Lakes Business Sep Oct 2023

LAKES BUSINESS

SOUTHERN LAKES BUSINESS MONTHLY

Issue 32 | September - October 2023

Carbon Zero by 2030? The pebble has dropped, the ripple is spreading

It’s 10 o’clock on a brisk Saturday morning at a café in Wānaka. People are spilling out the door; big families, early morning walkers in gym tights, and locals dodging the crowd to nd a table. ere is not a disposable takeaway co ee cup in sight, and the person at the counter can be heard explaining this over again: take a seat, or pay a $3 deposit for a reusable cup. Some customers are delighted, some taken aback.

To get to this point, an important step on the Single Use Cup-Free Wānaka campaign, has not been easy. In participating cafés, everyone has rallied - owners, sta and customers alike. At rst, it seemed impossible. Now, it’s hard to imagine things the old way. It’s the perfect example of community-led collective action from an incredible volunteer led organisation, Plastic Free Wānaka.

is kind of action is at the core of the upcoming sixth annual Wao Summit, held on 24 - 29 October across the Southern Lakes. As co-founder of the non-pro t Wao Aotearoa Monique Kelly says this year is all about igniting and empowering more of these collaborative e orts.

It’s time to walk the talk

“We need massive amounts of grass roots collective action,” Kelly says, “and that’s going to require translating our attitudes into action.” at is, nding and building the elusive bridge from attitude (‘I know driving my car is bad for the climate’) to action (‘I’m going to ride my bike instead even though I really don’t feel like it’). Transport, co ee cups, our food choices; the examples are everywhere.

e thing is, people care. For the most part, we’re aware that we have just six years to halve our emissions if we want to avoid total environmental collapse. We’ve seen the destruction and disruption caused by extreme weather events in the North Island. We know that big change is required, for both reduction and adaptation. It’s just that mostly, we don’t know how to make that change.

is is where collective action comes in. Huge collaborative e orts which transcend political ping pong matches and individual helplessness. And the Wao Summit is about giving people the tools to leap into these movements, all guns blazing.

For six days across Wānaka, Queenstown, Arrowtown and Glenorchy, there will be workshops, tours, lms and kōrero, upskilling the Southern Lakes community with practical solutions. As Kelly explains, no one is in this alone, and the summit is about learning from each other and from what’s already being done.

“We’ll have workshops like Governance for Purpose, Regenerative Tourism and Building Better,” she says.

“We’ll look at the future of migration and nd out what a circular economy looks like for every sector of the community.” We’ll look at plastics in our waterways. We’ll explore food resilience. We’ll nd out how to get a reduction strategy in place. e Sustainable Communities Tours will visit local project leaders across Wānaka, Queenstown and Glenorchy, from community gardens to radical pest control.

As Kelly says, it’s just as important to talk about adaptation as it is to discuss climate mitigation. “Our system has baked-in changes that are impossible to stop now, and we need to be prepared before the shocks and challenges hit,” she says. “We know that a

Sponsored

well-educated community is a big part of this.”

To that end, the summit is a chance to consider what resilience looks like. What is a resilient home? What else might you need to create one? How are you getting around town? What would you do if our food supply was cut o ? Who’s going to create an early warning re system?

“ e rst summit was a wake up call, and a call to action,” Kelly says. “Covid was really a reset moment, a pause, and a demonstration of what a system shi can look like. Now it’s about getting beyond talk.” We are in the midst of the movement of our lifetimes, and it’s calling for a unanimous pulling up of the sleeves. As psychologist Dr Niki Harré says, transformation happens with movements that everyone wants to be a part of. Like ditching co ee cups and plastic bags. “People want to do what those around them are doing,” says Auckland-based Harre, who has spent her career studying the psychology of sustainability. “We tend to do things out of sheer mimicry, or because it feels socially appropriate, or it feels like a part of our identity.”

So this year’s summit is about making positive change the norm in the Southern Lakes community. In fact, not just normal, we’re making climate action sexybike helmets and compost included. Change can be joyous. is movement can be vibrant. We are, a er all, building a more beautiful future.

e spirit of celebration will join that of urgency throughout this year’s summit. Biketober, the annual Southern Lakes festival of cycling, will take over the month of October, on two wheels. Amongst an actionpacked month of bike events, two bike lm nights will champion the work o people-powered movements all around the world.

e task that lies ahead of us is critical, but we’ve got the team and the tools for the job. is is the revolution you don’t want to miss out on. We’ll see you at the summit. wao.co.nz

Dr Nikki Harre

e path to overall environmental sustainability will be a long one for the vast majority of Queenstown Lakes businesses, especially its big players.

Ferrying tens of thousands of tourists each year through the South Island’s iconic mountains, valleys, lakes and ords comes with an emissions cost, which commercially-viable technology has not yet mitigated. But, while the region’s destination management plan has a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030 as its attention-grabbing goal, regeneration through industry-backed conservation e orts also features heavily throughout.

RealNZ is one of Queenstown’s major tourism rms ahead of the game in that respect.

e company was founded on the principles of conservation, with Sir Les and Lady Olive Hutchins buying the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourist Company in 1954, with the plan to share spectacular Fiordland with the world.

Sir Les, who died in 2003 aged 79, was a founding patron of the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation, and hoped to increase people’s respect for nature through wilderness experiences.

Real Journeys, as it was then, expanded over the years, buying the TSS Earnslaw in 1969, and running cruises in Piopiotahi Milford Sound by the 70s. In the past decade, it’s added numerous other businesses, including Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone. It now employs a core 450 sta , with 1000 extra in winter, and 500 extra in summer.

But last month, RealNZ acting chief executive Paul Norris, also its chief conservation o cer, announced plans to sell o some of its business, to stay true to the intentions of the Hutchins.

e family is still the majority owner, although there was major capital raise last year, with new investors brought in, and a new board.

Up for sale are Queenstown Jet Boats, Queenstown Ferry (Water Taxis), the Ōtautahi Christchurch

Conservation motivation

by Paul Taylor

International Antarctic Centre, and Rakiura Stewart Island Lodge.

“In the wake of the pandemic, we have observed a stronger 22/23 season and are con dent in the turning tide,” Norris says.

“ is allows us to move forward with the core areas of focus that align to those foundations . . . connecting our guests with the beauty of our environment through real experiences.”

Queenstown Lakes’ destination management plan (DMP) has “reinforced the pathway we are taking as a business”, he says, which is guided by a “strong set of values, with guardianship and protection of our place leading the charge”.

“We think it is great that as a region, we are aligned in our thinking.”

e company has backed several key conservation projects in recent years, contributing nearly $1 million towards pest eradication and translocation projects for native species since 2016.

at’s included clearing thousands of wilding pines from Walter Peak High Country Farm, the 155-hectare station on Lake Whakatipu. It has planted more than 12,000 native trees and shrubs, in partnership with the Whakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group (WCG), Whakatipu Reforestation Trust and Department of Conservation (DOC), including mountain and red beech, kowhai, cabbage trees, rata and pittosporum. Further south, it has partnered with DOC again on the Cooper Island Restoration Project, with the goal of removing predators, such as stoats, from the Tamatea/ Dusky Sound island.

at’s expected to cost at least $500k over the next ve years. Pre-dating but aligned with the goals of the DMP, it’s using tourist money for the regeneration, pledging $100 from every Discovery Expeditions ticket and $500 from every Conservation Expeditions ticket. It also donated $100k from the Leslie Hutchins Conservation Foundation and $150k from the Birds of

a Feather Conservation Ball.

In 2022, RealNZ introduced a conservation wine to its Fiordland wine list, Wet Jacket’s ‘Putangi’ Pinot Noir. For every bottle sold, $10 goes towards a conservation project.

Norris says the conservation e orts are “still going strong, with the return of our Conservation Ball this year to fundraise for the translocation kākāriki karaka, one of New Zealand’s rarest bird species”.

With DOC and Ngai Tahu, RealNZ is working to establish a new colony on Pukenui (Anchor Island), Fiordland, funding stoat traps and bespoke aviaries, before a translocation from Ōtautahi Christchurch. In terms of emissions reduction, RealNZ has looked at alternative fuels for the coal-powered TSS Earnslaw in recent years, and is in the process of buying the Spirit of Queenstown from Southern Discoveries, to lighten the load on the Lady of the Lake.

It has also capped numbers at Cardrona Alpine Resort this winter season to maintain the visitor experience.

Tourism

021 568 315 | 03 441 2743 louise.denton@toddandwalker.com Providing specialist advice on family matters: Relationship Property, Contracting Out/Prenuptial Agreements, Separation, Family Violence, Protection Orders, Care of Children, Guardianship, Dissolution of Marriage, Oranga Tamariki Proceedings and PPPR Act Proceedings. CONTACT US

Road to regenerative tourism

by Paul Taylor

Next June, the Milford Opportunities Project will report to the Government on what could be a game-changer for the New Zealand tourism industry. It’s now two years since MOP launched its sweeping and controversial masterplan, which reimagined how Milford Sound / Piopiotahi overcomes the challenge of its popularity with tourists.

