considered. “To achieve our goal of becoming a zero waste and sustainable district, we all need to significantly reduce our levels of consumption and transition from the linear thinking of ‘take - make - waste’ to a circular economy model where materials are kept in effective and efficient use for as long as possible and do not harm the environment.” “We are very fortunate to have lots of great local organisations, such as Wastebusters and the Wānaka Community Workshop, which may be able to repurpose items from film sets.” Ms Scott said the directory would continue to be updated with new waste-related information, and she hoped it would replicated elsewhere in New Zealand. “We’ve heard a few industry voices around the country say they are keen to learn more about this project, and we’d be happy to hear from anyone who wants to know more.” For more details go to www.qldc.govt.nz
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUM
Mum’s day off While it's true that you can never have a day off from being a mum, last week I got pretty close. For the first time in forever, I had a whole day to myself. For those of you who know me, this is huge (in capital letters). As we don’t have family in New Zealand, having ‘time out’ is a rare occurrence. Let me rephrase that; having two hours to myself is a rare occurrence, having a whole day is non-existent. I had originally booked the day off for my partner's birthday. Tobias is usually in daycare on a Friday so we were going to have a date day. Of course, Covid hit our household the week before so my partner ended up having to work. While this wasn’t so good for him it meant that I now had some spare time on my hands. Trouble is, I didn’t know what to do with it. I could have gone for lunch with friends or sorted out the never-ending pile of baby clothes that Tobias has grown out of. I could have cleared the garage out or enrolled onto that online course I’ve been thinking about. Instead, I decided to give myself
some ‘me’ time. While it would have been nice to catch up with people, I just wanted to be by myself without having to make conversation (no offense friends!). Even though I had a long list of things to do, I decided to go for a swim followed by a relaxing dip in the hot pools. Even though it was a simple swim, to me it was bliss. I didn’t have to rush or check the time. I could take my time in the shower and get dressed at my own pace. Simply put, it was exactly what I needed. I did miss Tobias though and found myself thinking about whether or not he was settling into daycare. Going into the changing rooms and seeing other mums with their kids also felt a bit odd. I didn’t have to get the snacks out to keep him still or walk out with wet hair. This day made me realise that I need to carve out more time for myself. I felt refreshed and reenergised and ready to get things done. So if you ever get the chance to take a few hours off work away from the little ones, make sure you do it. It’s the perks of daycare, right? – By Daisy Watford
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CAMERA CLUB ‘IN FOCUS’
The joy of our animal attractions
These bottle-nosed dolphins were photographed by David Brewer.
One of the more awe-inspiring sights is to see majestic animals in their natural environment. Nowhere is this truer than viewing whales and dolphins out at sea. Dolphins can be playful and energetic as they leap high into the air or glide effortlessly through the water. They are a truly magnificent spectacle. With the rise of eco-tourism there are more and more locations where we can hop on a boat, travel a short distance into the ocean and see Dolphins cutting through the waves. There may be seasons when dolphins will be more common in waters where we live as many of them migrate every year. However, it is easy enough to do a little research to find when dolphins will likely be in our area. If we are planning a boat trip there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure we take full advantage of photo opportunities. One important thing is not to rush - but let the dolphin approach us. Dolphins are very social creatures and generally seem to react favourably with humans, if allowed to do so on their own terms. If we are patient, and understand our camera setting we should be able to capture some amazing photos with ease. We can use any type of camera to take great photos of dolphins but one with the capacity for a relatively long telephoto lens has advantages. Indeed our choice of lens is extremely important when it comes to being able to fill the frame with our subject. A zoom lens is a good choice because we never know when the dolphin will decide to ‘check out’ the boat or come close to the shoreline. A focal length around 55-200 in a good option. However we shouldn’t discount the wider end of the zoom range to show the breadth of the ocean and the animals who live there. So that we can concentrate on the dolphins a good choice is to use shutter priority exposure mode where we set the shutter speed and the camera selects
