The full day of council workshops of the 26th of January was probably the most focused and collegial of the new council so far, as we worked with senior staff on developing feedback to government reforms on “simplifying local government”, RMA / planning reforms, rates capping and infrastructure funding.
It was heart warming to have enthusiastic input from practically all councillors in reaction to the government’s various agendas. All of it relevant to the longterm plan development we are about to launch into. Alongside the new local plan component of a “regional spatial plan” that will be required when the Planning Bill is enacted later this year. While we also put together the new council-controlled water services entity.
All of this informing the refresh of our community and council priorities, what we should be investing more or less ratepayer funding into, and how we can do all of this smarter into the future. “Achieving more with less”, as Mayor Glover has said recently. Now that’s a challenge!
I was pleasantly reminded recently by a North Island parent of teenagers here for a cricket tournament at the Queenstown Events Centre, that, despite traffic congestion and infrastructure projects underway right now, the infrastructure and services our district enjoys are “second to none!”
Although perhaps he wasn’t aware of the ongoing challenges around our wastewater treatment plants, sometimes we need to remind ourselves that what we do as a local authority is important to our communities and economy and makes a real difference.
Of course we have to make sure we reflect, learn and do better. Most around the council table are committed to constructively doing that in relation to problematic decisions of QLDC managers and previous councils, even if a few are understandably uncomfortable with looking back.
The challenges of meeting the needs of our rapidly growing population, waves of Fast-Track applications, construction inflation, and the real costs of the government’s reform programmes are beginning to bite. While the government shuts down funding options with proposed rates caps, shifting local road funding to so-called “roads of national significance”, seriously limiting public transport funding, and diverting the International Visitor Levy to attract more visitors instead of where it was intended, to invest in local authority and DoC infrastructure.
The Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal process has so far delivered no promises of new funding, while putting even more pressure on our local communities to enable more growth. For it to be a deal there have to be real benefits for our communities. Permission to initiate a locally collected tourist bed-tax would be an excellent start!
By the time this article goes to print the council will have discussed how it is going to effectively advocate for the interests of our communities. To do that we will need to work closely with other local interests to make sure all political parties take the needs of communities seriously in this pivotal election year. Let’s do this together!
Jon (Mitch) Mitchell - Queenstown Whakatipu Ward Councillor Queenstown Lakes District Council
ZED at the Greenstone Summer Concert on Saturday
ON THE APP THIS WEEK
QLDC appoints Interim Chief Executive
Michelle Morss has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive of Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), following a decision of the Full Council on 23 January 2026.
The appointment ensures the organisation and community have consistency and stability while work continues to recruit a Chief Executive.
Mayor John Glover said the appointment followed a robust process, led by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).
“The most important decision that this Council will make is to appoint the substantive replacement for Mike Theelen. Michelle brings the knowledge and experience needed to lead the organisation as it faces the reforms and challenges over the coming months pending that appointment, and it is wonderful that we will have an interim who can hit the ground running.”
Michelle brings more than 20 years’ leadership experience across local government and the private sector internationally. She has been at QLDC for ten years and General Manager Strategy and Policy / a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) for the past three. She has been a leading voice in the development of the Regional Deal, the Spatial Plan and the Destination Management Plan. Prior to joining local government, Michelle headed up the Asia Pacific division of a UK-based company, nurturing three new businesses in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.
Originally from the UK, Michelle holds masters qualifications in both public administration (2020) and modern history (2000). She is well-
versed in the challenges we face as a district and is focused upon achieving good outcomes for our community. With a background in project management, Michelle has been a key member of the Emergency Operations Centre for a number of years and is currently the district’s Recovery Manager. She brings strong networks and connections across the district and a demonstrated commitment to Te Tiriti and our Kāi Tahu partners.
Michelle said she’s excited to step into the Interim Chief Executive role, providing consistency and continuity for our communities over the next few months.
“It’s going to be a busy period as we work on the development of the Long Term Plan, the establishment of the Water Services CCO and understand the implications of a broad range of central government reforms for the sector.”
“Having lived in the district for over ten years, it’s a privilege to have the opportunity to play a role in securing good outcomes for our communities and ensuring that we continue to deliver our services without interruption,” she said.
Mayor John Glover acknowledged Mike Theelen for ten years of leadership and service at QLDC.
“Whilst I’ve only worked alongside Mike for a matter of months, it is fully evident that his commitment to public service and in particular his belief in the purpose of local government are values that he holds very dearly. His retirement marks the end of a significant chapter for QLDC and I am sure will open a new one for Mike and his family,” he said.
Recruitment for a Chief Executive is expected to begin in the coming months and will be led by the Council’s CEO Relationship and Recruitment Committee. Further details on next steps will be provided in due course.
MENTALHEALTH FIRST AID
Training
Mental Health First Aid Training empowers you to provide initial support to someone experiencing amental health challenge or crisis. For Team leaders, Duty managers, and HR professionals
2-3March
9am-4pm
Register at www.thetherapyproject.co.nz
LAKES WEEKLY POLL
LWB regularly polls locals on issues affecting our region. This week’s responses are below.
Should there be more incentive for investors to rent their properties long term (as opposed to short term or letting them sit empty)?
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Would you volunteer for one of our local fire brigades?
Do you think it's worth repairing or replacing Skippers Bridge?
Have you ever fallen victim of a text/email scam?
Central Lakes Breastfeeding Charitable Trust Nurture Māmā COMMUNITY NOTES
Pregnancy is often both daunting and exciting. Many friends, colleagues, whānau and, even, complete strangers frequently have lots of advice, pearls of wisdom and opinions to share, which may or may not be welcome or helpful. Then you look online and it is even more overwhelming and confusing with the oh, so many “shoulds” and “must dos”. Yet, so often we hear: “Why didn’t I know that” or “why weren’t we told that” from new parents. In response, Central Lakes Breastfeeding Charitable Trust (CLBCT) has developed the Nurture Māmā programme, which brings together; Womens Health Physios, Breastfeeding advocates and Peer Supporters, community organisations, parents, babies, expertise from Lactation Consultants and a whole lot of passion for enabling parents.