A jaw-dropping 870,000 people visited the ord in 2019, with many of them coming by car, coach, plane and helicopter from Queenstown Lakes.

e Fiordland destination is 70km as the crow ies from downtown Queenstown, across the Southern Alps. It is about 290km by road, a trip which takes at least four hours.

Recommendations include charging international visitors, that the airstrip be closed, cruise ships banned, a new visitor centre and hotel, a cable car up Bowen Falls, a plethora of environmental and cultural projects, and a park-and-ride system operate from a hub in Te Anau, with various stop-o s along Milford Road and in Southland.

Chris Goddard, who has a background in the mining industry, was appointed project director about 12 months ago, given a budget of $15 million to work through what is possible.

“We have a robust masterplan, it’s really innovative, but it’s now about testing those ideas, and testing them well.

“What’s feasible, what’s not? What’s the pathway to implement the idea? What do international visitors and New Zealanders think about the implementation plan? What is the bene t to Te Anau, to Southland, to Otago, to New Zealand?” ose bene ts are spread across nancial, environmental and conservation, social and cultural.

“We’re talking about a business case that lands across those four, which is similar to Queenstown’s [destination management] plan.”

Goddard says generating money for conservation is at the heart of the everything and the word back from international visitors is they will do that willingly.

“It’s unusual from their perspective, not to contribute to the upkeep of a national park.

“You pay $38 to gain access to Uluru-Kata Tjuta, $50 in the high season for Kakadu National Park, just two examples of Australian national parks.”

The MOP team, with project director Chris Goddard, right

Meat on the bones

Last month, the MOP put out two landmark requests for proposals, asking companies to identify technology for a permit system and ideas for a park-and-ride model.

MOP wants “uncomplicated but e ective way” to manage access to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

e so ware and hardware package should be able to issue permits to people that apply under a variety of categories, such as tourist, climber or hunter, and manage road access in an “unobtrusive and subtle way (preferably, but not necessarily, without a physical barrier)”.

It should also manage the parking of private vehicles, manage bus circulation scheduling to respond to customer demand, work consistently in the challenging terrain, be able to locate where visitors are in case of an emergency, and dovetail with a hop-onhop-o transport system.

e second request focuses on that transport system itself, asking for concepts for a “feasible park and ride system that balances demand with customer experience, cost e ectiveness and sustainability”. at includes its constructability, sustainability, capital requirements, and operating and maintenance costs. Goddard says the board has been told by the Ministerial group (comprising the Conservation, Tourism and Associate Transport Ministers) overseeing MOP’s work that this is a “valuable test case for transformative change for tourism”.

e Government’s own Tourism Environment Action Plan, currently at the dra stage, and the various destination management plans across NZ, including Queenstown Lakes Carbon Zero 2030 plan, also envisage a regenerative future for the industry.

Community engagement

Key to MOP’s process in the past year has been engagement with Milford tourism operators, locals, sta and community groups, including the climbing, hunting and outdoor communities.

at’s involved building some bridges over some of the more controversial elements of the plan, including removing the airstrip and banning cruise ships.

“ ey got a lot of narrative because it’s a step change. We’re dealing with people’s livelihoods so it’s reasonable for people to be concerned, if your business that you’ve invested multi-generations in is under threat.

“We’ve been asked to think about that later. e critical things we’ve been asked to focus on with the community and tourism operators rst, are the fundamental concepts of slowing people down, levying international visitors, and managing access, which is di erent than capping people or restricting access, but managing access so that people ows are a lot smoother, and people feel that it is a iconic New Zealand experience, with quiet, natural splendour.”

MOP has established a new hub located at Te Anau town centre and a website, where it publishes all the views it receives from the community, some anonymised. Since the start of the year, around 900 people attended engagement sessions, while about 200 have popped into the hub.

Feedback shows the Bowen Falls cable car is another unpopular aspect of the plan for some, as is the idea of visitors and Milford’s sta community being accommodated in the same block.

e mountaineering and rock climbing community was one of the most recent groups consulted, in June, and provided detailed feedback showing how di cult it could be to strike a balance that suits everyone. ey prize access and exibility, especially due to weather windows, and say a park-and-ride system would not suit their needs, needing instead to park along Milford Road corridor and Deepwater Basin.

“Quite reasonably, we’ve got recreational users who are challenging us to say, ‘we should have the ability to enjoy one of New Zealand’s national parks’.

“So we’ve got work that we do with them to test how to manage access without creating unnecessary punitive restrictions for people who might choose on a Friday night to go climbing.”

Power play

Next cab o the rank will be another request for proposal, dealing with power.

Piopiotahi is the second heaviest user of diesel to generate electricity in the South Island, behind Stewart Island / Rakiura Island, and that’s without taking into account the coaches and boats.

“For an icon of New Zealand that’s all about the natural experience to be the second largest user of diesel for electricity . . . that’s where we are.

“ ere’s a way to do that di erently and that’s what we’re laying out but we’ll need some engineering research muscle to work out options.”

All options are on the table, including solar and hydro, although that would have to work through the dry periods - which Piopiotahi gets, despite eight metres of rain per annum.

Mountains to climb

Goddard’s mining career has given him an understanding of the energy required to replace infrastructure, of what it takes to make a ton of aluminium or steel for example.

It means practicalities are front and centre. What actually reduces the carbon footprint, rather than just greenwashing or window dressing.

Travel to and from Milford is one of the biggest challenges in that respect. Recent research by the World Economic Forum identi es travel as 49% of the tourism industry’s emissions.

For Milford, that’s cruise ships and buses from Queenstown.

“ at’s the way it’s been since my grandmother went into the Piopiotahi in 1965, it’s been diesel-powered buses all the way.

“Is there a passion for the tourism industry to do that di erently? Queenstown’s [destination management] plan, which all of the major bus companies going into Piopiotahi have signed up to willingly, says ‘yes, we can do that di erently’.”

“ e problem to solve, the Southern Alps is a very high mountain range. It is quite unusual to have a State Highway go from one side of a very high mountain range, at about 400 metres above sea level, down to sea level on the other side.

“So we need to test with the tourism companies and the manufacturers. Is there a bus that can do it currently? And what does it look like in ve years’ time, and in 10 years’ time?

Community and operator engagement will be paramount throughout for all aspects, he says “People can feel comfortable that their voices are being heard, and we’re weaving that into the work we’re doing, so we’re doing it together, rather than doing it to Piopiotahi, Te Anau or Queenstown.”

The Masterplan bird’s eye view of Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, which is by no means set in stone

iFLY: Freefall to carbon zero

Creating an emission reduction strategy can seem like a daunting task. With a little bit of help, it doesn’t have to be. e Climate Action Initiative is a communityled program which supports local businesses to understand their carbon footprint and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. e CAI, delivered by Environmental Accounting Services through Wao Aotearoa, brings organisations and small businesses together to tackle the pressing issue of greenhouse gas emissions head-on. e initiative was supported for those in the tourism industry in 2021/22 by Queenstown Lakes District Council, Destination Queenstown, and Lake Wānaka Tourism. A new cohort of for-purpose organisations is organised for 2024 supported by Central Lakes Trust. In this article, we explore how iFly took the leap and shi ed their mindset.

iFly is an indoor skydiving facility based in Queenstown, and in 2021, director Matt Wong decided he wanted to reduce the business’s carbon footprint. iFLY is essentially a vertical wind tunnel, which simulates the freefall experience of skydiving. No planes involved, but they still faced substantial electricity consumption. is gave them a signi cant carbon footprint; akin to a hotel.

For Wong, the motivation was simple. “I care about the environment, I’ve got a couple of kids, and we need to create a sustainable tourism industry,” he says. “And that’s not just us saying that, that’s our community, that’s our customers demanding that.”

Wong says that while the business was doing all the ‘surface things’ like recycling, they didn’t really know what true impact they were having. rough CAI’s workshops and mentorship, iFly embarked on a

journey to measure, understand, and mitigate their carbon emissions. ough Wong says the prospect was daunting before they started, the program quickly debunked the myth that the process was an insurmountable hurdle.

“ ey broke it down easily for us to help us understand what we needed to measure. And they made it really easy for us to actually collect all the data together,” Wong says. With an emphasis on accurate data measurement and by breaking it down into manageable steps, the program allowed iFly to understand their carbon footprint and make plans to reduce it.

“It’s a bit like doing homework, but once you get into it you can see the nish line. Once we had nished the journey we knew what our number was, which is important because you can’t x what you’re not measuring. en it was our turn to take it the rest of the way,” Wong says. Guided by CAI’s insights, which in turn are based on years of sector experience, iFly was able to identify key areas for reduction.

Sustainability action has a ripple e ect, and iFly’s journey is a great example of this. e CAI initiative has been a catalyst for change not only within Wong’s business but throughout the broader business community, with over 60 other small businesses in the Southern Lakes signed up to take part.

Our rapidly changing world is calling for radical action. Our communities are responding, and the movement is gathering speed. Decarbonisation has become a non-negotiable when it comes to long-term planning for events and destination management.

In 2019, the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s acknowledgement of a Climate Emergency further

fueled the building momentum, igniting widespread support for e ective climate action.

