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Heli Tours director Paul Mitchell says his new alpine tour company is "ahead of schedule" after getting certification on Christmas Eve and operating for less than three weeks.

It is 50 years since the foundation of the International Institute of Space Law. One of the people now at the vanguard of this frontier is University of Otago PhD student Maria Pozza. She spoke to reporter Matt Stewart about terraforming Mars, space Hoovers and cosmic junk.

Queenstown Lakes district harbourmaster Marty Black says a couple driving to Moke Lake are "lucky to be alive" after swimming from their sinking vehicle after it rolled into Lake Kirkpatrick near Queenstown late on Thursday night.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) says an $18 million plan to replace the one-lane bridge at Kawarau Falls is "in a good state of readiness" - partly in anticipation of increased traffic at the soon-to-open twin Hilton hotels and $1 billion Kawarau Falls luxury resort.

More than 20 jobs have been advertised for the two Hilton hotels at the $1 billion Kawarau Falls Station luxury resort as the long-awaited development edges closer to its opening - probably before the start of the 2011 ski season.

Queenstown Midtown Medical Centre owner Greg Roberts is taking breach of privacy and restraint of trade action against contract GP Dr Bruce McKinnon, who, he says, "pulled the pin" on the practice just before New Year's Eve.

Queenstown's property market is lifting on the back of strong pre-Christmas residential sales and the most inquiries since the credit crunch sparked the global recession in 2007, says REINZ Queenstown spokesman Adrian Snow.

Having New Zealand's longest-serving incumbent mayor Tim Shadbolt cooking gourmet grub at his burger bar was "bloody theatre every day" for Humble Pie owner Mike Burke, of Queenstown.

A convoy of timeless cars took a "lightning bolt" tour on Sunday, hugging the shores of Lake Wakatipu from Kingston to Glenorchy and return for the sixth annual Kingston Classic Car Run.

Although the honour is still ''sinking in'', Arrowtown's Michael Hill says he is humbled, surprised and keenly aware his knighthood carries with it a duty to the nation.

Arrowtown's Michael Hill has been knighted in the New Year Honours. Taking cues from Dr Suess, Malcolm Gladwell and Dale Carnegie, jeweller Sir Michael's new book, Think Bigger, sold out in just 10 days. Matt Stewart talked to the man who says until his house burnt down when he was aged 40, he was, like so many Kiwis, just ''waiting at the bus stop'' of the ''enormous potential'' within us all.

Moke Lake campsite feels as though it's nestled in the back of beyond, but in fact it's just a short drive from busy Queenstown. Reporter Matt Stewart visited the Department of Conservation reserve and met two Auckland schoolteachers who found the Christmas rain annoying but romantic.

Persistent rain did not dampen a busy morning for stallholders at Arrowtown's 15th annual market day.