Nurture Māmā Pregnancy Strong sessions help you learn more about how you can maintain your physical wellbeing in pregnancy and prepare your for the birth of your baby, with the most up-todate evidence. Nurture Māmā Breastfeeding info sessions demystify breastfeeding, help equip you for decision making, start to understand the interplay with sleep and parenting and bust some of those really unhelpful breastfeeding myths. Nurture Māmā understands the value of having access to knowledgeable experts to help expectant parents build understanding whilst celebrating and welcoming the diversity of the
perspectives, insights values and opinions in our community. We love learning from those we are helping.
Our local community-based facilitators have expert knowledge, extensive experience and insight and we are delighted to help make this expertise more accessible. Our facilitators can also help you access reliable and useful information if English isn’t your first language. The opportunity to discuss, ask questions, explore ideas, share perspectives and meet other expectant parents in a comfortable, sociable and cosy setting has been enthusiastically welcomed and appreciated. Many expectant parents have also found it really helpful to start building their village and starting to decide whom they would like to ask to help them.
Registration is open to all. Whether you are five minutes pregnant or just about to birth. It can be your first baby or your fifth baby. You can be pregnant yourself or be the support person and want to know more about how to support/ help.
The sessions currently take place in Queenstown Plunket, we are also looking for a comfortable and welcoming community venue in Hanleys/ Jacks Point.
We are very grateful to our funders: QLDC and Community Trust South. We don’t promote any commercial operators and adhere to the WHO Code of Marketing.
The next Breastfeeding Information session is on Thursday, 19 February at 6.30pm.
The next Pregnancy Strong session is on Thursday, 12 February at 6.30pm.
Also from CLBCT
1. Walking Wednesdays (different walk each Wednesday finishing in a café)
2. Mums4Mums: first and third Tuesday at Frankton library 10.30 to midday
3. Friday Coffee group: each Friday at the Hayes 10.30am to Midday
4. Breastpump loan scheme
5. Peer support
6. Breastfeeding Peer Support Learning Programme starting April 2026
CLBCT also operates in Wānaka, Cromwell and Alexandra.
For more information see our facebook page, email info@centrallakesbreastfeeding.org or ring Catkin on 0274512230\ 0800 560650
CRIMELINE
by Sue Fea
Tourist’s handbag swiped at Hanley’s playground –Expensive items stolen
Police are appealing to the public for help after a woman’s handbag was stolen from the Hanley’s Farm Playground on Bannister Street around 4.35pm on Monday, 26 January.
Constable Amanda Shute says the offender left the area in a blue vehicle which had been parked on Bannister Street and the handbag was later located nearby. However, a number of items from inside the bag been taken, she says.
A Police spokesperson says these included a Cartier branded wristwatch and two iPhones. The bag had been laying nearby the victim of the theft, next to a large swing on top of the hill.
A concerned nearby resident who tried to help her and her friends says he believes they were Chinese visitors to the area.
He posted photos on the Jack’s Point and Hanley’s Farm Community Facebook page, captured by one of the women, in a bid to help. He understood the bag when stolen had contained the other two women’s iPhones, passports, credit cards, rental car keys and an expensive watch. “They were stuck as their car key was taken,” the resident says. He believes they got their passports, credit cards and car key back when the bag was found, but the rest was stolen.
Police are now appealing to the public for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage in the Bannister Street area during the time of the incident to get in touch.
If you recognise the person pictured, or have any information, CCTV, or dashcam footage in relation to this incident, please contact us online at 105. police.govt.nz, clicking ‘Update Report’ or call 105. Please use the reference number 260127/4916. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.
Fire bosses concerned about crashes
Firefighters have been called to multiple vehicle crashes around the wider Wakatipu in recent weeks, involving overseas tourists and Kiwi drivers often impatient to pass and get to their destinations, prompting warnings from FENZ bosses.
Fire and Emergency NZ Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says their Frankton and Kingston volunteer fire crews have been called out multiple times in the last few weeks, as have Queenstown crews, and Glenorchy volunteers were also called out a few times in that period. “There appears to be some pretty bad driving out there, so we’re urging people to take care and not assume that others will always be driving safely,” McQuillan says. There have been injuries, but, thankfully, no fatalities, which he believes is “probably due to chance rather that good driving”. Hotspots appear to be the southern end of the Devil’s Staircase where drivers seem to get more and more frustrated heading south if they’re unable to pass those travelling slowly in front, McQuillan says. “Remember to be kind if a tourist or someone else is going slow in front of you,” McQuillan says. “Luckily, we’ve had no fatalities.”
He says he echoes Police concerns about driver behaviour – tourists and Kiwis, between Queenstown and Milford. There have also been a number of crashes at Gibbston and around Arrow Junction, as well as a few on the Glenorchy Road, he says. “Stay in your lane. Stay left!” He says they’ve attended too many accidents in which drivers have allegedly been travelling in the wrong lane. “Be mindful of others.”
Police want to hear from anyone who can help identify this person who they believe may be able to assist them in their enquiries into the theft of a handbag at Hanley’s Farm late on Monday, 26 January.
PHOTO PAGE
The GREENSTONE SUMMER CONCERT TOUR of 2026 concluded this weekend to widespread acclaim, following three remarkable live performances held in Taupō, Auckland, and Wānaka over the past week.
Featuring rock legends IGGY POP and JOAN JETT and THE BLACKHEARTS as headliners, along with HOODOO GURUS and ZED, these dynamic performances have been widely celebrated as Greenstone’s most critically acclaimed shows in their 16-year history.