the appropriate aperture. We need a relative fast shutter speed to freeze the action so set the shutter speed to around 1/500 or faster. Using a smaller aperture will give us more depth of field for our images. Of course, the combination of high shutter speed and a small aperture will mean less light reaching the camera’s sensor which must compensated for by using a higher ISO. However today’s cameras can take excellent quality images at some incredibly high ISO’s. When we are photographing action pictures and don’t want to miss a great shot we should set our camera to continuous shooting mode. In this setting we can keep our finger on the shutter button and the camera will keep shooting until it fills the buffer. This may use a chunk of memory card but a split second can make a world of difference between a great shot and not so good shot. Watching Bottle-nose dolphins behaving totally naturally in their true environment is a moment to be treasured. Enjoy the experiences of seeing them at such close quarters and don’t worry if we don’t capture breath-taking images on our first visit; indeed there has to be a reason to return again! This is what David Brewer did with his picture ‘Bottlenose Dolphins – Bligh Sound.’ David took his photo on his bi-annual diving/boating trip with friends. Bligh Sound is the first big sound south of Milford Sound and is part of Fiordland National Park. David said a school of Bluenose dolphins surfaced at 7.30pm. The photo was taken on the water using a Nikon D850 camera, attached to a 24-85mm Nikkor lens. David used Continuous Shooting Mode with an aperture of f8, shutter speed 1/400 second and an ISO of 2000. Wānaka Camera Club is dedicated to helping anyone interested in photography and we welcome anyone to join us. Our next meeting is on Monday, 7.30pm, St John Rooms, Link way.
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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.
SITUATION VACANT
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. Mentoring will be available if our new editor requires it.
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.
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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.
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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.
STORAGE Clean, dry, safe storage available now. Ezystor Self Storage, 12 Gordon Road, Wānaka, Ph: 021 242 1630.
SUN TEAM WĀNAKA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER ISSUE 1073 Free delivery to Wānaka, Cromwell and surrounds, PO boxes in Makarora, Cromwell, Haast, Wānaka, Albert Town and Hāwea. Also distributed to businesses in the Wānaka business district Average circulation: 15,000 weekly. 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 03 443 5252 Classified Advertising: 5pm Monday prior to publication. admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Subscriptions: $175 within NZ (including GST) per year. Overseas rates on request. Remittances to PO Box 697, Wānaka, NZ.
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MAC students put their hands up Mount Aspiring College students are among thousands of teenagers across the country who volunteer their time this week. Student Volunteer Week runs to Sunday. Thousands of high-school and university students give, grow, and connect through volunteering. The contribution has a major impact on communities and causes on the national and international stage. Young people are involved in volunteering through initiatives such as The William Pike Challenge, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Mount Aspiring College's Students in the Community and the many activities arranged through dedicated school service committee volunteers. Kaitūao o te Taitonga - Volunteer South says it is passionate about enabling young people to connect with their community through volunteering and will be focusing on enabling more young people to volunteer this year. “We had the pleasure of working with Dunstan High School and Mount Aspiring College last year, connecting over 100 students to their community through volunteering on teacher only
Mount Aspiring College students are to the forefront when it comes to volunteering.
days and are looking forward to re-establishing this work when the risk of Covid allows,” Gillian White, Central Lakes manager said. “Wakatipu High School is also keen to offer volunteering on teacher only days, alongside their website ‘Give Time’ that was set up in 2020 with the aim of easily connecting students to organisations in the area.”