For Wong, the journey towards carbon neutrality is ongoing, and they’re prioritising changing their behaviour as a business rather than o setting. “Like, how are our sta getting to work? It’s changed my own behaviour a lot, too, and I’ve become really interested in active transport,” he says.

ere is opportunity beyond carbon neutrality, too. iFly’s work with the CAI has opened other exciting doors, leading the business to explore opportunities in green energy production and other green business ventures. For Wong, his mission has extended out from his own business to encompass the wider picture. “My challenge to all tourism operators is, have a go at changing your mindset and take the environment seriously,” he says. “Have a conversation with yourself and with your team, and get buy-in from everybody. And then I would say, set yourself a goal. It doesn’t have to be a big one, but set some kind of environmental goal so that you can always be progressing forward.”

e transformation that iFly has undergone, from a business operation to a champion of sustainability, is a testament to the potential of the partnership between community-led initiatives and forward-thinking enterprises. iFly’s journey highlights the vital role that small businesses can play in driving positive change and setting the stage for a brighter tomorrow.

Matt Wong

Future fuels for flights

by Paul Taylor

Sustainable Aviation Fuel is likely the quickest route to reduce carbon emissions from ights, says Queenstown Airport boss Glen Sowry.

SAF is vying with electric-power and hydrogen as possible future fuels for the aviation industry.

But unlike heavy batteries and the potentiallyexplosive hydrogen technology, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, made from waste feedstocks, like forestry residues, municipal waste, or used cooking oils, is proven to work for aircra .

It results in signi cantly lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than fossil jet fuel, and can use existing refueling systems for current aircra without any modi cation.

e problem is global demand for an incredibly limited supply.

“SAF is almost certainly the shortest term and the most realistic decarbonisation opportunity for aviation,” Sowry says. “It has been tested and used very successfully, all over the world.

“For short range ights, electric aircra will be with us later this decade. Air New Zealand has committed to having its rst [electric] aircra on the ground in ‘26. ey’ll be trialing and ying around in di erent parts of the country. Hydrogen aircra I think is much further away. at is very much in its infancy and a complex problem to solve.

“ e challenge for SAF, presently, is that the supply is nowhere near equivalent to the demand for it.”

Sowry says he believes there needs to be a “big conversation” in Wellington about how NZ can enable the production of SAF.

“I’m not an expert, but I understand a lot of the byproducts of material that NZ produces, in its primary industries, could be very viable SAF components, but it would require a huge investment.”

At the launch of the dra Tourism Environment Action Plan in June, Air New Zealand and the Government announced $2.2 million funding ($1.5m from Air New Zealand and $765,000 from Government) for the second phase of a SAF research project.

e working group is progressing two proposals: one with LanzaJet and another with Fulcrum BioEnergy, both US-based. e next phase will further evaluate the technical, economic, supply chain, and environmental feasibility of establishing and operating a SAF production facility in NZ.

Air New Zealand Chief Sustainability O cer Kiri Hanni n says: “Commercially producing SAF in NZ would not only help lower the country’s emissions while creating jobs, regional economic development, and Māori and Iwi investment opportunities, but also provide energy security and energy independence, which is something NZ doesn’t have.”

Sowry believes both production and importation could be necessary to meet demand, but says Queenstown Airport is in good position to decarbonise if it becomes commercially available in su cient quantities.

“All of our ights are short haul and that network structure and those aircra types are stronger candidates for alternative fuel, than the long haul aircra .”

A key part of the Master Plan 2032 is providing the necessary infrastructure to support the move to alternative aviation fuels.

Flightseeing companies also see SAF as a way forward. Glenorchy Air recently secured a 2020 Daher Kodiak 100 Series II Turboprop as the next aircra in its eet, powered by a 750SHP Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engine capable of running on SAF.

“ is was an important factor in selecting the aircra as we intend to be the rst Queenstown-based operator to use SAF in our turbine aircra ,” managing director James Stokes says.

“ at fuel isn’t available as yet in NZ in a commercially viable way, however. It currently costs about four times as much as litre of jet fuel.

“NZ is trying to lead the charge but we’re running into a supply problem. When it does become available, the industry claim is it will reduce emissions by about 80% over the lifecycle. Essentially, it’s chemically the same as jet fuel, but made from waste oils etc.”

e Kodiak will y all of Glenorchy Airs routes, including Milford Sound and Mt Cook, joining the eet of Cessna and GippsAero aircra .

“Our Cessna Caravans are SAF capable and we want to get to the point where the whole eet is able to use SAF.”

Glen Sowry, QAC CEO

What would it take to make the Southern Lakes the bike capital of the world?

ere aren’t many machines which elicit a smile as quickly as a bicycle can. e fresh air, the blood pumping through the legs, and the freedom to weave through tra c all combine to shake awake the child within.

As the writer H.G.Wells put it back in the early 1900s, “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race”. We feel much the same way, Mr. Wells. So it’s easy to extol the virtues of the humble cycle. But why bother? Well, the bottom line is, if we’re going to reach net carbon zero by 2030, we’ve got six years to halve our emissions. And we’re not going to do it from the car.

According to researchers at the University of Innsbruk, driving 500 metres equates to roughly 1kg of glacial ice melt. Or, to ip that, walking or cycling half a kilometre could save us 1kg of ice melt. And in Aotearoa, road transport is responsible for over 15% of our gross greenhouse gas emissions. While that includes the embedded miles in all the stu we buy, it’s also how we get ourselves from A to B.

So it’s a big one. Like, impending total planetary collapse big. Fortunately, though, for those of us who are able, the bicycle remains one of the simplest forms of climate action. It’s good for the mind and the body. It’s utilitarian. It increases our daily social interaction. And, though swapping the car for the bike might require some uncomfortable habit changes, it’ll also be fun. Seriously, it will.

is is what the upcoming festival of cycling, Biketober, is back to celebrate. Hosted by Southern Lakes sustainability non-pro t Wao Aotearoa as part of the Wao Summit, the second annual festival will ll October with all things pedal-powered. Across

Wānaka, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Alexandra and Roxburgh there’ll be a range of events for all ages, from a native plant cycle tour, six-hour mountain bike race and e-bike picnic to lm nights, maintenance workshops and a kōrero on bike-packing. Our corner of New Zealand is known for riding bikes. Most garages are home to at least one, and our brilliant backyard is snaked with trails. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that as a community, we’re fanatic about it. Come the weekend, hundreds of people hustle up to Skyline, out to Hāwea, or pump out laps of Sticky Forest. And if it’s not riding bikes, half of us are inging our bodies down cli s on skis or climbing mountains. But we’re not using active transport to get around.

Across 2021 and 2022, the Wao initiative, Get SMART, Get Moving ran a local transport survey to nd out how our community was moving around. Despite 70% of people having access to a cycle, people were making the majority of their trips (most of which were shortunder 10 kilometres) in the car.

For Wao Summit program manager Babu Blatt, this is a mysterious disconnect, and a big opportunity. “We need to translate our recreational passion into the urban; into getting to work or going three blocks down to see mates,” says Blatt, who is also part of the planning team behind Biketober. “ is obviously won’t work for the busy parent, or those with 10 kilometre plus commutes, or the builder with lots of equipment. But for so many of us, it’s just a choice.”

As Blatt points out, there are plenty of factors which might impact that choice. “Maybe everyone associates riding their bike with getting sweaty, or they want to wear something nice to work or there’s not enough showers in o ce spaces,” she says. Safety was also

identi ed in the survey as a barrier, with many people saying they’d bike more if we had better bike paths or it was safer.

So what would it take to make the Southern Lakes the bike capital of the world? For inspiration, it makes sense to look to European cities, where at rush hour the streets are streaming with cycles: single speed, road bikes, pub bikes, people in gym gear, dresses and smart business attire. e Dutch town Utrecht is now a bicycle- rst city, and it’s cold there, too. So they dress warmly. Here, one only has to pay a quick visit to our local second hand shops to know we have more than enough collective ski gear to do the job.

What we need is a cultural transformation. To create a new norm, one in which using active or shared transport is celebrated and planned around. And perhaps that starts with a deep appreciation for the active commute. At a time when we’re seeing just how damaging the ‘more-growth-must-move-fast’ approach is for our planet and our health, the bicycle (or walking) o ers a beautiful way to simplify. To slow down, to come into rhythm with our local environment; to feel alive.

Active transport is, of course, more than a matter of individual motivation. ere are systemic changes needed to make the choice easier. Designing our towns for people and bikes, whilst retaining accessibility for those less able. Getting o ces on board with providing showers, and creating safer places to store bikes. Cycling is not a realistic option for everybody, and a big opportunity identi ed in the survey was to improve the public transport options available. In Queenstown, bus use has gone up 55% in the previous 12 months, but it’s still not quite back to pre-Covid

levels. In the Upper Clutha region, a second round of community shuttle trials nished in August, which included Hāwea, Albert Town and an ‘intra-city loop’. e feedback is still being collated, and with that, a map for the future. Watch this space.

As well as being a celebration of cycling, Biketober is a chance to share ideas about how we, as a community, can change how we get around. And, throughout October and November, the Wao team will be holding another survey, to see how our habits have shi ed. You can nd it on the Wao website.

