Henrietta Kjaer

Wednesday proved to be perfect for an afternoon playing bowls in Arrowtown, with warm sunshine, no wind and stunning autumn colours as a backdrop.

Eager to check out the new playground, children attending the Frankton Playcentre and their parents got a warm welcome from Remarkables Primary School pupils and teachers at the official opening of the Frankton Playcentre's new premises on Wednesday.

Arrowtown landscape architects Blakely Wallace Associates won two gold awards at the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Resene Pride of Place Landscape Awards.

Olympic skier Tim Cafe has returned to Queenstown after a long winter of international competitions in the northern hemisphere.

Skyline Enterprises has joined the fight against wilding pines by "adopting" an area of Ben Lomond and Bowen Peak.

Despite a waiting list, a Riding for the Disabled programme might be closed in the Wakatipu area, as funding is running out.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council will fund the capping of the closed Tucker Beach landfill with $101,800 of unspent money from the waste-management budget. The budget adjustment was approved at a council meeting on Tuesday.

"If people do not learn how to dispose of ashes safely, we could very well be dealing with a fire death."

Plans to create a maritime hub for the Wakatipu region by restoring the historic Frankton shipping office to its former glory have been boosted by a $200,000 grant from the Central Lakes Trust.

Anzac Day commemorations in Queenstown will start with the usual morning parade and service, but this year the day will also be celebrated with a major evening concert.

The Queenstown Library could be moving to a new location before the end of the year, if the public agrees to a proposal from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, which will be included in the draft annual plan for 2010-11.

The ice rink at the Queenstown Gardens has opened for the winter season with new owners and managers.

Rates for the Queenstown Lakes District are set to rise by an average of 7.95% but Cr Vanessa van Uden says she will vote against the increase when the council meets in Wanaka on Tuesday to adopt the draft annual plan.

An Arrowtown landscape architect has been nominated for two national landscape awards, and is the only finalist from Otago.

Defending champion Mark Williams successfully defended his Tour de Wakatipu off-road bike race title on Friday.

The sun greeted 116 participants in Remarkable Runners' Arm Run on Easter Sunday morning.