Volunteer South is also part of a national youth focus group within the Volunteer Centre Network Aotearoa, which is working to reach deeper into their communities to support youth volunteering and to encourage organisations to offer the flexibility often needed by our youngest volunteers. “Young volunteers bring so much to the
New MRI scanner installed Upper Clutha residents will soon have access to another magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. Dunedin Hospital had added a second machine to its suite and expects to significantly reduce wait times. A 39-tonne crane deposited the 4-tonne, 2.3 metre by 2.2 metre machine into the radiology department through a hatch in the Dunedin Hospital roof last week. “It was an intensive undertaking as the crane needed to navigate a small space between buildings and avoid our fourth-storey covered foot bridge,” said Stephen Jenkins, Radiology Service Manager. When Dunedin Hospital acquired a new computerised tomography (CT) scanner in 2021, it resulted in a dramatic reduction in waiting times – and a similar result is expected with the new MRI. “By using both machines simultaneously we can reduce the current waiting list, and should meet the Ministry of Health target that 90 per cent of outpatients receive their MRI scan within six weeks,” he said. “It may be that one machine is primarily operated as an acute scanner, and the other primarily for elective patients.” Another benefit is that in the event one machine fails, the hospital will still be in a position to conduct MRI scans. “Scanner failure is rare, but it does occur, and this can take some time to repair – particularly at present given current global supply chain issues,”
THE WĀNAKA SUN
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public Notice | P ā n u i Alcohol Licensing Applications Current alcohol licensing applications can be found at www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing. Applicant / Licensee
Trading Name & Address
Nature of Business
Last Date for Public Objection
Cargo Brewing Company Limited
Cargo Brewing Co - Gantleys Pub
Tavern
20/04/2022
Oxbow Limited
Oxbow Adventure Co
Adventure/ Activity Company with bar
20/04/2022
Hotel
20/04/2022
Cafe, Bar, Holiday Park
20/04/2022
Golf Club
14/04/2022
Tavern & Restaurant
14/04/2022
Skiing & Snowboarding
13/04/2022
Skiing & Snowboarding
13/04/2022
Restaurant
12/04/2022
Tavern
11/04/2022
Tavern
11/04/2022
172 Arthurs Point Road, Queenstown 2696 Gibbston Valley Highway, Queenstown 9371
Jucy Snooze Limited
Miss Lucy's 47 Camp Street, Queenstown
The 4-tonne machine was “posted” through a hatch.
says Mr Jenkins. Having two scanners at Dunedin Hospital also provides the ability to increase training of MRI technicians, who must attain a postgraduate qualification requiring two to three years of onthe-job training. This is seen as valuable preparation ahead of the opening of the new Dunedin hospital, which will have three MRI machines and will require additional staff to operate them.
Health chief sets end date Southern DHB Chief Executive Chris Fleming will step down at the end of June. He plans to end a 30 year stint in the health sector to pursue new business opportunities with his family. Fleming has spent the last 15 years leading three different District Health Boards and is in his sixth year with Southern. “For the past couple of years I have been considering future opportunities to purchase a business that I could work together with my wife and provide my son an opportunity to support him to secure his future,” he said. “Despite the exciting future ahead in health, with the transition to Health New Zealand on
organisations they support, a fresh energy, passion and many new skills and ideas. We will be working hard in the upcoming year to highlight the benefits to organisations of opening their doors to young people. There are young people keen to volunteer - so we will be focusing on supporting them to become active volunteers,” Gillian White said.
July 1, I have been contemplating the right move for me and my family, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to do something completely different for now. It is likely that I may become involved in the health system again in the future but for now will focus on establishing ourselves in the businesses we are acquiring.” He also plans to move back to Waikato “which is where I am originally from.” Because of the pending move to Health New Zealand it will be up to the new organisation’s chief executive to determine the next steps “in terms of leadership for South DHB” a statement from board said.