If we want a liveable planet, we have to take radical action and change our habits, yesterday. But it needn’t be a grim sacri ce. A er all, you’re just one bike ride away from a good mood.

wao.co.nz

Sustainable Business Road to 2030

It is a privilege to call this remarkable place home. is is the opening sentence in Queenstown Airport’s Sustainability Strategy, and it is a privilege we never take for granted. We are proud to be part of the Queenstown Lakes community and it’s important we balance our activity with the preservation of what makes our region such a special place.

We’ve recently announced a record annual dividend of $15.5 million, which equates to $390 per ratepayer, through the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s majority shareholding. Beyond sustainable economic returns, we are focused on positive environmental and social impacts.

It will soon be one year since the Queenstown Lakes District’s ambitious target to be the world’s rst carbon-zero tourism destination was announced. Tourism businesses across the district are pulling together to work towards this goal.

is month, we released our rst Sustainability Report, including climate-related disclosures for the 2023 nancial year, and updated the targets in our Sustainability Strategy.

While there is much to celebrate, we face signi cant challenges in responding to climate change, particularly supporting the decarbonisation of aviation. Put simply, air travel will not be carbon zero

by 2030. e airlines belonging to the International Air Transport Association have committed to netzero carbon emissions from their operations by 2050. Airports have an important role to play in enabling this and we are doing so through infrastructure planning, collaboration and advocacy.

e bene t we have at Queenstown Airport is the relatively short distances to all the destinations we serve. Short-haul travel will be able to decarbonise sooner and promising technology is emerging this decade for smaller aircra . Meanwhile, we continue to reduce carbon emissions from airport operations. We are pleased to have progressed from Toitū carbonreduce certi cation to the more stringent Toitū net carbonzero certi cation. Since our benchmark audit in 2019, our greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 65%, meaning we have surpassed our target to reduce absolute emissions by 60%, compared with our baseline year, by 2030. Our revised target is an 85% reduction by 2028.

is year we have invested in native reforestation in Otago to o set remaining operational emissions. O sets are not the solution, but an avenue to support local carbon sequestration and biodiversity while we continue to lower and ultimately eliminate absolute emissions.

Closer to home, we are proud to have been a partner of the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust since 2016. is year, we joined the Shotover Wetland restoration project. e regionally signi cant wetland is home to nationally and internationally threatened plant species. Our involvement will accelerate the progress of the project and involves native planting, predator trapping, and the creation and maintenance of recreational pathways.

You can read more about our projects and community partnerships at queenstownairport.co.nz/sustainability-community

Árbol growing from strong roots

by Paul Taylor

High performance homes company Árbol was founded from a frustration with Queenstown’s housing stock and a belief the industry can do better.

Co-owner Marcus Allen moved down from Christchurch permanently in 2020, with his wife and young son, a er working on and o in Queenstown since 2016.

“We lived in a Fernhill special - a damp, cold and mouldy home,” he says.

“My son was six months old and was getting respiratory problems. When we moved on from there, it was to a house that was code-minimum, which was costing us about $1,000 a month to run in winter.

“Seeing the detrimental impacts of a poor performing home, and knowing there’s a better way of doing things, was a major motivator to start this business.”

Allen, who’s worked in the building industry more than 16 years, had seen rst hand what could be achieved while working as a carpenter on Camp Glenorchy (now e Headwaters Eco Lodge), created by US philanthropists Debbi and Paul Brainerd.

e project was a test-case for building sustainable commercial accommodation, melding Kiwi expertise with international environmentally-conscious construction standards, and aimed to inspire others to follow its lead.

Árbol, which means ‘tree’ in Spanish, has grown from the seeds it planted, with Allen applying the same principles and more to residential builds.

e company designs, builds and ts out energy e cient, environmentally responsible prefabricated homes, all on one site in Cromwell, aiming to

maximise liveability and longevity of materials, while minimising waste and disruption.

At present, it has six designs for customers to choose from, starting from $369,000 for a two-bedroom home, but they are modular, so can be mixed and matched.

All are at minimum 40% more insulated than NZ building code standards and are tted with uPVC low-e double glazed windows, creating an airtight building envelope with reduced thermal bridgingeasier to keep warm in winter and cool in summer.

ey’re tted with a Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MHRV) system to lter fresh air and retain about 90% of heating energy.

“You’re getting a com er living environment, because you’re maintaining a healthy ambient temperature without having to continually heat with a heatpump or replace,” Allen says.

“Energy bills are expensive and people probably don’t even consider they’re not even living in a warm home. You’ve spent all this money but your home is only warm 25% of the time.”

A typical New Zealand home might have eight or nine air changes per hour, scored on the industry standard ‘blower door test’, whereas Árbol homes can be as low as 0.65 changes per hour.

“ at dra you feel when you put your hand near a closed window, you don’t get that with our homes, and you don’t get the condensation on the inside.”

It means their larger dwellings only need a small heat pump, and that’s not running at out. e homes rate above the 6 Homestar rating and just below

what’s needed for the super-stringent ‘passive house’ designation - so no winter cold, no mould, no huge power bills.

But Árbol goes above and beyond liveability as it aims to create real change with in the industry.

External cladding for example, is made from recycled Australian power poles.

“Australia replaces 250,000 of them per annum and most are made from spotted gums and Australian hardwoods,” Allen says.

ey’re sourced through a Christchurch-based timber supplier and, being a hardwood, come with a 40-year warranty, compared to the 15-year warrant of cedar cladding, which also requires more maintenance.

“We think about the impact, longevity and toxicity of every material we use.”

at includes FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certi ed timbers, plant-based paints and oils, Terra Lana wool insulation and wool carpet, all of which have environmental bene ts and fewer toxins than other products, making for healthier homes for humans.

Árbol also uses local suppliers where possible, and separates all waste into eight types of recyclable material for land ll reduction of over 70% better than typical on-site building.

Allen says prefabricating on the one site, rather than building homes in situ, has many other bene ts for the industry.

“It’s a controlled environment, so no down days for bad whether, and you get a better product faster.

“And the disruption is minimised. If you look at Ladies Mile, for example, when work starts there, the rst residents will be living in a construction site for years, with builders coming and going, and all the noise and waste and everything else.”

All the homes leave site with a Code of Compliance Certi cate issued by Central Otago District Council, valid nationwide. Árbol also manages the resource consent process.

e company employs 10 people and can complete 16 homes per year, but plans to double that production in the coming years. It’s also investigating designing stackable units, with an eye to helping Queenstown’s housing crisis.

“Ultimately we want to make a di erence, both locally and in the industry as a whole. at’s why we’re here, we’re passionate about change and improving standards.”

Construction

Sustainability

5 minutes with Esther Whitehead from Climate Action Aotearoa

by Jess Allen

Esther Whitehead is the National Climate Lead for Climate Action Aotearoa and a councillor at Queenstown Lakes District Council – she’s passionate about all things sustainability in the region. She moved to Queenstown in 1999 and in 2014 became increasingly alarmed at the amount of waste going to our land lls, which was the start of her path to set up Sustainable Queenstown Charitable Trust. First getting her degree in Ecology and Environmental Protection in the UK, she started working in freshwater river ecosystems, researching healthy waterways and degradation of them. When she arrived in Queenstown, she couldn’t nd work in her eld so spent some time teaching and working in education, which she says taught her a lot about how we learn and interact with one another.

“ e harrowing pictures of plastic waste in oceans and rivers around the world prompted me to start a campaign on banning plastic bags nationally, which was achieved in 2019 –the tip of the ‘plastic’ iceberg,” Whitehead says. “I then met like-minded people like Rob Dickinson and Louise Vicente and together set about creating a community forum where people could work together to resolve issues and share concerns – that became Sustainable Queenstown Charitable Trust.”

Now working as a councillor, Whitehead supports regulatory decisions and hopes to represent the needs of the community (now and in the future) in the best way she can. Her work with Climate Action Aotearoa has her supporting the protection of the natural environment and the decarbonisation of investments and grants, and to develop social equity as part of this. She works alongside CEOs and their boards to help achieve this in a number of ways.

With all this on her plate, Whitehead is working on a number of workshops and speaker series for businesses, directors, governance, charities and individuals.

“I’m really passionate about ensuring people understand just how much in uence they have. It’s surprising how most people think they have no agency to create change, but through these workshops they discover just how they can in uence their workplaces, and it’s a real growth journey for them to understand how best to invest their energy.”

Her tips for those wanting to be more sustainable? Head to Green Drinks hosted by Sustainable Queenstown to meet people doing things di erently. “You can become part of a community that will open opportunities.” And don’t forget to advocate for the changes that you want or care about and for any businesses in the area. You can ick Esther an email and she’ll see if she can help at esther.whitehead@csinz.org

As for the future, “One day I will live in France and be uent in French! I also want Kathryn Ryan’s job on RNZ… watch out Kathryn! I have a long way to go to achieve both!”

Sustainability

Wānaka Wastebusters, waste not, want not

Long before saving the planet was in vogue a passionate group of Wānaka environmentalists fought hard to establish one of the South Island’s early recycling centres in their town.

