Irish cyclists conquer Haast Pass in the rain
Irish cyclists conquer Haast Pass in the rain
No words were spoken as 30 rugby-mad Irish cyclists struggled up Haast Pass from the west in torrential rain on Saturday.
Marjorie Cook
Albert Town Tavern seeks consent for garden bar to replace ice rink
Albert Town Tavern seeks consent for garden bar to replace ice rink
The Albert Town Tavern has replaced its $120,000 synthetic ice rink, regarded as a "wasting asset", with a garden bar, but the new facility cannot be used until resource consent has been granted.
Residents call for water protection
Residents call for water protection
Hawea Flat residents want the Hawea aquifer to be declared a drinking water protection zone, but Otago Regional Council director of environmental information and science John Threlfall says tighter water quality rules in a proposed water plan change "may well do the same thing" within the same timeframe.
Freeskiing all a matter of judgement
Freeskiing all a matter of judgement
A skier plunges backwards off a jump, rolls upside down twice and spins three times, then lands and gracefully glides off another jump into yet another aerial roll - or maybe splats in a puff of snow, legs akimbo, skis scattered far and wide.
'Gateway building' revised
'Gateway building' revised
Designs have been revealed for a new, two-level commercial building on a high-profile corner site at 93 Ardmore St, next to Bullock Creek.
Bridge sound
Bridge sound
There was no pressing need to build the proposed two-lane bridge at the Gates of Haast on State Highway 6, New Zealand Transport Agency West Coast regional state highways manager Colin Knaggs said yesterday.
Meeting planned on Hawea water quality
Meeting planned on Hawea water quality
Hawea Flat campaign group Preserve Our Water (POW) is continuing to lobby the Otago Regional Council to guarantee the quality of drinking water and rivers, and will hold a public meeting with the council later this month.
100 sign petition on speed humps in 24 hours
100 sign petition on speed humps in 24 hours
A petition seeking a review of the lower Ardmore St speed humps attracted 100 signatures just 24 hours after it was launched.
Wanaka Labradors the nation's top dogs
Wanaka Labradors the nation's top dogs
Black Labradors Rua and Ra are the most advanced avalanche search dogs in the country - and that is not just their proud owner, Anna Easthope, talking.
'Good son' farewelled in memorial service
'Good son' farewelled in memorial service
Lake Hawea Hotel chef Rene Weisswange (25) was remembered yesterday as a cheeky and mischievous young man who will be deeply missed by his family in Germany.
Hawea Flat residents bring ideas to futures forum
Hawea Flat residents bring ideas to futures forum
The district's Shaping our Futures forum series moved to Hawea Flat on Wednesday night, where bantering residents enjoyed suggesting ways to protect the environment from people.
City students branching out
City students branching out
Ageing heritage trees are being pruned this week in a project aimed at protecting Wanaka's historic "avenue of trees" on Mt Aspiring Rd.
Memorial ceremony for missing German kayaker
Memorial ceremony for missing German kayaker
The Lake Hawea community will hold a memorial ceremony and whaka noa (a Maori blessing) at 11am today for missing German kayaker Rene Weisswange (25), who is presumed drowned.
Conditions test dogs, handlers
Conditions test dogs, handlers
Changeable snow conditions challenged search and rescue dogs and their handlers taking part in the annual LandSAR avalanche assessment camp at the Snow Farm at the weekend.
Off to Himalayas to throw himself off
Off to Himalayas to throw himself off
Several years of preparation and planning is nearing an end for Wanaka adventurer Mal Haskins, who leaves today for Nepal for a world-first speedflying attempt down an 8000m Himalayan mountain peak, Manaslu.
Group fears effects of dairy farm
Group fears effects of dairy farm
A group of Hawea Flat residents has launched a campaign to protect their bore drinking water supply from the threat of dairy farm effluent.
Still no sign of kayaker
Still no sign of kayaker
Kayaker Rene Weisswange (25), of Germany, is still missing nearly two weeks after he disappeared while paddling on Lake Hawea on August 29.
New house opposed
New house opposed
The husband of celebrity chef Annabel Langbein, Edward (Ted) Hewetson, wants to replace an illegal storage shed with a house on their Dublin Bay property near Lake Wanaka, but environmentalists are questioning whether they can be trusted.
Club vows to battle on for site
Club vows to battle on for site
The Wanaka Rowing Club is vowing to "be staunch" in its battle to obtain its preferred lakeside site for a clubhouse, despite concerns of Environment Court action and possible legal costs.
Draft fatal crash report due in 2012
Draft fatal crash report due in 2012
A draft report on the fatal Fox Glacier plane crash in September 2010 was not expected until early next year, Transport Accident Investigation Commission spokesman Peter Northcote, of Wellington, said yesterday.