Makarora Country Cafe, Bar & Holiday Park Limited
Makarora Country Cafe, Bar & Holiday Park
Kingston Golf Club Incorporated
Kingston Golf Club
Winnies Queenstown Limited
Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
NZSki Limited
The Remarkables Ski Field
5507 Makarora Lake Hāwea Road, Makarora
Gloucester Street, Kingston 7 The Mall, Queenstown The Remarkables Ski Area, State Highway 6, Queenstown
NZSki Limited
Coronet Peak Ski Field Coronet Peak Ski Area via Malaghan's Road, Queenstown
Go To Collection Limited
Hawker & Roll
Simple Simon Suckfizzle Soup and Gourmet Pie Company Limited
Atlas Beer Cafe
Gurnard 2011 Limited
38 Ballarat Street, Queenstown Block D, Steamer Wharf, 88 Beach Street, Queenstown Habana Boutique Rum Bar 15 Ballarat Street, Cnr Searle Lane and Eureka Arcade, Queenstown
If you have a query about an application, a public notice, or the notification process, you can find more information here: www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing. Or, alternatively, please call 03 441 0499 or email services@qldc.govt.nz. This notice is dated: 31 March 2022
Dog Registration for 2022/2023 A friendly reminder invoices for the 2022/2023 registration period for all registered dogs will be sent out shortly. To ensure you receive an accurate invoice, please update your dog’s details and any recent changes to your mailing address by calling 03 443 0024 or emailing services@qldc.govt.nz.
THURSDAY 07.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 13.04.22
Private Bag 50072 | 47 Ardmore Street Wānaka Phone 03 443 0024 | www.qldc.govt.nz
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Sun Sport
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City slickers await Wānaka Wānaka travels to play Dunedin City on Saturday with its first Southern Premier football league points in the bag. The side bounced back from an opening day loss to win at home last weekend in a match which produced 10 goals. League newcomers Northern Hearts gave the home side a first half scare to lead 3-2 at one stage – before Wānaka took control after levelling through a Hamish Rodgers own goal on half time to eventually run out 6-4 winners. The other goals came from Blair Scoullar, man of the match Flynn Brown 2, Brandon Dickson and Blake Lang. Bailey Chambers bagged a hat trick for
Hearts, including the last goal of the match in the 90th minute. The win puts Wānaka sixth on the table and only Northern – who beat Wānaka 5-1 on opening day – has two wins from two. Wānaka started well at home on Saturday, with Hearts struggling to get their legs moving off the bus after a long trip from Timaru. Blair Scoullar opened the scoring with a leaping header from a delightful cross from youngster Blake Lang. Wānaka got into the driving seat, keeping the ball well and creating multiple chances. Flynn Brown was next in with a cheeky lob over visiting keeper Rodgers for his first goal at this level. Hearts got out of the stalls finally, getting a goal
back through Ruben Hoekstra. Chambers then scored with a snap shot and the scores were level. Wānaka’s head dropped and they struggled to counter and deal with Hearts’ direct play as balls over the top caused havoc for the home back four. Chambers added his second to give the visitors a 3-2 lead after 38 minutes before Wānaka was rewarded for a late rally and benefitted from an own goal. A stern team talk led by coach Scoullar clearly worked as Wānaka took control of the game at the start of the second half. The home side dominated possession and began creating chances. As Hearts began to tire Barry Grehan and Tomas Tinka found more room to create opportunities.
Football youngsters draw praise
Here’s how… Wānaka’s new Under-15 development team gets some instructions from coach Thomas Van Hees last weekend.
Wānaka’s new Under-15 football side had plenty to be encouraged about despite a 7-1 home loss to Queenstown last weekend. The club’s youth development team opened the scoring in a match played in 25 minute thirds and showed the benefits of some good coaching. But the youngsters were up against the odds. Five players were ruled out with injuries or commitments, and that provided an opportunity for Under-13 player Cooper Norman to feature in the squad. Robbie Mcrae opened the scoring for the home side after a nervous opening 15 minutes following a quick attack down the right. But play was stopped after skipper Jacob Fielding suffered a split lip after taking a boot in the face and the home side was reduced to 10 men for five minutes.
During that time the visitors levelled with a headed goal from a corner. Fielding was taken to a medical centre for stitches and Don Plimmer came on to bring Wānaka back to 11. Queenstown capitalised again on the changes and led 3-1 at the break. There was a further setback when Ryan Keenan picked up an ankle injury – providing Cooper Norman an opportunity to made his first appearance in an 11 a-side game. Wānaka then enjoyed a fine spell as Dom Plimmer, Saffron Millar and William Noble KirkBride excelled in midfield as the ball was moved swiftly. A goal would have been just reward, but Wānaka could get no closer than hitting the post through Theo Laws.