Wānaka GP Dennis Pezaro, former Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor Sally Middleton and former district councillor Jude Battson were among those leading the charge in the late 1990s to establish Wānaka Wastebusters.

At rst Battson says their appeals were dismissed by the district council and Mayor Warren Cooper with the recycling movement just starting to emerge. However, persistence paid o . Middleton initially staged a sit in of sorts in Mayor Cooper’s o ce, refusing to leave until the council took theirproposal to use the site on the outskirts of Wānaka for a recycling centre seriously, says Battson. “It was di cult to get any interest or buy in from the councillors, but Sally was like three fox terriers in one and in the end she wouldn’t leave Warren’s o ce until he gave her the land,” grins Battson.

To help convince them Battson arranged for a couple of prominent Auckland suits – Warren Snow from the Tindall Foundation and Gerard Gillespie, who’d set up recycling in Canberra, to give a powerful presentation to councillors. “It was hard work even getting fellow councillors to come along, but nally Chris Blackford said, ‘Jude, your enthusiasm is infectious so I’m coming.” ey were impressed.

Eventually the founding committee secured the site – a disused piece of council land on the corner of Ballantyne and Riverside roads, now the current Wānaka Wastebusters, for a peppercorn rental.

e Otago Regional Council gave them $20,000 to get the ball rolling and the district council matched it with $17,500.

Battson credits much of that early committee’s success to Pezaro’s leadership. “We each slotted into a job and ran with it.” Many community volunteers turned up

by Sue Fea

for regular working bees to build the recycling centre with the money,” Battson says. “In just under a year we’d built and opened Wānaka Wastebusters Recycling Centre. My kids were eating eggs or cheese on toast every night and hardly saw me. It was massive.”

An auction raised another $3000 to get started. Upper Clutha Transport greatly assisted with a huge discount, on the freight costs carting the recyclables to Timaru for shipment to China.

Sally and Don Middleton went around the businesses with a large trailer collecting cardboard. “We were given metal wool sacks – fadgers, to collect it in and a wool press was converted into a presser.” Business owners quickly got behind the venture and any who didn’t got a tongue lashing from Wastebusters’ Anni Sidey.

Battson wrote a rap song which was aired on Radio Wānaka encouraging households to recycle and other local media joined in the campaign.

Sue Coutts managed the operation of what was a burgeoning social enterprise for 17 years until 2020. e community wanted to recycle and have a reuse shop, so numbers grew really fast with hundreds passing through weekly, she says.

“ e goal was to rst of all give everyone access to services and then to support them to use them so it was easy for residents and visitors could do the right thing.”

Wastebusters’ Zero Waste initiatives included recycling collections for businesses.

In 2005 the district council awarded its Wānaka kerbside recycling collection contract to Wastebusters.

“We did it for seven years until we lost it to the big national contractors.”

“Wastebusters is a social enterprise, so it’s a purpose-driven business earning money to fund its 60-plus sta members and operations through its shop sales, contracts for behaviour change and

Zero Waste education programmes, including in schools.” Businesses pay Wastebusters to collect their recyclables. Turnover is about $3 million a year. “I feel very lucky to have had the chance to work with so many amazing people over the years to help realise the original zero waste vision of the founders,” Coutts says. “ ere have been a lot of ups and downs, but it’s wonderful to see Wastebusters still going strong and working collaboratively with local businesses and households to lead the way to zero waste.”

Wastebusters board chair Sally Battson, who was on the committee back in 2008, says: “We’re very proud of having led the way and we’re still trying to lead the way to zero waste. at’s our vision.”

Wānaka Wastebusters co-founder Jude Battson right as they led the charge

Original days in the Wānaka Wastebusters shop

Sustainability in the events industry

ere’s an increase in demand for sustainable events and serveware options in the region – whether that be minimal waste at events, reusable takeaway co ee cups or cutlery and plates that are washed at events. e increase in demand has resulted in relevant businesses popping up and gaining popularity.

Sustainable Queenstown is one such organisation that was created to identify systematic gaps/problems impacting on the local environment.

“Sustainable Queenstown Charitable Trust is a grassroots volunteer led group with a vision to make the Queenstown Lakes a more sustainable place to live, work and play,” Lucy Deuble, Ops Manager at DISHrupt, says.

ere are three main areas that they focus on for combating climate change, which are waste,

by Jess Allen

biodiversity and transport. ey run a number of events in the region, usually collaborating with other businesses, charities and organisations, that are focused around those three key areas. In addition to their very popular monthly Green Drinks, they have also introduced their DISHrupt programme. “DISHrupt has been running since 2018. Of course, when Covid happened, we went into a bit of a hibernation. LUMA was fundamental in starting DISHrupt and getting it o the ground way back in the earlier days – they were like our agship event. e idea was around eliminating single-use serveware from land ll, because it’s a high waste item and LUMA being sustainability champions were wanting to come up with a way to stop that. Sustainable Queenstown partnered with them and DISHrupt was the broad idea which comes under the Sustainable Queenstown umbrella now.”

e initiative provides reusable serveware, as opposed to throwaway items, that are continuously cleaned at the event. Its popularity has started growing as events are back on the calendar. ey’ll be taking care of the Multicultural Festival in October and a nine-day wellness retreat in November. ey’ve since launched Small DISHrupt, too, which is a serveware hire suited for conferences, weddings, or smaller events with multiple food vendors.

Another business that is paving the sustainable path in the region is Chunky loan cups. e not-for-pro t initiative aims to stop single-use cup usage and is supported by the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s

Waste Minimisation Community Fund. e cups are stocked at cafes and restaurants around the region – if a customer comes in without their reusable cup, they have the option to pay a $10 refundable deposit for one of Chunky’s metal loan cups with a silicone lid. ey get the deposit back when they return their cup. Chunky also support artists through their artist series cups. ese cups are available for sale and are doublewalled, ceramic coated and food-grade 304 stainless steel. Chunky commissions emerging artist to design these funky cups. e goal behind the business is to both reduce waste, but more importantly, educate and lead behavioural change – less consuming and more reusing.

Lucy at DISHrupt reminds us that demand equals supply. Individuals have a lot more power than we think, and we need to start voicing it because demand will increase supply.

“It can be something as simple as when you go to a café and buy a takeaway co ee, if you’ve forgotten your keep cup, you can ask ‘do you have a loan cup service here that I can use and bring back.’ e café may or they may not, but if they don’t, they’ll think about it. If more and more people ask about reusable loan cups, maybe they’ll get one. e same goes for if you’re at a meeting, conference or event, and they’re serving treats on paper plates – just ask the question.”

When you think about sustainability, the print industry may not be the first that springs to mind, but times are changing. Print Central are bucking the trend and making every effort to run their business as sustainably as possible. In addition to offering their customers some of the latest in green printing solutions, they’re doing their part to reduce, reuse and recycle, and to minimise their business’ overall footprint.

There’s a strong focus on sustainability in all aspects of the business – they employ environmentally ethical printing practices starting with the most important part of any printing business; the paper. Their selection criteria means they are only using paper that is grown in a responsibly-managed sustainable forest with responsibly-sourced pulp unless otherwise specified from their client. Most of these papers come from Japan and Europe, and while the price for this paper may not always be the cheapest, the result is a high-quality paper that’s good for the environment.

OFFSET PRINTING

The offset room is where mostly larger sizes and high-quantity items are printed –brochures, booklets, and the like. The offset printing process uses plates made from aluminium.

Both the inks used and the plate processing can be quite environmentally irresponsible practices, but not at Print Central. Their plates no longer require a chemical bath as five years ago they switched to technologies that clean the plate off on the press, so there’s no nasty substances leftover that require special disposal. The ink used is 80% vegetable-based, rather than its petroleumbased counterpart. Lastly for the offset room is the recycling of the aluminium plates themselves.

SIGNAGE

The signage production room is the heart of the business where everything from real estate signage to shopfront vinyl and beyond are manufactured. This is where we’re seeing a lot of new technologies coming through to help reduce waste. When it comes to vinyl, Print Central is using the Zero brand of films – they’re PVC-free and recyclable through a returns system. This recycled material is made in to fence posts. Both the top sheet and liner can be completely recycled, where usually the case

is that the liner is the only recyclable part. The film has a life of around six months, so wherever applicable, the team will recommend this option.

Additionally, the business is using more sustainable signage options by way of KATZ display boards, which are a waterresistant wood pulp laminated board, with a maximum outside use of about six weeks. They also have other board options that are made using cardboard.

DIGITAL PRINT

Digital print uses toner rather than ink and is best-used for short-run production. Print Central have to use the toner that matches the machine, but all the cartridges are stored and sent back to the manufacturer for recycling. Nothing goes to waste here either, with all the offcut paper saved and bundled up neatly for donation to local preschools and kindergartens, which the team say is greatly appreciated.

Owner of Print Central, Graeme Hastie has been passionate about sustainability within the business from the outset, always looking for ways they can innovate.

“The Zero vinyl is almost the start of the future,” says Graeme. “In Europe, they’re very conscious of vinyl and trying to change the industry. There’s products being developed, and I’m fairly confident that in the next few years we’ll see longer-term vinyl that can be recycled in this same way, but they’re not available yet. They will be though.”