Photo credit: Jared Donkin
Paul’s last shift at Atlas, just after he was thrown into Lake Whakatipu
ON THE APP THIS WEEK
Roaming cats pose threat to native wildlife in Queenstown wetland
A restored wetland on the edge of Queenstown is drawing rare native wildlife back to an area once dry and barren, but conservationists say roaming pet cats could undo years of community-led work.
Just after a rare and elusive bird species was spotted at the Shotover Wetland, the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust said trail cameras detected 44 cats over three weeks.
Executive officer Anna Harding-Shaw was the first to spot the pair of marsh crakes, which are a native species so notoriously “secretive and cryptic” that their total population numbers are unknown.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been that excited to see a bird before,” she said. “I was just throwing everything down to try to get my camera out.
“They are an indicator species, which means that they only show up when the wetland is in good health, so it’s such a great example of the work that’s been done here.”
For the past decade, Shotover Primary School students have helped other groups bring the wetland back to life.
Audrey Austin, who has moved on to Wakatipu High School, remains a keen birder and regular visitor.
“I go down there, and I look at all the thriving plants and animals that are down there that call it their home now,” she said. “All the plants that we’ve planted... it’s amazing to see the difference.”
She has also spotted black-fronted terns, white-faced herons, grey teal, native bees, skinks and dragonflies, as well as the pair of marsh crake.
“After so long restoring this wetland - all these thousands of plants now that have been put in the ground, and water quality testing that we’ve done and invertebrate monitoring that we’ve done, and bird watching - to see that marsh crake have come back, that’s amazing. It’s incredible.”
Anna Harding-Shaw said pest traps had picked up mice, rats and the occasional hedgehog, but the scale of the cat presence only became apparent through the trail cameras.
“We left them out for 21 nights and there were 44 triggers for cats over that time, which is huge, which is massive, compared to all other camera monitoring around.”
Most of them appeared to be pets, she said.
about making art or extending your
Art Assembly is a new Tāhuna/Queenstown visual art school providing structured learning and support. Students can explore their creativity, develop their skills and connect to an art-making community. Experienced tutors will guide students to see, experiment, express their artistic potential. www.artassembly.co.nz @artassemblynz
Queenstown Media Group PO Box 1546, Queenstown 9300
Kylee De Suza Account Manager 021 044 2968 | kylee@qmg.co.nz
Patricia W. Becker Graphic Designer
Kanika Sethi Finance
Sue Fea Journalist
Jessica Allen Journalist/ Content coordinator
Speeding drivers causing havoc - Accidents waiting to happen
by Sue Fea
Police and rental vehicle companies are concerned about accidents waiting to happen on local roads, with increasing numbers of overseas tourists featuring high in near misses, cases of dangerous passing and speeding recently, many headed for Milford.
Te Anau Police say hots spots are the southern end of the Devil’s Staircase, Five Rivers and the Milford Road as tourists, concerned they’ll miss their Milford boat cruises, speed from Queenstown, taking risks on the road.
Otago Lakes Road Policing Sergeant Bruce Martin says it’s a problem from Christchurch through to Milford with his staff constantly on the lookout too, especially on the Lindis Pass, from Omarama, through the Kawarau Gorge and south of Queenstown.
On Friday, 23 January, Martin ticketed a young Texan woman in a rental car who allegedly overtook him in an unmarked patrol car on double yellow lines just past Lake Hayes, then continued to overtake five more drivers ahead of him still on double yellow lines.
“She was in her 30s and had just left Queenstown at lunchtime headed for Picton – an eight to 10-hour drive which she was expecting to do in one day,” he says. The incident occurred just before Arrow Junction and Martin says she’d overtaken five more vehicles by the time he caught up with her at the Kawarau Bungy Bridge.
“Just as she pulled into her correct lane an oncoming car came over the crest of the hill.” The woman was fined $150 and her partner took over the driving. He says it’s not only overseas drivers. Police receive many driving complaints, from Lindis Pass through Omarama, over the Crown Range to Queenstown. Police work hard to catch these people and slow them down before they head south, he says.
Martin’s recently had to talk to an overseas driver who stopped his vehicle in the middle of a main highway to get out and take a photo. Other drivers run off the road and crash while looking at the scenery instead of concentrating on driving, he says.
“These people aren’t used to our roads and open spaces and don’t understand the rules because they only drive at 50km/hr in heavy laned traffic at home,” he says.
“People from certain countries where the culture is different don’t understand what red and blue flashing lights mean, or roadside speed advisories, or yellow lines,” he says. “They come from a completely different
WATCH REPAIRS NOW
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An unforgettable adventure only 20 minutes from Queenstown’s CBD
Daily rides for every ability, led by experienced guides who know these landscapes by heart. Immerse yourself in stunning alpine scenery as you explore breathtaking trails on horseback.
Both group and private treks are available, or for something extra special, treat yourself to a Ride and Dine Picnic Experience or Bespoke Photography Package!
driving environment.
“We get people overtaking on corners and yellow lines. You’d think common sense would dictate….”
Australians who are stopped and fined for speeding look surprised at the low cost of the fine as their fines at home are so much higher, Martin says. It’s also customary where some drivers are from to overtake, expecting any oncoming traffic to pull aside, Police say.
Rental vehicle operators are also very concerned about what they say is an alarming increase in speeding drivers and near misses in rental vehicles driven by overseas tourists and Kiwis, many racing to Milford. They’re hoping to meet with the Te Anau community and Police to try and combat the problem.
One driver recently was believed to have been clocked by Police at 170km/ hr.
Rental Vehicle Association of NZ CEO Ben McFadgen says it’s not only endangering lives but costing companies a lot of money with vehicles damaged and off the road.
Some companies using GPS monitoring have clocked rental vehicle drivers at 140km/hr and even more “horrendous” speeds, ringing to warn them if they don’t slow down that the car will be taken off them, McFadgen says.
