Dunedin university student Blair Andrew Martyn (21) was swimming alone in Lake Hawea when he drowned on Tuesday and was not missed by his friends for more than six hours.
Bad weather has forced Wanaka police to postpone their search formissing Auckland tramper Irina Yun (36), who was last seen tramping alone on the Cascade Saddle Route in the Mt Aspiring National Park early on Wednesday morning.
Wanaka search and rescue volunteers recovered the body of 21-year-old Otago University student Blair Andrew Martyn from underneath the Scott's Beach pontoon at Lake Hawea around 8.30pm last night.
Wet and windy weather grounded 70 paragliding pilots in Wanaka yesterday for the start of the national paragliding championships.
Concerns are held for the safety of Auckland website designer and photographer Irina Yun (36)
The morning after a night of heavy drinking proved to be the downfall of several people in Wanaka yesterday, with 11 people processed for driving with excess breath-alcohol levels.
Look after your mates, wear life jackets and do not mix alcohol and water is the strong message from Queenstown Lakes harbourmaster Marty Black after two recent incidents he has labelled "sheer stupidity".
Holiday revellers began pouring into Wanaka and Lake Hawea yesterday, with roads busy and shops and cafes full of people.
Two Dunedin men have been the first to be arrested for breaching Wanaka's liquor ban, which covers central public areas, including the lake shore, and areas at Lake Hawea until January 5.
Petrol prices plummeted yesterday but most Wanaka boaties did not seem to notice.
The gravel extraction and processing plans of Wanaka Landfill Ltd have been drastically curtailed by a Queenstown Lakes District Council hearings panel in a decision that has highlighted the growing tensions between town and country dwellers on the outskirts of Wanaka.
Former Wanaka bank teller Shelley Anne Williamson was sentenced to nine months' home detention in the Queenstown District Court earlier this week for stealing $135,000 from the Bank of New Zealand. Reporter Marjorie Cook backgrounds the case.
A vocal group of Central Otago high country musterers takes on a tuneful team of Paekakariki surf lifesavers today in a televised singing contest that provides the winners with $10,000 for their favourite cause.
Wanaka is full of stuffed Santa stuntmen at this time of year, courtesy of resident Liz Hall, who has been decorating the town and organising annual Christmas lights competitions for several years.
Albert Town residents may be able to get their mail delivered to letterboxes outside their homes by NZ Post in about a year's time, the Wanaka Community Board learned yesterday.
Critics of Wanaka's sports and recreational facilities strategy should be able to have all the information they seek before Christmas, Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive officer Duncan Field said yesterday.
A group of Meadowstone residents strongly opposed to a proposed retirement village in their neighbourhood confronted the Wanaka Community Board yesterday with their objections and asked for the board to support them in fighting the development.
The removal of the Glenfinnan training works, a flood protection structure in the Matukituki River, is unlikely before March, Wanaka service centre manager Barbara East told Wanaka Community Board members yesterday.
The Wanaka Ladies Lions Club wants to install an electric barbecue at Bremner Bay but four Aubrey Rd residents are opposing the project, fearing it will encourage rubbish, noise, late night parties, broken glass and create traffic risks.
Wanaka swimming coach Stacey Wells is devastated her business may be forced to close from January 5, after learning this week Lakes Leisure Ltd would be running all learn-to-swim classes at the Wanaka pool from next month, including those usually conducted by clubs and schools.