“A few years ago we would have been dealing with a lot more chemicals and would have been putting a lot more waste in landfill because there was nowhere to gather the waste paper. With the new products, such as the vinyl, coming into the industry and process-less plates where we don’t have to use chemicals, they’re the main differences we’re seeing. And an awareness of people in the industry wanting to use these products because they’re all available now.”

Print Central offer a range of different printing solutions from business cards to brochures, signage and stickers. The team can advise on the most sustainable option for whatever you’re looking to achieve. Find out more about what services they offer and how you or your business can be more green at printcentral.co.nz or by giving them a call on 03 442 5992.

Mons Royale display windows using zero recyclable vinyl for their latest promotions.

A former Sydney-based Kiwi tech entrepreneurturned-zero fossil fuel orchardist, who’s leading the charge for NZ, says electri cation is the quickest, most e ective way to slow climate change, and meet 2030 emissions targets.

Mike Casey, of Forest Lodge Orchard in Cromwell, is successfully running his six-hectare operation without fossil fuels and the nancial savings are huge. “By fully electrifying machinery we save $35,000 a year and another $10,000 by generating electricity ourselves using solar power,” he says.

Casey recently imported NZ’s rst self-drive electric tractor attracting attention from government and industry leaders at the launch. He says the Paris Agreement targets require halving net carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon zero by 2050an aim that would be greatly aided by the electri cation of small machines in homes, communities, businesses and farms.

About 200 people checked out the new electric tractor, a er Casey was the manufacturer’s rst client outside America. It’s expected to make great savings.

“Every orchard needs a tractor but on an orchard my size you’d only use it for between 250 and 350 hours.

“It costs $2 an hour to run compared with $20 for a diesel tractor.

“What motivates me is that there’s a way regular New Zealanders can help drastically eliminate emissions while saving money,” says Casey, whose electric tractor and fossil fuel free operation is drawing interest from farmers around the region and the EV industry. Neighbouring orchardists have been replacing quad bikes with electric golf carts too.

While he arrived in the district knowing nothing about growing cherries, other growers mentored him and, as a so ware engineer, he’s able to share how autonomous and electric machinery can make them more cost e cient and sustainable.

“I want people to come and see what I’m doing as they’ll end up making the right decision for the climate.” He’s hoping to hold an orchard open day once a quarter.

Taste of the future

by Sue Fea

Dramatic weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle, the Auckland oods and overseas wild res are prompting the industry to sit up and react quickly, he says. “People are very much seeking me out to see what I’m doing now, especially in the past 12 months,” Casey says.

“ ree hundred new methane gas connections a month are being installed in Kiwi homes while farmers are being told to reduce their methane emissions.”

He says if NZ wants to drastically reduce emissions the most e ective way is to stop burning fossil fuels. “It’s better for the climate, households and business.”

Peregrine Wines co-owner Fraser McLachlan has ordered electric frost ghting fans a er seeing these in action at Forest Lodge. ey’ll be installed in October. Diesel-powered fans consume 30 to 40 litres of diesel an hour. “We could have six to 10 frosts in a season which would burn up to 4000 litres per machine each year,” McLachlan says. “It’s our rst step towards electri cation. We’re looking at electric tractors and other machinery now.”

He says it’s all happening rapidly in the industry as more electric technology becomes available and the true e ects of climate change emerge.

Watch

this space…

It’s the perfect complement to Peregrine’s organic and biodynamic vineyard operations. McLachlan says the focus has been on avoiding herbicides and their health implications since his father, Lindsay, rst turned organic in 2009. “With the next generation it’s also about becoming more sustainable,” he says.

Sub-surface irrigation systems have been buried underground to avoid evaporation and target watering vines rather than weeds growing on the surface. About 30% of water is wasted from above ground systems.

Central Otago Fruitgrowers Association chair Kris Robb says growers are very focused on sustainability. “Responsible and justi able use of water, fertilsers and agrichemicals are key components of our drive towards sustainability,” he says. Waste minimisation through processing, particularly juicing reject cherries, supporting organisations like KiwiHarvest, and feeding worms reject fruit are also key. Environmentally friendly packaging options are also being explored.

“Consumers are more concerned that the product they’re purchasing has been grown ethically.”

A group of Central Otago producers and processors are hoping to trial a new product from cherry waste this summer.

Central Otago District Council economic development manager Nick Lanham says a er ndings in the Central Otago Fruit Loss Project earlier this year several entities have stepped up to collaborate on a trial processing cosmetically imperfect cherries into a saleable product for the domestic market. e Central Otago Fruit Loss project’s report was designed to identify commercial options for waste fruit. “ ey’re essentially hoping to trial some processing machinery to see if it will help achieve the product they’re aiming for,” Lanham says. “It’s hugely exciting to see these people and companies come together to start working collaboratively on solutions to reduce waste.

Mike Casey with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, Climate Change Minister James Shaw, local MP Joseph Mooney, other dignitaries and the tractor, at the launch

SOS Success - Divorce coach moving couples forward amicably

by Sue Fea

She retrained a er noticing a gap in the market for couples going through the pains of divorce. “Couples were handing over decision making about their future to lawyers to ght their battles.”

move forward amicably.

“One powerful question I ask is how they want their children to look back on this period and how they worked through it.”

Separation and divorce can be a painful and stressful process during which emotions are running high.

Kelly Sutton of SOS Success Divorce Coaching & Mediation Services knows this only too well, but the former Wellington corporate lawyer says it doesn’t have to result in a lifetime of discord and hostility. It’s possible for couples and their children to emerge from the process relatively unscathed, maintaining an amicable relationship.

While divorce coaching is becoming established in the US, it’s a relatively new concept in NZ with only a handful of quali ed practitioners, says Kelly, who stresses she’s not a counsellor or therapist, but a coach focused on moving couples forward. “A counsellor helps unpack your bags, examine, and sort the contents. A divorce coach helps you carry your bags from one side of the street to the other toward new beginnings,” she says.

Kelly trained through the United States Certi ed Divorce Coaching quali cation system – a dispute resolution process recognised by the American Bar Association.

She’s been coaching for three years, moving to Queenstown this year, and works with clients from all over NZ as an alternative dispute resolution practitioner, o en coaching online.

As a child of divorce and a divorcee mum to three kids herself, Kelly’s work is centred around ensuring children are protected through what for them is a di cult grieving process. “People say, ‘Kids are resilient, but it’s really hard,” Kelly says. “ ey’ve had their family pulled out from under them and are o en caught in the middle of their parents’ con ict.” It takes time and hard work to move from marriage to co-parenting. “It’s about working through di cult emotions so you can live separately and have a healthy co-parenting relationship, minimising the e ects on the children,” she says. “It’s not easy and takes time, but it’s so worth it in the end.”

Kelly and her ex-husband have ridden the rollercoaster, navigating their way through the challenges, and managing this process well. irteen years on they have a fantastic relationship and are still in business together, having prioritised minimising the e ects on their children.

Her role as coach is to help couples get “unstuck” from the ‘story’ of their divorce and move forward toward a new future.

“Divorce coaches don’t give advice. We help each party, usually individually, reach clarity on what they want moving forward, helping them emotionally regulate so they can then make good decisions.”

Every decision made during separation needs to be what’s best for them and their children. “I take them back to their true values and ‘best self’ to a place where they recognise their triggers and know what they need at those times,” Kelly says. She discourages social media when clients are feeling red up. “I urge them not to send that aggressive text straight away. Write it down but wait until the morning to send it. Take a breath.”

Communication breakdown is o en a key cause of separation and once that’s opened up it’s easier to

Despite her years of experience as a tax and private equity lawyer, as a coach Kelly can’t o er legal or nancial advice. However, if this, or counselling, is needed clients are referred to the right professional help.

A major part of her work is getting clients ‘lawyer ready’ so they know what questions they need to ask. “Most family lawyers aren’t trained in coaching or emotional regulating,” Kelly says.

rough SOS Success Kelly also o ers mediation, whether for couples, businesses, or family disputes. She trained through the Resolution Institute NZ and has been practising for six years.

Clients are referred to another mediator if already being coached by Kelly to avoid any potential con ict of interest.

Mediation facilitates conversation between participants and provides understanding around di erent perspectives. “ ey may not agree but I help them set common goals and nd their own solutions to move forward,” she says. Communication is key in revealing what’s really going on beneath the con ict. “Sometimes people aren’t aware of something if there’s been no communication and through understanding resolution can come.”

Kelly helps resolve any form of con ict through this process, whether that’s family issues over an estate or small business or partnership disputes.

Evolution of the Queenstown Home Show

Queenstown Home Show will return for another year of showcasing a range businesses that are looking to help enhance your home or garden. is year, however, they’re changing things up with the opportunity for di erent people to design a display.

Denise Langlands and her husband, Dave, started the home show about 15 years ago. Dave headed to the Events Centre and asked the sta if anyone ran a home show here – they said no, but they’d like someone to, and that’s how it all started. Denise has noticed since Covid that people need a little more incentive to head out to events, which is why they’re introducing something fun and new this year.