Martin says Police work with rental companies in an effort to combat the problem, but reiterates there are plenty of Kiwi drivers breaking the rules too.
“We do get bad driving, sometimes from Kiwis too. They get frustrated in long lines of traffic and make stupid decisions.”
QUEENSTOWN DHARMA CENTRE, 12 LAKE ST TUE (3 Feb) @ 6.30pm, ‘Natural Ease’ with Grant Rix WED (4 Feb) @ 6.30pm, ‘Sadhana Practice’ with Grant Rix SUN (8 Feb) @ 10am, ‘Cultivating Awareness Practice’ followed by Social Sunday
All are welcome.
Donations for the teacher/centre are gratefully accepted. See www.dharmacentre.org.nz / FB
Otago Lakes Road Policing Sergeant Bruce Martin
ON THE APP THIS WEEK
Queenstown Arts Society warmly invites you to participate in their upcoming Members Exhibition
Above, Below, Beyond invites artists to explore layers of perception, experience, and meaning. Discover vantage points, hidden depths, and the spaces that lie just outside ordinary sight. What happens when we shift our perspective? What stories or forms emerge when we look upward, downward, or further than what’s immediately visible?
Interpret the theme literally, metaphorically, or conceptually. They can’t wait to see what you submit!
Suitable Media: Painting, photography, sculpture, installation, textile, digital art, mixed media, and conceptual works.
How to Enter: Submissions are open to all QAS members. Guidelines and membership info are available on our website. Entry form will be available shortly!
Key Dates:
• Submission Deadline: 5pm, 21February
• Work received in person: 27 February, 5pm to 7pm and 28 February, 10am to 3pm
• Exhibition Opening: 5 March, 5pm to 7pm
• Exhibition Closing: 10 April, 5pm
• Work pick-up: 10 April, 5pm to 7pm and 11 April, 11am to 3pm
Don’t miss this opportunity to share your art and connect with Queenstown’s creative community. Get inspired, get involved, and get ready to get Above, Below, Beyond!
For any queries contact hello@queenstownartsociety.co.nz
GOINGS ON ABOUT
EVENTS - MUSIC - ART THEATRE - AT THE GALLERIES
Sweet As Sounds
Sweet As Sounds is 1876’s Waitangi Day event. Live DJs will be on deck from 2pm, bringing those good Kiwi vibes all afternoon. The lineup includes R!sk & J Boo, Mad, Aideeee, Stubacca, Grizzly and Jay. Free entry, good times guaranteed.
When: Friday, 6 February, 2pm
Where: 1876, 45 Ballarat Street, Queenstown
MG National Rally
Green Drinks: AI and the Environment
Is AI bad for the environment, or part of the solution? The answer has changed faster than most headlines suggest. Join this special edition Green Drinks, kicking off the 2026 programme; ‘AI and the Environment’, with AI strategist and Curiosity founder Nadia Ellis!
Fresh from TED AI in San Francisco, Nadia will bust common myths, update that much-quoted water stat, and share what’s actually changed in AI’s environmental impact, plus where AI could genuinely support sustainability.
EVENTS
Classic car admirers, this one’s for you. A national MG sports cars rally will motor through the lower South Island for a week from February 7. Throughout the rally the 130 entrants will take on the Caitlins, Invercargill, Te Anau and Cromwell and points between. The vehicles will be on show at the Harvest Centre Hotel car park in Cromwell on Thursday, 12 February and also at Cromwell’s Highlands Park on Friday, 13, when the public will be able to see the track laps from the observation deck.
When: Thursday and Friday, 12 and 13 February
Where: Harvest Centre Hotel Car Park and at Highlands Park, Cromwell
ARTS
When: Wednesday, 4 February, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Where: Sudima, 20 Grant Road, Frankton
Women’s Ride Nights ft QMTBC + Skyline + Dirt Town Queens
This will be the third Women’s Ride Series and it just keeps getting better! They had over 70 amazing women turn up each week for the last series in November. It has been great to see such a supportive and encouraging atmosphere grow with these nights – it’s great to be able to keep the good times flowing! Uplifts from 5pm, meet at the top at 5:30pm for a quick welcome chat and info on apres.
When: Wednesdays from 4 February, uplifts from 5pm
Where: Skyline, 53 Brecon Street, Queenstown
National Radio Yacht Event
Exhibition Opening – Let Honey Soak Through
Join Te Atamira at the opening of their latest exhibition, ‘Let the Honey Soak Through’. The evening will feature poetry readings by guest poets and writers - local and nationally acclaimed. Inspired by bee networks and their relationship with the environment, this exhibition from Taarn Scott and Hana Pera Aoake examines the patterns bees create to sustain their lives, replicated by human systems, hiveware, keepers and agricultural formations.
When: Tuesday, 10 February, 5.30pm
Where: Te Atamira, 12 Hawthorne Drive, Frankton
Love is All Around
Remarkables Theatre presents Love is All Around –their much-loved annual promenade performance. Seven shows to choose from. Come and be entertained in the beautiful Queenstown Gardens. Meet at the rotunda for promenade theatre around the pond. There are literary lovers, friends, loopy lovers and lots of laughs. Which scene will be your favourite?
When: Friday, 13 February, 6pm, Saturday, 14 and Sunday, 15 February, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm
Where: Queenstown Gardens, Park Street, Queenstown
Remarkables Picnic Opera
The ACAS Remarkables Picnic Opera will again be held against the spectacular mountainous backdrop of the Stalker family’s Springpointer rural residence. Auckland Studio Opera, which coproduces the event, has hired a leading theatre director to further lift presentation of the production. This year will feature seven big voice opera performers. Keep your eyes peeled for details, including a number of performers new to the event.