After another good chance was missed, one long ball changed the momentum. Queenstown’s striker outpaced the defence and it was 4-1. Having gone through much of the game without any substitutes, the wheels came off for Wānaka in the last 25 minutes as the visitors collected a further three goals. But the home side can take heart from an excellent showing against a strong and mature Queenstown. The players’ player award went to Harry Oxley – but man of the match for Wānaka was a female - Saffron Millar had an outstanding game in midfield, and always looked to have time on the ball. Wānaka gets a second bite of the cherry against the same opposition in Queenstown this weekend.
Brown, Dickson and Lang all found the net in a 22 minute spell and with five minutes remaining the match was effectively over at 6-3. Hearts won and scored a penalty to enable Chambers to complete his hat-trick with time up on the clock. Dunedin City should provide a sterner test this weekend. City dropped two point away to Roslyn Wakari last weekend after a resounding 6-1 opening day win over Green Island – who drew at home last weekend to Queenstown. Results: Wānaka 6 Hearts 4, Queens Park 0 Northern 2, Roslyn Wakari 1 Dunedin City 1, Green Island 2 Queenstown 2, Otago University 1 Mosgiel 1.
Charruas go through Charruas were made to fight by a spirited Wānaka reserves side in the Radio Central Football Cup over the weekend. Charruas, a Wānaka based team made up of players from Uruguay, prevailed 4-1. The class of Queenstown’s expat football community was also on full show. Defending champions Lakes United – a slick mix of English, Scottish and Irish migrants - made light work of a patched-up Cromwell team beset by Covid absences. United was two up within minutes of the start, and the final 9-1 score underlined the title winning credentials of the favourites. In all-Queenstown encounters, the Brazilian-influenced Falcons beat GLTU 3-0 and Classics prevailed 6-5 on penalties over Wakatipu after the match finished 1-1. Alexandra and Teviot teams are not participating in the Cup because of their reliance upon seasonal labour but will enter the league competition at the end of the month. Convenor Shane Norton said the standard of play was very high considering it was the start of the season and games were played in searing temperatures. He was also pleased that the game’s referees were given due respect. The winners of the first round now play off for places in the Radio Central Cup final, while first-round losers will contest the Plate. Saturday’s draw: Cup, Charruas v Lakes - 12.45pm Jacks Point, Falcons v Classics - 2.45pm Jacks Point. Plate, Cromwell v GLTU - 12.45 pm Alpha Reserve, Wakatipu v Wānaka - 2.45pm QEC No.2.
Geary claims the Millbrook Classic Josh Geary claimed the Millbrook Classic by four shots shooting a course record eight-under 63 last weekend. His blemish-free round included eight birdies, with five coming in the first half of the course. He credited his fast start for giving him the opportunity to kick on and claim the Sir Bob Charles trophy. “I think I was three-under through four, but Kerry [Mountcastle] was four-under through four. We sort of fed off each other a bit and just kept hitting really solid shots, and then all of a sudden I was five-under through nine, so I just had to keep it going for the rest of the round," said Geary. "I had one really poor shot on the back-nine and had it way up on the bank but managed to make a very good save, which kicked the momentum
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up. And then I had some quality iron shots on the last three holes and looked up, and I was in front," said Geary. Geary is now looking forward to taking what he has learnt at the Millbrook Classic into the New Zealand Open in 2023 and is hoping the confidence from this round will help him come March next year. Geary's playing partner for the day, Kerry Mountcastle, finished just two shots behind shooting a six-under 65 and was enjoying the battle with Geary as they pushed each other to the finish. "It was awesome to have Josh and myself going well. We could feed off each other, and I kept following him. Unfortunately, I had a little bit of a whoopsie in the middle of the round, but managed to fight back and hang off his coat-tails and manage to save the round.
Josh Geary shows off his trophy.
THURSDAY 07.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 13.04.22
THE WĀNAKA SUN