“We thought, particularly for a home and garden event, what could be better than asking some designers and interest groups to come and create displays that people

by Jess Allen

would love to see,” Denise says. “A fantasy-inspired child’s bedroom, an exotic Moroccan courtyard garden, a oral display made from in-season fruit and vegetables, and wild owers – anything really.

“We’d like to see something to take people’s ideas out of the ordinary and gives people inspiration to try di erent things in their own homes and gardens. We are approaching people who we would like to be involved – if you are an interior or landscape designer, or part of a community interest group and would like to ex your creative skills, we’d love to hear from you.”

Denise and her husband say that one trend they’re seeing is that people are getting smarter with how and what they build – at times choosing a smaller house footprint to keep costs down and really prioritising ecofriendly products and services to create their homes.

In addition to this new concept, many of the companies involved will be bringing specials for those who purchase over the weekend.

“It’s really worthwhile coming along, not only for the range of products available, but also the specials that are on. Last year, one of the people who came to the show purchased a beautiful wooden hot tub from Paci c Spas – a great company – and not only got the show special price, but also received a $500 voucher from Resene as one of our door prizes,” Denise says.

e 2024 Queenstown Home Show will take place from 23 – 25 February at the Queenstown Events Centre. If you want more information on how to get involved in creating displays or about the exhibitors on o er, you can head to queenstownhomeshow.co.nz

Therapy with horses

by Jess Allen

Kiara Moore is the owner of Queenstown’s Aspiring erapy, a business that o ers equine assisted psychotherapy and counselling. Since opening a couple of years ago to o er the unique service, she’s now at capacity with bookings, helping a range of di erent people.

Moore always had an interest in mental health and psychology, starting her journey with a Bachelor of Psychological Science. Her current education and credentials include certi cation as an Equine Assisted Psychotherapist by the Equine Psychotherapy Institute, a certi cate in Trauma Informed Care, and a Masters of Social Work. She rst started integrating horses into her therapy practice across the ditch in Brisbane more than four years ago.

“I just noticed more clients were getting really stuck and by having that option there to bring them out to the paddock, it helped them to become grounded,” Moore says. “Horses are able to mirror humans emotions, so it was really interesting to see what showed up there. As well as them being non-judgemental and accepting, it’s quite an interesting thing to process and look at for clients. I rst started integrating this as an experiment, but then really delved into it quite deep and underwent equine psychotherapy training.

“At the beginning, because my practice is very experiential, it was kind of a struggle to come into the community and express what I o er. As soon as I started making connections with others and talking about what I do and the bene ts that my clients have had from it, it kind of grew from there.”

Just over two years ago, Moore made the move to Queenstown during a transitional phase of her life. She was ready to grow her practice, but wasn’t sure exactly where to have it. She and her partner packed up their lives and ended up in Queenstown – just like so many, they never le . Aspiring erapy now collaborates with other organisations in the region including the Whakatipu Youth Trust to o er therapy services to the community. In addition to Moore, there’s a horse assistant working for the practice and three horses. So, what do you actually do in equine therapy?

“About half the session is the real therapeutic work, where we’re sitting and observing the horses, while also processing what’s been happening for them. en the other half is really using those tools that we’ve spoken about in the therapeutic session, and bringing it into the paddock. So if we’ve been talking about boundaries and expressing our needs, we’ll go into the paddock and we’ll do that with the horses, and we’ll notice how the horses do that with us. ere are lots of di erent kinds of integration exercises that I o er – leadership is all around the leading of the horses, then getting in touch with our body awareness is a lot about touching and grooming the horses – there’s all di erent kinds of things really.”

Bene ts that clients have noted include that they’re able to be more authentically themselves when they’re with Moore and the horses. ey’re able to notice and name their own emotions without judgements – just as the horses do. Moore has noticed the con dence built in her younger clients, too, also helping them to express their needs and wants without judgement.

“How long people are in therapy for really depends on the person and their individual needs. People come out to me and I operate in Dale eld, and soon to be Queensberry as well. I do have an eight-week programme that I o er, but I do see that people are sticking around for a bit longer than that.”

As for the future of the business, Moore is dedicated to two key objectives.

“ e initial focus centres on expanding the presence in Queenstown, o ering more services tailored to groups and individuals seeking e ective strategies for managing their mental health and well-being. I’m excited to grow Aspiring erapy and collaborate with practitioners, organisations, and educational institutions that share a similar commitment to mental health care, amplifying the impact of our evidencebased practices and contributing to the broader community’s well-being.”

e second part is to establish a dedicated facility in Queensberry, with Moore’s overarching vision being “to create a network of interconnected spaces that harness the unique connection between humans, horses and nature, fostering enduring and positive improvements in mental health outcomes for individuals across the spectrum of age and need” Moore says.

Head to aspiringtherapy.co.nz to nd out more about the business.

‘Social conscience’ - more than just the latest buzz words

by Sue Fea

Social conscience may be a new ‘hip’ phrase that’s been bandied about during the past ve years, but for those businesses who truly have one, bragging about it de es the whole purpose.

It’s not a new concept for many operators in this district digging deep to help the community.

Social conscience is done quietly behind the scenes, out of a kindness and generosity, something that one hotel manager says ‘should be part of our human DNA’.

Queenstown nurse and mother-of-six Debbie Swain-Rewi, of Engage Safety, agrees. For eight years she’s driven to Glenorchy at her own cost once a week a er funding was cut for her medical clinics there. A male patient was diagnosed with asbestosis a er she sent him for tests. “I was driving home a er news the funding would be cut and thought, ‘I’m just going to keep doing this. Glenorchy people need access to healthcare.” She’s de nitely felt the love and generosity of the Glenorchy community in return.

“It’s just always been in me,” Swain-Rewi says, who backs funding for any social initiatives her sta come up with, from cooked breakfasts and kai parcels to soup cafes, hot food for those sleeping in cars and high tea storytelling for parents and pre-schoolers. Married to local kaumatua Darren Rewi, she formed Te Whare Hauora ki Tahuna to raise funding to help others.

“My father always taught me kindness,” she says. “We were brought up to be grateful for what we had and help those less fortunate. It’s always stuck with me. It’s a privilege to have skills and abilities to share.”

Social conscience was around long before it became ‘hip’. “When the chips are down you see the people who stand by that, those not using it as a marketing ploy.”

Aku Hiku and Jack Varndell, of Kaizen Couriers, liked what they saw and volunteered with their sta to help serve community meals at Engage Safety recently. ey moved south to launch their company seven months ago.

“I grew up in an underprivileged Māori family, while Jack’s from a higher income family. He was taught to beware of greed and help others.”

ey’re turning their attention towards their young sta , teaching them about

personal growth, social conscience and getting the money balance right so they can earn well but have an impact too.

e Rees chief executive Mark Rose says it’s appalling that there are people in Queenstown living in third world conditions. “We live in a village, and it takes a village to raise a child,” he says. “People who have means should be doing more to support those who don’t.”

He says there’s a social “underbelly” in Queenstown that’s largely ignored. “We need to look a er the people around us.”

A er the Christchurch Mosque killings, e Rees sta fundraised, collecting $15,000 for the father of a victim le with no income.

e hotel’s Forgo to Grow programme has donated more than 740 native trees in the past two months - $10,000 so far this nancial year, to the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, where sta also volunteer. Guests can forgo a room service, instead donating a tree.

e Rees won the Spirit of Whakatipu’s 2022 Corporate Citizenship Award for its work with Whakatipu Reforestation Trust and Whakatipu Wildlife Trust.

Sta volunteer for Meals on Wheels, as do Hilton Queenstown sta , with both hotels also giving to social agencies, Hilton sta putting on barbecue lunches for them and giving to schools.

Hilton sta volunteered towels and bathroom packs to Engage Safety this winter when it o ered hot showers to those sleeping in cars and chefs run free kids’ cooking classes at Remarkables School. ey also volunteer with the Reforestation Trust, bringing morning teas.

“We’ve donated more than $7000 in kind in vouchers this year and also support Cromwell schools and SIT in Invercargill,” general manager Chris Ehmann says. Youth is a big focus.

“We’re about spreading light and warmth, helping the community in any way we can,” he says. “We don’t tell the story, but it’s just what we do.”

“It’s a spirit we want to thrive in our team, so they have that awareness.”

Debbie at work at the Glenorchy health clinic she provides Kai parcel drive through

The Rees staff volunteer at Whakatipu Reforestation Trust and Whakatipu Wildlife Trust

September commercial real estate market update

by James Valentine

e commercial property market has continued to perform strongly through 2023, albeit with some speedbumps along the way. In this column I will cover o some of the predictions I made in my April column vs. what eventuated, as well as providing a market update relevant to what we are expecting for the rest of the year. If anyone would like additional information on any of the points, please feel free to contact me. My contact details are below.

In the April update, one of the predictions I made was that the buyer pool was likely to become shallower through 2023 with properties which were viewed as “safe” investments likely to attract more interest than those perceived as slightly riskier. I predicted that “ ight to quality” would become prevalent, however I can’t help but re ect that the opposite has occurred. Many investors I work with are seeking projects which require some work, but with the trade-o for greater capital and rental gain through those improvements. It is pleasing to see there are still plenty of buyers showing con dence in Queenstown, with many citing future capital gain as one of the key reasons for investing in our beautiful town.