National-level radio yacht racing will come to Central Otago this Waitangi Weekend with the International One Metre South Island Championships being held in Cromwell. Hosted by the Cromwell Radio Yacht Squadron, the regatta is expected to attract around 30 sailors from across New Zealand for three days of competitive racing. The championships are free to attend, with spectators welcome to relax on the grass in front of the Lake Dunstan Boat Club and watch the racing. Local interest will be high with Cromwell sailor Jamie White, currently ranked second nationally, competing. More information is available at www.crys.co.nz
When: Friday, 6 to Sunday, 8 February
Where: Lake Dunstan Boat Club, Partridge Road, McNulty Inlet, Cromwell
Growing Winter Veggies Workshop
Growing your own veggies isn’t just for summer. A garden can be productive year round if you know when and what to plant. Come along and get inspired at Dr Compost’s free Winter Veggies workshop. Find out which crops grow well in our region, when to plant for the best results, and how to protect your plants from our harsh climate. Grab your free ticket here: events.humanitix. com/growing-winter-veggies-queenstown The Dr Compost home-composting project is funded by Queenstown Lakes District Council and delivered by Wastebusters to reduce organic waste in landfill.
When: Thursday, 12 February, 6pm – 8pm
Where: Sherwood, 554 Frankton Road
Little Pedallers
Calling all little pedallers! Come and join the Lightfoot team to help your little one gain confidence on the bike. Suitable for beginner bikers aged seven and under, they will teach skills like safe braking and turning, biking around obstacles and cycling independently to help build confidence and get them ready for the trails. Each session is held on the indoor courts and lasts 45 minutes, with the kids on the bike the whole time. A limited number of bikes and helmets are available if your child needs a bike.
When: Saturday, 14 February, 10am – 4pm
Where: Remarkables Primary School, 49 Lake Avenue, Frankton
If you would like your show, event, exhibition or meeting promoted in Goings On drop us a line at info@qmg.co.nz with the details
HOSPOGUIDE
Tuesday Pizza Night
Burger & Beer
Enjoy a burger & a beer for $30* *on selected beers and drinks
15% off large pizzas, dine in or takeaway* Wednesday Quiz is back!
To book your team 03 442 5555 or info@lokalqt.co.nz
Now Pouring @ Atlas Brewery: Searchlight Brewery Beer: Iggy Hop WCIPA 7.2% Fruity hops, malty with a bitterness
Gourmet Pizzas, BBQ platter & ribs, burgers
Dine in & takeaway. *NEW Delivery via Uber Eats* Waitangi Dayopen as usual, no surcharge
Daily Coffee and Bowls for $15 between 10am and 12pm
Everyday Bar 1904 Beers and Bowls for $20 from 4pm to 6pm
Everyday Café 1904 Waipiata Pie and Bowls $25
Everyday Bar 1904
$8 Premium Beers $8 Spirits & $10 Gibbston Valley Wine
Everyday OPEN TO PUBLIC Everyone Welcome
And that’s a Wrap on the 2025 Season at the Queenstown Ice Arena!
We would like to extend a huge thank you to all our amazing customers, local skaters and die hard fans for making our 2025 Season the best one yet! We look forward to welcoming you all back onto the ice Mid-March for an exciting 2026 Winter Season!
from 3pm
Eye/salad & fries $34 Fish ‘n’ Chips $25 Chicken Parmi $25
Also serving Lamb Shanks, Blue Cod and other delicious southern classics
Arts+Culture
Stories of friendship and love
by Jessica Allen
Queenstown Gardens will be taken over by Remarkables Theatre with stories of friendship, love and tales of the heart. From 13 February, the much-loved annual promenade show will celebrate love in all its forms - romantic, platonic, complicated, hilarious, and heartfelt.
This year’s show is directed by Jane Robertson and features a cast and crew of over 20 people. As you stroll around the gardens, you’ll encounter a series of short, playful skits, inspired by iconic stories and characters.
"We love
performing
for the local community and we’d love to see as many people as possible coming along and enjoying the show."
Stephanie Travis is taking on two roles in this year’s show, Miranda from Sex and the City and another character known simply as Woman, who is involved in a business-like proposal.
“All four characters from Sex and the City will be there and the scene is around love that’s found in friendship and how we support our female relationships,” Travis says.
As for her other scene, it features two work colleagues that find themselves single, thinking about whether getting together and married is going to be beneficial for each of them. The different skits show that love comes in many different shapes and sizes.
“I think the show definitely captures all forms of love, from the traditional sense to really deep, powerful friendships. I think we’ve seen that over the years with some incredible TV series that have depicted love in many different formats.”
This will be Simon Everett’s second year acting in the garden show and he says this year you’ll
be reminded of the different examples of love. He’s taking on two very contrasting characters –Romeo in the classic balcony scene and Richard Burton. One embodies a youthful love while the other depicts a toxic relationship.
“Richard Burton is a film star who famously got through two or three bottles of vodka a day,” Everett says. “He divorced Elizabeth Taylor, I believe, and then they remarried, and they were always at each other’s throats, destroying hotel rooms and stuff. It’ll be interesting to mix it up from the teenager in love.”
Everett explains that he can relate more to the character of Romeo, “We’re both slightly naïve, young at heart and quite unlucky in love.”
Fleur Van de Loo shares a scene with Travis as Carrie in Sex and the City, as well as a part as Phoebe in Friends. She says that all the scenes in the show have a really positive and happy vibe, with colourful outfits and upbeat energy throughout. She’s been enjoying channeling some of that energy for her performance.
“I think they’re both really fun – fun-loving, lively characters,” Van de Loo says. “I think Phoebe is particularly hilarious and I really like her and the way she goes through life, super easy-going, doesn’t make too much of a fuss about things, helps people out and helps her friends out. She’s really positive in how she is about everything.”
The show offers a unique presentation style, but is a hit every year. It’s perfect for familes, theatre lovers and anyone who enjoys a good stroll with a side of story telling. It's equally as fun and lovely for the audience as it is for the actors.
“It’s a fun weekend for us because we have short scenes and we also get to enjoy watching everybody else soaking up the general vibe of what’s going on. We love performing for the local community and we’d love to see as many people as possible coming along and enjoying the show,” Van de Loo says.
Love is All Around show times are Friday, 13 February at 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 14 and 15 February at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. Entry is by koha – you can find out more information and prepurchase tickets at remarkablestheatre.co.nz. You can also just turn up on the day.
Left to right: Ana Ledesma, Clare Colebatch, Stephanie Travis and Fleur Van de Loo
She’s managed and partied with tour loads of young Contiki travellers in Europe and Queenstown, helped save the Earnslaw in a record flood and officiated at over 1,000 local weddings, declining an unusual photo request at one.
In some 35 years Tracey Maclaren has made her mark on Queenstown’s visitor industry – working her way up through the ranks from then Fiordland Travel’s Queenstown branch assistant manager in 1994 to general manager of its rebranded Real Journeys in 2012.
Tracey was well positioned for the role having cut her tourism and hospo teeth with Contiki Travel – four summer seasons of experience initially in Carnarvon, Wales, then overseeing coach stop sites in Europe, her final stint managing the last stop hotel in Amsterdam. “Here they’d party like never before. I managed the hotel staff, road crew and guests, never a dull moment, but what an amazing experience.”
She knew how to party with the best of them too, frequenting Chico’s once settling back in Queenstown as The Queenstown Lodge manager in the early 90s. “The staff became like extended family; those were wonderful early Queenstown days. It was quiet in winter, but you knew everybody and all the locals had so much fun.”
Maintaining professionalism at all times, Tracey adopted her own ‘partying persona’ – ‘Sabrina’, when out with staff. “She was my twin sister-alter ego, loved to drink, party and dance but was never sure how she got home,” she grins.
Born in Wellington, Tracey – one of four children, moved south with the family, aged five, to Invercargill for her dad’s job in 1965, starting at Waihopai School.
Mum Daphne, from the North Island, sent the kids to speech and drama to ensure those strong southern accents didn’t break through, and as a national competitive swimmer and coach her kids all grew up around the pool.
The drama inspired a love of musical theatre for Tracey who’s played numerous roles in Showbiz shows locally, including a hooker luring German
soldiers into bed in Cabaret and a drunken Miss Hannigan in Annie.
Many childhood weekends were spent in Arrowtown, Queenstown or Wānaka ice skating, skiing and boating, those fond memories luring Tracey back “home” after seven years OE which followed a Diploma in Home Science at Otago Uni. “The other students joked that we were just there to learn how to cook, sew and pick up a doctor as a husband. That was not my goal.” She majored in nutrition doing post graduate studies in Wellington where she worked as a dietitian at Wellington Public Hospital for several years, saving for travel.
“Last year I reached my first milestone – 1,000 weddings, averaging about 100 to 120 a year.”
“I met all my friends there, and we just clustered in London and Europe, initially the Beerfest in Munich, and had so much fun.”
She’d been “sneaking” in and out of Europe on an expired passport in a Contiki vehicle long enough and it was “time to come home to the real world” in 1991.
As manager at Fiordland Travel, Tracey was overseeing everyone from steam engineers, stokers, skippers and farmers to chefs, restaurant and reservations staff, coach drivers and pilots. She’d be called in early when staff didn’t turn up on New Year’s Day to unlock the Visitor Centre to dispatch the Milford coaches. “Or once the engineer arrived at work inebriated and I had to reschedule staff at short notice and talk my way out of it with guests.”
However, managing their way out of the record 1999 floods was the biggest challenge. “We were wading through waist-deep water to get to the
Earnslaw floating above the wharf. It was quite phenomenal trying to evacuate the Visitor Centre while water was flowing in.”
Unfortunately, Tracey was a casualty of major company restructuring under a new board and CEO in 2012, subsequently invited by DQ to take a maternity leave position as Queenstown Convention Bureau manager.
In 2013 she found her passion, becoming a celebrant. “Last year I reached my first milestone – 1,000 weddings, averaging about 100 to 120 a year,” she says. With most clients from overseas, she says Queenstown celebrants outperform those elsewhere in New Zealand, thanks to the stunning, mountaintop wedding backdrops being fed to the world on social media.
Helicopters and snow are usually involved and there have been a few extraordinary ones, like the couple who married then disappeared downhill on their mountain bikes off Rude Rock on Coronet Peak. “I did ask them to remove their helmets for the ceremony.”
Tracey politely declined a request by a US couple who asked her to join them in a ‘naked bum shot’ for a series they were taking around the world, dobbing the helicopter pilot in instead, also a ‘no’. She’s been a JP for 20 years, works casually for Arrowtown Lifestyle Village, sings with The Songbirds locally, and loves her yoga sessions at Millbrook.
Celebrant work can be seven days a week, but Tracey still fits in a daily walk with her beloved retriever, Betty.
Tracey out on her daily walk with her beloved Golden Retriever, Betty
Tracey, centre, Jenny Fergusson, left, and Robyn Jebson competing in the Fiordland Travel team at the Lake Hayes Women’s Triathlon back in the day
Tracey doing the honours as celebrant at yet another wedding locally
Tracey, centre, celebrating the TSS Earnslaw’s 90th birthday, flanked by her parents, Daphne, left, and Bill
1. Which metal is extracted from bauxite ore?
2. What is the name of the strait separating New Zealand’s North and South Islands?
3. What is the largest organ in the human body?
4. Which mountain range separates Europe and Asia?
5. What is the currency of South Africa?
6. What colour are the stars on the New Zealand flag?
7. Which branch of mathematics deals with the properties of triangles?
8. Which European country has the most volcanoes?
9. What does the “IQ” in IQ test stand for?
10. Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?
Secure self storage units – various sizes available Phone: 0800 297 786 | www.xsstorage.co.nz
NEVER BIN A BATTERY
They cause fires if damaged or overheated, so keep them out of all rubbish and recycling bins. Safely recycle your batteries and electronic devices at Wānaka & Frankton Transfer Stations.