Another trend we have noted is that the length of the deal cycle has pushed out substantially. Transactions are taking longer to reach a point of unconditionality, particularly beyond the deadline dates in on-market sale campaigns. is stems from predominantly conditional o ers being presented from buyers. From what I have seen, this is o en linked to strict funding conditions imposed on purchasers by their funding providers –particularly around the seismic ratings of commercial properties that are required to meet a certain threshold, or at least have a plan in place for how incoming purchasers can increase the seismic rating of the building once they own the property. ere does appear to be some light at the end of the tunnel, as restrictions seem to be easing slightly because of feedback banks are receiving.

Looking at the time le in the year and our pipeline, we are anticipating quite an active nish. e upcoming election is likely to put a slight dent into momentum, but with the OCR looking relatively steady for the foreseeable future, purchasers are feeling more con dent that property values have settled, and as a result more investors are beginning to return to the market. ere is a decent pipeline of stock coming available over the next few months – in both an ‘on’ and ‘o ’ market capacity.

If you are interested in hearing about these options or are keen to know how your commercial property has been a ected by the latest trends in 2023, feel free to contact me on the details below.

Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce rebrands as the Wānaka Business Chamber

Last month the Wānaka Chamber of Commerce embarked on a journey of transformation rebranding from Ignite Wānaka Chamber of Commerce to the simpler Wānaka Business Chamber. is shi re ects a strategic move that re ects our evolving identity and make-up of the Wānaka business community. Change is about growth and evolution, and as the Wānaka business community has transformed so, the Chamber needed to ensure we also evolved.

Wānaka has always been an idyllic tourist destination, but Wānaka is more and more a destination for both tourists, tourism businesses and increasingly nontourism related business. Our town is maturing, and that evolution has brought opportunities and challenges for the local business, making the name change a timely and strategic decision.

Brand Recognition and Alignment

Wānaka Business Chamber now has a stronger connection to the international chamber community of over 16,000 chambers world-wide. e new name resonates with the chamber’s role and our strategic objectives of creating a higher pro le business community chamber.

Business Landscape

e Wānaka business landscape is diversifying quickly. Traditionally a hub for tourism and agriculture, technology and our inspiring landscape has encouraged a large increase in technology start-ups, sustainability-driven enterprises, work from home businesses with a growing focus on innovation. e new branding will better re ect the role the chamber plays in supporting the varied business interests and industries now presented in Wānaka.

Business Engagement and Advocacy

e Chamber is committed to advocate for local businesses on a national stage and raising our own pro le through new branding will assist in this process. Engaging with government bodies, promoting policies that bene t local businesses, and being a voice for business in Wānaka are our core areas of focus. To continue to prosper it’s imperative the needs and challenges of Wānaka’s businesses are addressed.

Working Together

Being easily identi able as a chamber ensures we are better able to provide opportunities for businesses to connect, collaborate, and grow. Our core pillars of People, Support, Growth and Connection align with the networking events, workshops, and educational programs we run and will remain integral to the chamber’s activities.

Future Focussed

e rebranding is a testament to the chamber’s forward-looking approach and how we are set up to assist local businesses in confronting the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Diversity

In line with the o cial name change in 2021, our new branding incorporates the macron above the rst ‘a’ in our name for the rst time. e monogram or logo depicts a ax weave that symbolises uniting the business community and the weaving together of people. e colours align with leadership and connection and refer to our cultural signi cance where Wānaka means ‘a sacred place of learning’, a place where leaders gather, and chiefs aspired to be born. Encouraging diversity and leadership is one of our areas of focus.

James Valentine Commercial Broker - Sales and Leasing | Otago

e rebranding of the Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce as the Wānaka Business Chamber aligns us with business locally and other chambers nationally. We remain committed to diversity to advocacy, leadership, and collaboration. We are committed to support Wānaka businesses, promoting economic development and enhancing our business vitality.

Glenn Peat General manager

BUSINESS BITES

Brewer’s Guild awards – big win for the region

Breweries across Queenstown, Wānaka and beyond, cleaned up at this year’s Brewers Guild Awards. Run annually, the awards are held in high esteem internationally due to the reputation of all involved – from the diversity of judges from Australia, New Zealand, America and beyond, to the organisation and staging that goes on.

Glenorchy Brew Co picked up four bronzes including one for their Dark Sky Stout, which is supporting Glenorchy Dark Skies Group, who are helping to protect the skies at the head of the lake for years to come. Wānaka-based Ground Up Brewing took home a bronze for their Death Zone Port Barrel-Aged Stout, and Rhyme & Reason Brewery won a number of awards including Gold for their Happy Pils, and took home the Beer Tourism Award, celebrating the great job they’re doing in the tourism space.

Queenstown’s Altitude Brewing also collected a number of awards including gold for their Homeward Bound NZIPA, silver for their Sled Dog Session Hazy and Zen Shiro Sake Pilsner, and bronze for their Super Blood Moon Schwarzbier. Finally, Otago Brew School picked up a couple of bronze awards, including one for their Brau Schule Kölsch.

Airport shares

Queenstown Airport announced in August that it will pay shareholders a record annual dividend of $15.54 million a er a strong recovery during the past nancial year. e increase in passengers since Covid-19 has resulted in more than 2.3 million passing through the airport, bringing in a net pro t a er tax of $22.2m. Queenstown Lakes District Council holds 75.01% of Queenstown Airport Corporation shares, with the remainder held by Auckland International Airport Ltd. An interim dividend payment of $5.98 million was paid to shareholders in February.

xtravel wins big at annual awards

Queenstown’s xtravel took to the stage recently winning a number of industry awards at the Australasian Flight Centre Group Independent Conference in Brisbane. Among the gongs picked up on the night was the Division of the Year Award. Co-owner Tori Keating won the Travel Entrepreneur of the Year award- an accolade she says she is amazed and humbled to have received. “ e Travel Entrepreneur of the Year Award is a peer voted award, and to have the support and appreciation of the wider travel industry for both the vision which we have for the future of xtravel, the advocacy I do on behalf of the travel industry.” In addition xtravel was placed in the Top 10 of the Independent Icons rankings, covering independent agencies across New Zealand.

Co-owner Niki Davies says: “We’re thrilled to have won these awards for the second year in a row, particularly a er the hardship travel agencies faced through Covid-19. Our resilience throughout these times has seen both our team and client base grow, and we are delighted to have received the recognition for this from within our industry. We have an awesome team who continue to support our vision for further growth in creating exceptional travelling experiences for our clients”.

QT Queenstown has launched a new gallery space set to showcase some amazing pieces from Kiwi artists. Aptly named Gallery 6, due to its location on the sixth oor of the hotel, the 12-metre-long space allows artists to tell stories through the abstract and the picturesque, o ering cacophonies of creativity. e inaugural exhibition will be ‘Double Up’ by Lyttleton-based artist Alexandra Weston. Her art features splashes of colour on Perspex panels, bringing joy and life to any room. e exhibition is free to view and will run until March 2024, with artwork available for purchase. Coinciding with the launch of the gallery, QT have collaborated with Dunedin-based ethical chocolate maker OCHO. e result is a bespoke QT Queenstown chocolate bar with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and smoked caramel, which is available for purchase at the lobby.

Matt Woods joining tourism board

Destination Queenstown boss Mat Woods has joined the Regional Tourism New Zealand board. Prior to Mat joining, the board was made up of three individuals from the North Island, two from the South Island and the independent chair, David Perks. e aims of the board include collective engagement and consultation on issues critical to the development of tourism in communities across Aotearoa. Each trustee is elected for a three-year term and can renew their position for a further two terms. Woods is looking forward to representing the region and to shed light on some of the issues we’re facing.

Biggest Winter Pride ever

Queenstown’s 2024 Winter Pride was the most actioned-packed iteration yet. As the street lit up with colour, there was a record 50-plus events on the calendar scattered at various venues throughout town. Welcoming guest from around New Zealand, Australia and beyond, it’s the largest Pride festival in the Southern Hemisphere and is a welcome event for many of the businesses here. On average, Pride visitors will spend between six and eight nights, with some popping in for the full 12 days. Festival owner and director, Martin King, reports selling somewhere in the vicinity of 7,000 tickets across the 10-day bash.

RealNZ seeking to acquire Spirit of Queenstown

e Commerce Commission received an application in August from Real Journeys Limited (trading as RealNZ) seeking clearance for itself (or any interconnected body-corporate) to acquire the vessel, the Spirit of Queenstown, and associated assets from Southern Discoveries Limited. Southern Discoveries announced back in July that it would be selling their Queenstown cruise boat to invest more money into its Milford Sound operations. RealNZ owns the TSS Earnslaw and would use the Spirit of Queenstown to increase access to and from the Walter Peak Homestead.

e commission also received an application from Ngāi Tahu Tourism Limited seeking clearance for itself (or a wholly-owned subsidiary) to acquire the tourism jet boating business trading as ‘KJet’ and related assets (including 100% of the shares in Time Tripper Limited).

Chocolate collaboration and gallery at QT