DO YOU LIKE WOODCRAFT? LOVE tinkering in your woodshed? Come and join the Wakatipu Woodcraft Guild and meet like-minded people. We’re keen to boost numbers, skilled and unskilled. Contact Kerrie at wakatipuwood@gmail.com to come along for a look!
WHAKATIPU BEEKEEPERS SUPPORTING LOCAL BEEKEEPERS with sharing knowledge, mentoring and maintaining best practice. Most importantly a group of likeminded individuals who love bees. Meeting regularly, for more info or to join us whakatipubeekeepers@gmail.com
NEW TO THE AREA OR got more time on your hands & looking to give back to your community? Altrusa International Qtwn is looking for volunteers just like you to join our women’s charitable & service organisation supporting our local community. Want to know more? Email: president.queenstown@altrusa.org.nz or message us on Facebook.com/AltrusaQueenstown
WSCA – ROOMS FOR HIRE - Spacious, sunny rooms are available for hire to Queenstown Community Groups. The rooms hold up to 90 people, with seated dining for 40. Located on the 1st floor of Malaghan House, 10 Memorial Street, Queenstown with lift access. There are kitchen facilities, toilets, Wi-Fi, media equipment for projection onto large screen plus large screen TV. Contact us on 03 4429214 or info@wsca.org.nz for more details.
EVERYTHING ELSE
Community Everything Else
BESPOKE GUIDED GARDEN TOURS IN Wānaka. Visit up to 4 beautiful private gardens of your choice! Experience for visitors and locals. Daily departure October to April. $100 - $179 per person. Gift cards. Florence 02102792481 | beautifulgardenswanaka.com
FOR RENT - HANLEY $650 PW
Fully furnished apartment, near new 1 bedroom over two levels not attached to a main house. Full kitchen, office nook, private patio and carpark, all whiteware. Ideal for professional single or couple. 9-month negotiable, pets ok. Contact Martha 021766117
CRONIN CARPENTRY
Specialist fit out work. No job to small. Good rates. Richie - 02108371378
FOR SALE
Dark possum rug perfect condition 140x160cm$1250 Ono. Men’s bike Avanti forte 29.1 $200. Women’s bike Avanti montari 29.1 $200
Breville barista express BES870. Excellent condition $600 Ono Call or text June 0274939567
Harbour Fish is a family-owned and operated seafood supplier. Our Frankton branch is looking for wholesale and retail assistants to join our small, friendly team.
We pride ourselves on our outstanding customer service and are keen to find people with the same high standards.
We have current vacancies in our wholesale and retail departments. Both jobs are permanent full-time (but we're open to shorter contracts too), 38-40 hours per week, over 5 days. Shifts are generally 8 hours long. Staff accomodation options are available from mid-January 2026.
We are happy to provide full training for the right candidates, but previous seafood, food service, or retail experience is an advantage.
We’re looking for people who:
• Have excellent customer service skills
• Are physically fit (some heavy lifting is required)
• Have an interest in seafood and cooking
• Like to keep things clean, tidy and looking sharp
• Have loads of common sense
• Enjoy working in a small, busy team
• Have a good command of the English language We offer a supportive work environment and generous staff discounts.
To apply, please send your CV to queenstown@harbourfish.co.nz or call Mohammed on 03 451 1402 ext 1.
Ph: 03 409 2800
enquiries@qmg.co.nz
jobfix.co.nz
REQUIRED NOW!!!!!!
Skilled and Unskilled Labourers
Traffic Controllers
Looking for casual, temporary or long term work??
Queenstown Personnel and Labour Hire are looking for labourers for a variety of jobs around Queenstown with an immediate start.
Contact Sharleen - 027 778 7377 or email sharleen@qtplabour.co.nz
Truck driver - Class 5
Truck driver class 5, 2 days per week and as required. We are looking someone to work for us driving our NZ post truck and trailer.
Must have experience and hold class 5, D & F (OSH) license's, also pass MOJ, Toro and pre-employment drug tests.
Full training and benefits apply for the right person.
Email tim@twmltd.co.nz to apply.
Sales Assistant Queenstown Airport Paper Plus
We are looking for a Sales Assistant to join our friendly team at Queenstown Airport Paper Plus.
This role is Thursday to Monday, with shifts starting between 10.30am and 12pm and finishing at 8.30pm - approximately 42 hours per week.
About the role:
• Serving customers and providing excellent customer service
• Restocking shelves and maintaining store presentation
• Handling transactions and operating the till
• Helping keep the store running smoothly in a fast-paced airport environment
We’re looking for someone who is:
• Friendly, approachable, and customerfocused
• Reliable and punctual
• Comfortable working on their feet in a busy retail setting
• Available to work the full contract period until mid-January
If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and join our team.
Email your application to queenstownairport@paperplus.co.nz
We are currently seeking a licensed
DUTY MANAGER
wanting to take the next step... All the usual requirements: must hold a valid work visa, speak fluent English and of course have a Duty Managers cert or being willing to obtain one.
Also looking for
LINE COOK/KITCHEN HAND
Send CV’s to Chris@smithsctaftbeer.co.nz or apply in person and speak to Chris.
QUEENSTOWN CHEFS, LOOKING FOR A CHANGE?
Come work with us!
Trade split shifts and sky-high rent for surf before service, shorter commutes, and a tightknit kitchen that values craft over chaos.
Our Japanese-inspired restaurant sits in one of New Plymouth’s most vibrant courtyards with good energy, great food, and a better way of living.
Come for the job. Stay for the lifestyle.
Check out our job vacancies here:
snuglounge.co.nz westendprecinct .co.nz
Full and Part time positions available
Amazing individuals required to join our fun team as:
• New Build & Commercial cleaning experts
• Air b n b & residential cleaning professionals
• Full training given! Great Pay Rates!
• Travel and vehicles provided!
Email us for full details and a trial! slithytoves33@gmail.com and check out our website www.slithytoves.nz
Committed to a healthy work/life balance!
Ph: 03 409 2800
enquiries@qmg.co.nz
jobfix.co.nz
LPG Driver – Rockgas Queenstown
Join the Rockgas Queenstown crew and fill your workday with good energy, great people and a ton of awesome perks.
We’re looking for a driver to deliver LPG cylinders to our customers in the Queenstown-Lakes area. While it's great if you've already got driving experience and your Class 2 license (even as a learner), we are also keen to hear from you if you have a full Class 1 license and want to get into driving as a career. We will support you to get your Class 2 license and give you lots of driving experience.
Your job will involve:
• Delivery of LPG cylinders to our customers
• Interacting with our customers
• Safe operation of our trucks
To be considered for this role you must:
• A full Class 1 or a Class 2 vehicle license
• Previous experience in a driving job is an advantage but not essential
• Be physically fit as the job requires moving and loading cylinders
• Enjoy working both on your own and in a team
• Be committed to maintaining a safe work environment
• The right to work in NZ i.e. be a NZ resident/citizen or have a valid work visa.
The recruitment process for this role involves a medical check which includes a drug and alcohol test.
What we offer you:
• A competitive hourly rate
• Permanent full-time role, guaranteed 40 hrs per week
• Monday to Friday working week
• A great team and safe work environment
• Great benefits such as additional leave, medical insurance, a wellness grant and seasonal incentives.
Apply Now:
If you want to fill your workday with good energy, then this is the job you’ve been looking for. Send your CV to Jacqui Cummack on jacqui.cummack@clarus.co.nz before applications close on 13 February 2026. We will be assessing applications as they come in so get yours in fast so as not to miss out.
JOIN US
VEHICLE GROOMER
At Queenstown Motor Group, we’re also looking for a Vehicle Groomer to join our busy and growing dealership. We’re looking for someone that has a high standard of workmanship, that takes pride in their work to ensure all vehicles are presented at its best.
Have you got an eye for detail and a can-do attitude? Then this job is certainly for you!
What’s in it for YOU?
• Permanent full time 40-hour week
• Competitive remuneration
Join our Gems Team as a Casual Reliever!
We’re looking for caring, reliable, and enthusiastic relievers who would love to work with children in a supportive early childhood setting. You need to be passionate about supporting our youngest children as they grow and learn.
What We’re Looking For:
• A natural love for infants and young children
• Patience, kindness, and a willingness to learn
• Someone who's dependable and enjoys working as part of a team
If you’re looking for a place where you can grow and make a di erence every day — we’d love to hear from you! Please email Tash recruit@gems.net.nz
SIGNAGE PRODUCTION MANAGER QUEENSTOWN
Print Central is Queenstown’s leading signage, print, and label provider, delivering high-quality solutions for some of the region’s most highprofile businesses.
We’re looking for an experienced Signage Production Manager to lead our signage department and manage a team of seven skilled printers, finishers, and installers.
About the Role
• Lead and manage the signage production team
• Plan and oversee production schedules
• Manage projects from concept through to installation
• Ensure equipment, quality standards, and safety requirements are maintained
About You
• Proven experience in sign-making, fabrication, or digital printing
• Strong knowledge of signage software (e.g. RIP software) and Adobe Creative Suite
• Confident leader with solid project management skills
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Relevant industry qualifications (e.g. Working at Heights) are an advantage
Apply Now
Ongoing training and the opportunity to expand your skills with
• Excellent working environment and conditions
To apply contact Duncan Wright duncan@queenstownmotorgroup.co.nz
Send your CV and cover letter to: graeme@printcentral.co.nz
Join the Team at Pier
Queenstown’s Legendary Pacific Fusion Restaurant!
Perched on the edge of Lake Wakatipu. Pier offers one of Queenstown’s most breathtaking dining experiences.
Step into BlueKanu, where Pacific and
Join the BlueKanu Whānau
Queenstown’s Legendary Pacific Fusion Restaurant!
Asian flavours collide in a vibrant, fast-paced environment. Consistently ranked among Queenstown’s top dining spots, we blend Polynesian spirit, island hospitality and world-class food and cocktails.
We’re seeking passionate, professional hospitality staff to join our Front & Back of House Teams this season. If you love great service, fresh New Zealand seafood and a relaxed yet polished atmosphere.
Why Join Us:
-Work at Queenstown’s premier waterfront venue
-Use top-quality local produce and seafood -Opportunities across breakfast, lunch & dinner -Staff discounts at 12 venues
We’re looking for energetic, personable team players to join our Front and Back of House Teams this season.
-Perks including gym memberships, wine tours & Milford Sound discounts
If you thrive in a buzzing restaurant, love great food and drink, and bring your best self every shift, we want you!
What’s on offer:
Step into BlueKanu, where Pacific and Asian flavours collide in a vibrant, fast-paced environment. Consistently ranked among Queenstown’s top dining spots, we blend Polynesian spirit, island hospitality and world-class food and cocktails.
We’re looking for energetic, personable team players to join our Front and Back of House Teams this season.
If you thrive in a buzzing restaurant, love great food and drink, and bring your best self every shift, we want you!
What’s on offer:
- Work at one of Queenstown’s most talked-about venues
Whether you’re experienced or ready to grow your skills, Pier is the perfect place to take the next step in your career.
Applicants must be based in New Zealand. Apply now & join the awesome team at Pier. info@pier.nz
-Work at one of Queenstown’s most talked-about venues
-Supportive, passionate team culture
-Staff discounts across 12 venues
-Local perks (gym, wine tours, Milford Sound)
-Career growth across our hospitality group
Apply now at info@bluekanu.nz and join the best crew in Queenstown!
